Dec. 30, 2013. Louisville, KY. – Tickets for the 41st annual Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic presented by Papa John’s go on sale TODAY! See future Cats, Cards and Hoosiers at the game set for Friday, April 18, at Freedom Hall.

Tickets, which cost $13 and $18 (includes facility fee), are available at all TicketMaster locations, online at TicketMaster.com, or by phone at (800) 745-3000 or the Freedom Hall Box Office at (502) 367-5144. NEW this year, a limited number of court side VIP tickets are available for $50. Tickets for the game also allow free admission to the Horseshoe Foundation Derby Festival Night of the Future Stars, which will be held on Thursday, April 17, at Floyd Central High School.

The Basketball Classic is presented by Papa John’s, with Contributing Sponsors Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County, Under Armour, 99.7 DJX and B96.5 FM. Supporting Partner: The Rock. Media Partner: SLAM Magazine.

First held in 1973, the Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic has featured such players as Jamal Mashburn, Moses Malone, Rex Chapman, Pervis Ellison, Isiah Thomas, Dominique Wilkins, Darrell Griffith, Derek Anderson, Anfernee Hardaway and Michael Beasley, among many others.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

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For more information, contact:

Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 584-FEST

Nov. 15, 2013. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky School of Art at Spalding University is teaming up with the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Foundation to be the presenting sponsor of the Foundation’s Student Art Contest. The contest is open to students in grades K-12 around Kentuckiana and is now taking submissions. Applications and contest information are now available online at www.kdf.org. All work must be turned in to respective area coordinators by March 7, 2014.

“The Kentucky School of Art at Spalding University plays a leading role in cultivating the artistic talent of our region,” said Tori Murden McClure, Spalding University President. “We are proud to sponsor this premier contest. We also applaud the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation for opening such a contest to young artists; They are the creative thinkers of tomorrow.”

Students from public, private and parochial schools in Jefferson and Oldham counties, as well as Clark and Floyd counties in Indiana are invited to participate. Schools from other counties are also welcome to participate, and can contact the KDF office for additional information. Students who are not enrolled in art classes at their school may also create artwork at home, but entries must still follow all contest criteria and be submitted by the school.

Applications and contest information are available on the Kentucky Derby Festival’s website at www.kdf.org. As part of the new partnership, the competition has been extended through the spring. All work must be turned in to respective area coordinators by March 7, 2014. In previous years, the competition ended in the fall.

Entries in the Derby Festival Foundation Student Art Contest will be judged by arts professionals from the community in March. Also new this year, winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in the spring. The awards will be held in conjunction with the Republic Bank Parade Preview Party on Tuesday, April 29th.

About KDFF: The Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, a 501 C 3 not-for-profit charity, receives and manages charitable contributions on behalf of the Kentucky Derby Festival, Inc., its supporters and the general public. The Foundation perpetuates the Festival’s impact on the community by developing projects that highlight the Festival’s influence on the area’s cultural heritage. It works to further the Festival’s educational and charitable mission through exhibitions and performances.

About Spalding: As the first certified Compassionate University in the world, Spalding University faculty, staff and students complete on average 1.16 million hours of service per year. The university offers an innovative schedule of seven six-week sessions per year, allowing students to earn a bachelor’s degree at their own pace. Spalding has graduate, undergraduate and accelerated programs with majors in applied behavior analysis, accounting, art, business, creative writing, communication, education, humanities, natural science, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, social sciences and social work. Spalding reached its all-time high enrollment with 2515 students in the fall of 2012.

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For more information, contact:

Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 584-FEST

Nov. 14, 2013. Louisville, KY.  – Louisville artists and twin sisters – Jeaneen Barnhart and Doreen Barnhart DeHart – have been selected as the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Official Poster Artists for the 2014 Festival. They are the first artists in the history of the Festival’s Poster Series to have their artwork chosen four different times. The siblings also collaborated on artwork for the Festival’s Official Poster in 1994, 1997 and 2009.

Both sisters received Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees from Alfred University in New York and have collaborated on a number of award-winning projects, in addition to their individual artistic accomplishments. Jeaneen specializes in painting and drawing and Doreen in graphic design.

