Toast to the Good Life: Veuve Polo Classic 2018
It's a fancy game of Quidditch with horses and Champagne.
Before we go anywhere, I will let you all in on an important piece of information: Veuve Clicquot is my favorite champagne. I have a birthday coming up so I am taking all donations and special deliveries of bottles. Thank you in advance. Now that I have that out of the way, we can talk all things Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic.
This very posh annual event brings together socialites and spectators alike from across the states to dress to impress while having an upscale picnic on the lawns of New Jersey's Liberty State Park. There is also a Polo Match hence the name Polo Classic but Veuve is also in the name and is the real star of the day.
The 11th installation of VCP almost didn't happen this year as on goers watched the storm from Baltimore head directly for the park. I personally knew people who were selling their tickets during the week and even the night before. #GodsPlan said otherwise as we were met with the sun shining over us.
A brief ferry ride from Battery Park landed us in a field of champagne dreams. The event itself serves as a fashion show that people pull out all of the stops for. From summer maxi dresses and tailored jumpsuits for women and linen pants and full suits for men, attire has been carefully curated for this garden soiree. If you are lucky you may make it into the likes of articles as seen in Essence and GQ. GET THOSE FITS OFF AND HIT THEM ANGLES! It really is your time to shine and show your style. As you see, I even wore color! VCP really brings out the best in people.
We caught one of the early ferries to allow us time to explore the grounds and more importantly not wait in egregious lines for bottles of champagne. Be ready to pay that $105+ tag for your one allotted bottle. As few #tidbittsofadvice from me to you, if you are interested in purchasing more than one bottle keep the bartenders talking. They will forget to take the snap off your wristband. There is no other alcohol available for purchase on the grounds but you can easily sneak some goodies in by using disguised flasks such as sunscreen bottles, hairbrush, or tampons.
In the general admission area that are tents to purchase various merchandise such as umbrellas, hats, and blankets. You can bring your own food in addition to food trucks being available on site. As a note, all food has to be pre-packaged and sealed. Security almost took my grapes because the package was open so know that they don't play. Depending on the experience you are looking for you may decide to spend your coins for the VIP ticket for entrance into the Rose Garden. It comes with price tag of over $350 but your lunch is provided as well as a bottle of champagne. You are also granted access to a private garden with backdrops and photo opportunities even better than the already amazing ones on the grounds and have barely any wait compared to the general admission lines.
Guests are corralled towards the field for the start of the polo match and to stomp the divots during half time. By this point the majority of the people are champagne wasted and it's went from an upscale garden picnic with classy people to seeing the people next to you twerk for their lives while holding bottles of yellow label Clicquot.
If you enjoy bougie events, then this is an event for you. If you like champagne, it's one for you as well. Hell if you like being outside and people watching, it's for you too. If you hate all these things then I don't think we can be friends, fam.
Watch the video below for my recap of VCP as well as highlights of the day. Also be sure to check out my travel guide in my resource library to give you the full ins and outs of getting tickets, travel and accommodations, and getting through the day.
