Why you don't want to be in the Birdcage at Derby Day

EVEN though it’s fancy AF, the booze is free and the food is amazing, the Birdcage at Flemington isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Don’t get me wrong, if you ever get invited into one of the marquees inside the exclusive area, it’s definitely worth experiencing at least once.

But after dividing my Derby Day between the celeb-filled Birdcage and the general public area, I’ve got to say, people in the latter area are having way more fun.

MATES

Tickets to the Birdcage are hard to come by, like, really hard. And most people only have their names on the door list for one marquee, meaning they can’t visit their mates if they’re in a different marquee.

The security people manning the doors to each marquee that their lists very seriously too.

At Derby Day I witnessed a former Australian test cricket captain walk up to the door person at a marquee. Given he’s one of this country’s most famous sportsmen, you’d think they’d welcome him with open arms no matter if his name was on the list or not.

But that wasn’t the case.

I winced in embarrassment as he was stopped by the door person who asked him what his name was. Maybe he should have worn his baggy green?

Outside in the general admin area, it’s a vastly different story.

People come in big groups, they put down a rug (aka base camp) and spend the rest of the day partying with their friends.

Some of those who were in the general admin area were using the day to celebrate other events such as birthdays or even their bucks party.

Surely that’s what a day at the races is all about, having fun with your mates.

ALL EYES ON YOU

I take my hat off to celebrities including Elle Macpherson and Scott Disick who were both inside the Birdcage on Derby Day.

Both of them were gawked at by a crowd of onlookers all day long wherever they went.

I watched on as Elle, who was chatting to friends inside the Lexus marquee, was the unwitting star of many an Instagram photo as people attempted the old ‘get a photo of me with the celebrity in the background’ trick.

These stars, and many other celebs and well-known people, have to spend all day in the Birdcage being on guard, aware that their every move is being watched and probably photographed or filmed.

One bad photo, one outburst caught on camera, one too many champagnes and they can guarantee their name will be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons the following day.

In the general admin area, most people weren’t taking any notice at all of those who were standing around them.

Sure, there were a few people keeping their eyes peeled for a potential date (one night stand, anyone?), but you could get away with almost anything in the general admin area without having to worry about getting papped or gossipped about.

COMFORT

Most of the marquees in the Birdcage aren’t that big, especially once all of the guests are packed inside.

There’s a bit more space in the Lexus, Muum and 1 Oliver Street marquees, oh and there’s a $60,000 bed in the Pace marquee to have a quick rest on, but in the majority of other marquees it’s standing room only.

That ain’t the case in the general admin area.

Even though 90,000 people attended Derby Day, it never felt crowded on the lawn.

There was room for everyone’s ‘base camp’ and by 3pm a large percentage of women in the general admin area were truly living the high life, sitting down on a rug, enjoying a champas with their heels off and their spirits high.

I reckon if you asked some of the women inside the Birdcage if they’d love to slip off their heels in the arvo for a quick sit down on the lawn, they’d jump at the chance.

DRESS CODE

If you’re in the Birdcage, you’ve got to put in a fair bit of effort with your outfit.

Dress codes to get into the exclusive area are strict and you’d better believe they’re enforced.

Outside in the general admin area, not so much.

At Derby Day there was a guy wearing a VB suit (a delightful cream suit covered in miniature VB’s and bizarrely a couple of photos of Pablo Escobar). There was another man wearing an inflatable horse which he assured me was a look straight from the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week. I wasn’t convinced.

So in conclusion, while it is fun to mingle with celebrities and get a few free drinks, don’t feel like you’re missing out if you never make it into the Birdcage. The reality is, you’re probably having more fun than most of the celebrities.

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