“Jeaneen and I are very excited and proud to once again create the Kentucky Derby Festival Poster,” said Doreen. “It is just as thrilling as the first time we collaborated as a sister team in 1994.” Said Jeaneen, “Over the past 20 years, we have built stronger bonds with not only each other, but with our entire community. So naturally for this year’s poster, our hearts were really into it!”

“The posters created by the Barnhart twins have always been fan favorites,” said Mike Berry, KDF President and CEO. “It’s an honor and privilege to be working with them again for the 2014 Festival. We think this piece will be just as popular as the others.”

All of the Barnharts’ Festival posters are among the top selling images. Fans can still purchase most of their previous artwork through the Festival’s website at www.kdf.org. For a limited time, a postcard set featuring their 1994, 1997 and 2009 images is being made available for $5 (for the set).

The sisters’ poster will be released at “Festival Unveiled” (formerly known as the Festival’s Poster Premiere). The event is set for Thursday, February 20th at The Ice House on East Washington Street. In addition to unveiling the official poster and merchandise, other exciting elements of the 2014 Festival will also be announced. Stay tuned for additional details. Tickets for the event will go on sale in January.

Over the years, the Derby Festival’s Official Poster Series has become a unique symbol of the community. Past designs decorate offices and homes throughout the city. Peter Max’s expressionistic “Bluegrass Pegasus” launched the series in 1981, and a stylistic and geographical mix of artists have been showcased over the years. The signed collector editions continue to significantly increase in value, and the quality of the Poster Series has been recognized worldwide.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. It entertains more than 1.5 million people in a two- week period and has a local economic impact of more than $127 million. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

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For more information, contact:

Kentucky Derby Festival Press Office at 584-FEST.

November 8, 2013. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival is rolling out a new event just in time for the holidays. The Texas Ho Ho Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament will be held Saturday, December 14th at Horseshoe Southern Indiana in the First Floor Poker Room beginning at 5p.m.

Check-in begins at 4 p.m., tournament starts at 5 p.m. The $125 buy-in includes $6,000 worth of chips, a commemorative Derby Festival Texas Hold ‘Em metal event pin and one free buffet at the new restaurant, Spread. Re-buys will be available for $40 up to four times for $3,000 worth of chips (if player’s money is below $6,000 during first four levels of play).

The payout will be based on the size of the field (with 10% of the field receiving prizes). The tournament will also feature “bounties.” Any player who “knocks out” a bounty will receive an additional prize. Call 800-660-9744 to register, or log on to www.kdf.org for registration information.

The Media Partner for the Kentucky Derby Festival Texas Ho Ho Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament is 1450 AM The Sports Buzz.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

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For more information, contact:

Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 584-FEST

ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR ‘TOUR DE LOU’ OPENS TODAY

November 1, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – ‘Tour de Lou’ is the newest event to be added to the Kentucky Derby Festival’s schedule for 2014.  KDF is partnering with the Louisville Bicycle Club to produce Tour de Lou, scheduled for Sunday, April 27.  The Festival’s inaugural bike event is for all ages and all levels of experience.

The Tour de Lou route will be an open course, which will start and finish at Waterfront Park near Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville.  There also will be three separate distances based on experience levels:

• 4 miles – Beginner/Family ride (Streets will be closed for the 4 mile family ride.)
• 20 miles – Beginner/New to cycling (Open course, no streets closed.)
• 35 miles – Moderate/Experienced (Open course, no streets closed.)

The course includes a scenic Olmsted Park Tour showcasing Shawnee, Chickasaw, Wayside, Iroquois and Cherokee parks.  Cyclists on the more experienced rides will also travel through neighborhoods around the city from Downtown along Main Street and Waterfront Park, to Portland, Algonquin and South Louisville; as well as Old Louisvlle NULU, the Highlands and Butchertown.

“There hasn’t been a cycling event on the Festival’s schedule for many years, so the “Tour de Lou” is a welcome addition for 2014,” said Mike Berry, KDF President and CEO.  “We know there is a large bike community in Kentuckiana and we’re excited to give them their own event at such an exciting time of year in Louisville.”

