After years of being known as one of the wildest events in all of sports, the 2013 Preakness Stakes infield festival at Pimlico Race Course has been transformed from a drunken frat party to a respectable concert festival.

With the track having made an effort to put on a great show and keep the bystanders safe by outlawing the bring-your-own-beer philosophy in 2009, InfieldFest and the surrounding events throughout Preakness weekend makes this one of the best experiences in any sport.

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Pimlico now has multiple concert stages that will be filled throughout the event with top performers in the music industry today. Coupled with the normal activities of the track, this is an unforgettable experience for anyone planning on attending.

As exciting as the Preakness will be this year, the one negative note is that InfieldFest’s mascot, Kegasus, will not be at the event. As one of the keys to getting a younger crowd to the track in 2011 and 2012, the mistreatment of Kegasus is a shame.

Despite the harsh realities of this world for a centaur, the infield festivities at the 2013 Preakness Stakes will be almost as exciting as the actual race itself.

If you are attending, be safe, be smart and have fun.

 

Performers List (via Preakness.com)

Black-Eyed Susan Day Performers (May 17)

Goo Goo Dolls

Rodney Atkins

Rachel Farley

 

Infield Fest Performers (May 18)

Pitbull (Main Stage)

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (Main Stage)

Afrojack (Main Stage)

Chevelle (Jägermeister stage)

Florida Georgia Line (Jägermeister stage)

Kristen and The Noise (Jägermeister stage)

 

InfieldFest Events and Activities

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Concerts

As listed above, the event coordinators at Pimlico Race Course have gone all-in on this year’s InfieldFest with the performers during the concert series on both Black-Eyed Susan Day and Preakness Day.

Bona fide music giants like Pitbull and the Goo Goo Dolls will help draw the younger crowd to the event, and the excitement of the actual two-minute horse race will help those who don’t love the sport understand its popularity.

Add in a second stage for even more action, and the excitement over what has become the biggest party in horse racing is through the roof.

If you can attend the event this year or in the future, do not pass on the opportunity.

 

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

The Party

While there is no doubt that the infield debauchery of years past is not totally gone, the elimination of the bring-your-own-beer rules was the best decision Pimlico Race Course has ever made.

The InfieldFest still isn’t family friendly per se. The atmosphere is much more enjoyable now for everyone going to have a good time. Alcohol still flows in abundance and if you join the MUG Club, the Preakness mug you are given is good for beer at any of the many filling stations.

Unlimited beer? Sign me up.

Couple all of the concerts with a bikini contest earlier in the day and a graffiti wall that guests are encouraged to fill with their own designs, and this is a party that everyone must experience at least once.

 

Photo via Preakness.com

The Food

For those horse-racing fans unaware of the delicacies of the Maryland area or those coming for the concert who don’t know how good the food is at Pimlico Race Course, here is your warning: You will eat more than you expected.

From the amazing crab cakes that have made Baltimore famous to every other local cuisine found in the area—from seafood to steak—those traveling to Maryland will be treated to an authentic Preakness Stakes meal.

This is not the event in which to try to adhere to a strict diet. If you plan on attending, eat smart before the Preakness and view the weekend festivities as “skip days.”

By the time InfieldFest is over, those on hand will see their waist size grow exponentially.

 

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