Registration for the event opens online on Friday, November 1^st, at www.kdf.org. A portion of the registration fee also benefits the Louisville Bicycle Club.  For more information, visit www.kdf.org or call (502) 584-FEST.

Entry fees for the 2014 Tour de Lou:

Adults (12 and over)

$35 from Nov. 1 – January 31, 2014

$45 from Feb. 1 – March 31, 2014

$50 from April 1 – April 14, 2014

Children (11 and under)

$10 from Nov. 1 – January 31, 2014

$15 from Feb. 1 – March 31, 2014

$20 from April 1 – April 14, 2014

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

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For more information, contact:

Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 584-FEST.

Aug. 27, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – You’re invited to the Kentucky Derby Festival’s first-ever Pegasus Pin Party. The event is set for Friday, September 6, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Festival’s headquarters at 1001 S. Third Street in Louisville.

The party will feature pin trading, a contest for the best display of Pegasus Pins, Labor Day discount pricing on all past year pins, as well as a special raffle of a pin set featuring “The First 25 Years of the Pegasus Pin.”  (The set is valued at $2,500 and only 100 tickets are being sold.)  Metal event, balloon and corporate pins from 1989 to 2013 will be available at reduced prices.

The first 50 guests wearing a Pegasus Pin (from any year) will receive a complimentary gift. Refreshments will also be served.

The Pegasus Pin is the community’s best way to support Kentucky Derby Festival events every spring.  Revenue generated from the pins helps to underwrite (along with corporate sponsorship) the many free events of the not-for-profit Derby Festival, such as Thunder Over Louisville and the U.S. Bank Great BalloonFest.

The Kentucky Derby Festival, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit civic organization that must raise all its funds privately to produce the annual two-week slate of nearly 70 events.  In addition to support from corporate sponsorship and merchandising royalties, the community actually helps produce the events it enjoys through personal contributions with the Pegasus Pin Program.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Aug. 23, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – On Monday, Aug. 26, the Kentucky Derby Festival begins the search for members of the 2014 Royal Court.  Young women interested in becoming Festival royalty can apply online on the Derby Festival’s website at www.kdf.org. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 15.

The Royal Court program is not a beauty pageant. It’s a great opportunity for any talented young woman to earn scholarship monies and serve as an official ambassador for the city and the Kentucky Derby Festival.  Each member of the Royal Court will receive two $1,000 scholarships – one from The Fillies, Inc., and one from the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation. In addition to other sponsor gifts, each woman receives a complimentary wardrobe.

Applicants must be single, female residents of Kentucky or the metropolitan area (Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties of Indiana), poised and outstanding in her community. A candidate must be a full-time student during the current academic year, attending a university, college or accredited professional school with a minimum accumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. She must be 18 years old on or before Dec. 31, 2013. All applicants must attend a screening on either Saturday, Nov. 2, or Saturday, Nov. 16, at the Goldberg Simpson Law Firm, 9301 Dayflower St. in Louisville. Contact Terri Saunders at (502) 681-7991 or email at terri.saunders@twc.com with any questions.

The Royal Court selection process is a self-nominating procedure. The program represents the Kentucky Derby Festival and is overseen by members of The Fillies, Inc., a non-profit organization with 250 of the finest community volunteers. In addition to coordinating the program, the women of The Fillies produce the gala Fillies Derby Ball, during which the Derby Festival Queen is selected and her Court established. The court will be selected in January with the Queen chosen by a “spin-of-the-wheel” at the Fillies Derby Ball on April 11, 2014.

A long-standing Derby tradition, the Derby Festival Queen and Court act as official ambassadors for the Kentucky Derby Festival – one of the country’s leading civic celebrations, attending nearly 70 Festival events. Since 1957, past Derby Festival Queens and Courts have been making an impression on their community. They include Martha Layne Collins, Kentucky’s first woman Governor, and a number of other community leaders.  Many say their Derby Festival experience helped them prepare for their future careers.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Special Promotion Offers Runners Chance to Win FREE Registration

July 26, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Registration for the 2014 Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon presented by Walmart and HumanaVitality opens next Thursday, August 1^st.  The largest annual day of road racing in Kentucky is set for Saturday, April 19, 2014, and will again be capped at 18,000 runners.  Registration will be available online at www.derbyfestivalmarathon.com. Early registration fees are $55 for the mini and $70 for the Marathon through August 15.

New this year, runners have the chance to win free and discounted registrations through a special promotion called “Race for Rewards.”  Every Thursday during early registration (August 1-15), Kentucky Derby Festival race staff and 102.3 The Max will be set-up at different locations throughout the city. For a chance to win the free or discounted registration, runners will need to follow clues to find each location.

Beginning Monday, July 29^th, the clues will be given out on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday each week at 8:20 a.m. on 102.3 The Max.  The clues will also be posted on the station’s Facebook page, as well as posted on the Festival’s Facebook and Twitter pages. The first 5 runners to each location will draw for a chance to win free registration and other runners will have a chance to win discounted registration.  Runner swag like technical shirts will also be given out at each location.

“For those wanting to run the mini, they have a chance to win registration for under $50 through our special promotion, which is a huge deal,” said Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO Mike Berry.  “We encourage folks to tune in for their clues, and register early to save money and guarantee their spot in our 2014 races.”

Entry fees for the 2014 Derby Festival miniMarathon:

$55 from August 1 – August 15, 2013

$65 from August 16 – October 31, 2013

$70 from November 1, 2013 – January 31, 2014

$75 from February 1, 2014 through March 31, 2014

Entry fees for the 2014 Derby Festival Marathon:

$70 from August 1 – August 15, 2013

$75 from August 16 – October 31, 2013

$80 from November 1, 2013 – January 31, 2014

$85 from February 1, 2014 – March 31, 2014

Walmart and HumanaVitality are co-presenting sponsors of the Marathon and miniMarathon. The Official Race Medical Provider and Training Partner is Norton Sports Health and Contributing Sponsors are ASICS, Bluegrass Family Health, Churchill Downs, Courier-Journal Media, and Powerade. Supporting Sponsors: Louisville Water Company and UPS. Official Pace Car:  MINI OF LOUISVILLE.

July 3, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s 2013 Opening Ceremonies – Thunder Over Louisville – will be re-broadcast on the American Forces Network to more than one million U.S. Armed Forces personnel and Department of Defense civilian employees and their families stationed overseas. The 90-minute program, which features the entire Thunder fireworks show and highlights of the Thunder Air Show, will be shown on July 4th to personnel stationed in approximately 175 countries and U.S. territories, as well as aboard more than 140 U.S. Navy ships. (It will air at 5:30 p.m. viewer time overseas on the AFN|spectrum channel.)

WHAS TV exclusively aired the original Air Show and fireworks coverage on Saturday, April 20, of this year and has produced the 90-minute edited version that will be shown on the American Forces Network in conjunction with Independence Day celebrations.

“Sharing Thunder Over Louisville is just a small way we can pay tribute to those who are serving our country and continue to protect our freedom,” said Mike Berry, President and CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival, who introduces the broadcast along with Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear.  “We hope the troops enjoy all the aerobatic stunts and spectacular fireworks from this year’s show.”

Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring.The 2014 Thunder Over Louisville with be the 25^th annual production and is scheduled for Saturday, April 12, 2014.  The 2013 show, themed “Thunder Vision,” was sponsored by Horseshoe Southern Indiana, KentuckyOne Health, LG&E, Meijer and UPS.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Over $1.5 Million Raised to Date

June 19, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – With a record number of charities participating in the 2013 Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation Charity Module Program, over $277,000 was raised for various charities around the region.  This year 30 different charitable organizations raised funds by having individual runners and running teams participate in the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon presented by Walmart and HumanaVitality.  Last year, 24 organizations participated in the program.

The charities were assisted by the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, the Derby Festival’s charitable arm. The KDF Foundation established criteria for organizations to be recognized as Official Charity Partners of the races and Foundation board members and volunteers were assigned as liaisons to help coordinate the fund-raising efforts.

“When the Charity Module began in 2005, we never imagined in such a short time we’d be the avenue for these charities to raise these kinds of funds,” says Mike Berry, President & CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival.  “It’s very rewarding to know we are helping these worthy causes.”

Coverage Note:  The Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation will make a check presentation to representatives of the charities at a luncheon at the Louisville Boat Club on River Road today. The event is open to the media. The luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m.; a check presentation will take place at approximately 12:45 p.m.

The following organizations were Official Charity Partners of the 2013 KDF road races:

KROGER’S DAVID NETT TO CHAIR 2014

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL

June 14, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – David Nett, of Kroger, will chair the 2014 Kentucky Derby Festival.  He was elected by the Kentucky Derby Festival, Inc., Board of Directors at its annual meeting on June 13 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Nett is Customer Communications Manager for Kroger, Mid South Division.  He follows the successful leadership of Chris Whelan, Vice President of Communications for LG&E and KU, who will continue serving as Immediate Past Chair of the Derby Festival.

“Serving as Chairman of the 2014 Kentucky Derby Festival is something I’ve been looking forward to and preparing for, for several years,” says Nett. “It’s hard to believe the time is finally here and I’m looking forward to having outstanding weather and one of the most fun and exciting Festivals to date.”

Nett was first elected to the Derby Festival Board in 2005 and has been a member of the KDF Executive Board since 2008. He has served on the planning committee for several Derby Festival events and programs, including Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, Chow Wagon, the Thorobred Membership Program, the Great Steamboat Race and the Pegasus Pin Program.

Michael E. Berry continues as President and CEO of the Derby Festival. Trish Osborn, Senior Vice President, American Founders Bank, was elected Chair-Elect and Wes Rutledge, Vice President of Investments, Hilliard Lyons, was elected Vice Chair. Todd Schumacher, Vice President/General Manager, Summitmedia, was elected Treasurer; Lisa Stevenson, Instructor and Asst. Athletic Director at DuPont Manual High School was elected Secretary.

Newly elected to the Festival’s Executive Board are: Jill Bell and Catherine Smith.

Joining the 75-member board as newly elected directors are: Kathy Bingham; Mike Gandolfo; Barbara Porter, BB&T; Erin Rasinen; Mike Shea; and Nancy Jo Trafton, The Courier-Journal.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

June 6, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival will hold its 12^th annual Yard Sale on Friday and Saturday, June 14 and 15, at the KDF office at 1001 South Third Street in Old Louisville. The sale will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday.The Yard Sale will feature many items including event t-shirts, Derby Festival Pins, posters from years past, glassware, Christopher Radko collector’s ornaments, and other pieces that span the Festival’s history, dating back to the 1970s.

An exclusive offer for Derby Festival Marathon & miniMarathon participants will be introduced this year. All shoppers that attend the Yard Sale wearing a medal from any previous Derby Festival race will have the opportunity to purchase 2013 ASICS Technical Marathon/minimarathon shirts at $10 each and receive a second for free. This offer is only good while supplies last.

Other items include cotton event T-shirts ($3 each or 2 for $5), past Derby Festival posters for $10, Thunder Over Louisville posters for $2, postcards for $2, glasses and close-out pricing on 2013 Official KDF merchandise.

The Derby Festival Pin Wagon also returns, featuring 2013 metal event and balloon pins, as well as plastic pins from 1973-2013. There will be a Special Pin Room open at the Festival Office with metal event, balloon and corporate pins from 1989 to 2012 available at greatly reduced prices. A special edition Exchange Pin is being offered to collectors in limited quantities for $40 each or 2 for $70.

Five editions of the Christopher Radko holiday ornaments – “A Good Foundation,” “Eight Belles,” “Belle of Louisville,” “Fleur-de-Liberty,” and “Fleur-de-Cure” – will be offered for sale up to 60% off the original retail price. A portion of sales from “Fleur-de-Cure,” the most recent in the KDF collection, benefit the M. Krista Loyd Resource Center.

The event typically attracts large crowds, so patrons are encouraged to come early and pick up some great items at very reasonable prices. Cash and credit cards will be accepted for purchases.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Fundraiser at Vincenzo’s will feature cooking demonstrations, wine pairings

June 4, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation – the Derby Festival’s charitable arm – will hold its third annual “Evening at Vincenzo’s” fund-raiser on Sunday, June 16, at Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant, 150 South Fifth St. Vincenzo and Agostino Gabriele will host this elegant event, which will feature cooking demonstrations and wine pairings by Old 502 Winery. The benefit, which is open to the public, will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails on the patio, followed by appetizers, dinner and dessert at 7 p.m.

“This fundraiser at Vincenzo’s is always a delicious dinner and it benefits a great cause ,” said Rip Hatfield, chair of the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation. “Proceeds from the event will support the Derby Festival Foundation to continue its mission of supporting charitable causes. We’re looking forward to the five-course meal that the Gabriele brothers will be preparing for a private audience.”

Tickets cost $1,700 for a corporate table of 10 or $150 per person. Dress is business casual; the deadline for reservations is June 12. For tickets, call the Kentucky Derby Festival office at (502) 572-3856. A portion of the ticket cost is tax-deductible.

The Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, a 501 C 3 not-for-profit charity, receives and manages charitable contributions on behalf of the Kentucky Derby Festival, Inc., its supporters and the general public. The Foundation perpetuates the Festival’s impact on the community by developing projects that highlight the Festival’s influence on the area’s cultural heritage.  It works to further the Festival’s educational and charitable mission through exhibitions and performances.

May 6, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Pegasus Pin purchasers who found a Gold Winner Pin in their 2013 Pegasus Pin Sponsorship envelope must register online at www.pegasuspins.com by 5 p.m. TOMORROW (Tuesday, May 7), to eligible for the drawings of nine Grand Prizes. Kentucky Derby Festival patrons will not have to leave home to find out if they’ve won a Grand Prize. The Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Pin Sponsorship Grand Prize Drawings will be held on WAVE 3 TV news broadcasts at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., beginning Thursday, May 9, (excluding Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12). Winners will be posted online and contacted following each drawing.

Inside each pin envelope is a membership card with a “scratch-off” bar that hides a unique 12-digit alpha-numeric code. Consumers will use this code to register online at www.pegasuspins.com.  After registering, they’ll be able to choose four coupons that are sent via email. In addition to a pin and coupons online, each Pegasus Pin Sponsor has the chance to win a gold pin. The odds of finding a gold winner pin this year are 1 in 34, with 10,000 of these pins in circulation.

2013 GRAND PRIZES TO BE DRAWN:

·         AAA – $2,500 Travel Certificate

·         Doo Wop Shop – Fender American Standard Stratocaster Guitar and Fender Amp

·         French Lick Resort – French Lick Resort Package

·         Kentuckiana Honda Dealers – 2013 Honda CRV

·         Kroger – $2,500 Gift Card

·         Kroger – $2,500 Grocery Shopping Spree

·         Kroger Fuel – $2,500 Kroger Fuel Card

·         Mega Cavern – Zip Lining Party for you and 49 of your friends

·         Meijer-  $2,500 Meijer Shopping Spree

The Pegasus Pin is the community’s primary way to support Kentucky Derby Festival events.  Revenue generated from the pins helps to underwrite (along with corporate sponsorship) the many free events of the not-for-profit Derby Festival, such as Thunder Over Louisville and the U.S. Bank Great BalloonFest. The Kentucky Derby Festival, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit civic organization that must raise all its funds privately to produce the annual two-week slate of nearly 70 events.  In addition to support from corporate sponsorship and merchandising royalties, the community actually helps produce the events it enjoys through personal contributions with the Pegasus Pin Program.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

May 2, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s oldest event – the 58^th annual Republic Bank Pegasus Parade – marched down Broadway this evening in near perfect weather conditions. The parade, which is one of the Festival’s most cherished and popular events, attracted a crowd estimated at 270,000 to downtown streets.

The University of Louisville Marching Band performed to kick-off this year’s parade, with the University of Louisville Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams serving as Grand Marshals. The theme of this year’s Pegasus Parade was “Now, That’s Entertainment!”

Other celebrities who appeared in the parade included: actor Jason Biggs of “American Pie”, Brad Penny (former Major League Baseball pitcher), Louisvillian Keith Robinson (“Dreamgirls”), country music artist J.D. Shelburne, Gunnar Deatherage and Alicia Hardesty of “Project Runway,” Christa Allen (“Revenge”), Camille Cothron (“Dress My Nest”), Ashley Holt, winner of “Next Great Baker,” Garrett Morris (“Two Broke Girls”), Matt Barr (“Hatfields & McCoys) and his actress-girlfriend Heather Hemmens, cast members from the 14th season of “Big Brother,” including Wil Heuser, Frank Eudy, Ashley Iocco, Mike “Boogie” Malin and Janelle Pierzina, the musical group The Wallflowers, Louisville native and actor Conrad Bachmann, Miss Kentucky 2012 Jessica Casebolt, and Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan.

Supporters of Norton Healthcare were cheering down the parade route as their float took home the Addison McGhee Sweepstakes Award for best overall float. CenterStage at the Jewish Community Center won the Board Chair’s Award; Louisville International Film Fesitval won the President’s Award; Second Chance@Life won the Grand Marshal’s Award; Kosair Charities/Kosair Shriners won the Queen’s Award and Chabad of Kentucky won the Chairman’s Award.  Grand Lodge of Kentucky, Hwang’s Martial Arts, Kentuckiana Pride Festival and UAW Local 862 / Ford Louisville Assembly Plant received Honorable Mention Awards.

In the text-to-vote competition, Chabad of Kentucky won the People Choice Float Award and Stage One Family Theatre “Cowboy” won the People’s Choice Inflatable Award.

The parade is known for its beautiful equestrian units. Grand Champion Equestrian Unit went to the American Side Saddle Association. The first place award for Best Mounted Equestrian Unit went to Hardin County 4-H Company B Equestrian Drill. Best Commercial Driven Equestrian Unit went to Wells Fargo Stage Coach; Non-Commercial Driven Unit was awarded to Friends of Equine of All Sizes – Miniatures. Seneca Valley Band won the Grand Prize in the Basil Caummisar Battle of the Bands competition. 610 Stompers won the Ray Wimberg Specialty Unit Award, LG&E won the Earl Ruby Inflatable Spirit Award and Young Guns 4-H Equestrian Drill Team won the Pooper Stars Award.

The Pegasus Parade – the Kentucky Derby Festival’s founding event – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Kentucky Derby Festival in the spring. The first parade was organized by just a handful of volunteers in 1956 on a budget of $640. It provides an estimated impact of $22 million to the area’s economy.  The Derby Festival is now an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation.

May 2, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Celebrities weren’t the only ones getting the spotlight on Millionaire’s Row at today’s Celebrity Day at the Downs presented by Kentuckiana Honda Dealers.  Four local charities were also presented with checks totaling $20,000 as part of a special promotion.

The Kentuckiana Honda Dealers – Sam Swope Honda World, Bob Montgomery Dixie Honda, Neil Huffman Honda and Hardin County Honda – conducted a social media contest that ran March 1-April 19^th where anyone could “like” the Kentuckiana Honda Dealers Facebook page and vote for their favorite nonprofit.  Each dealership was partnered with a different charity: Harbor House of Louisville (Sam Swope Honda World), USA Cares (Hardin County Honda), Kids Acting Against Cancer (Bob Montgomery Dixie Honda), and Make A Wish (Neil Huffman Honda).  The non-profit that had the most votes through the social media campaign would receive $5,000.  But, after careful consideration of each of the charities it was announced today at the luncheon each of the nonprofits would receive a $5,000 check.  Over 900 fans participated in the campaign.

Said Mike Porro, President of the Kentuckiana Honda Dealers, “Every nonprofit that participated is just doing such great work,  it didn’t seem fair to choose. Also, everyone got many votes. The community really turned out for everyone. So, we just decided to give everyonethe prize. This is a great community, there are a lot of  kind individuals who make Kentucky home.”

After voting for their favorite charity, patrons also had the opportunity to enter a “Celebrity-for-a-Day” Contest.  The four lucky winners and their guests mingled with celebrities today on Millionaires Row, dined in style at the Celebrity Day at the Downs luncheon, and enjoyed a special photo op in the Winners Circle.  They’ll also ride in today’s Republic Bank Pegasus Parade.  The four lucky winners were: Mitza Durham, Jessica Brown, Traci Reddington and Sarah Vaughn.

The Celebrity Day at the Downs event is sponsored by Kentuckiana Honda Dealers, with contributing sponsors, Macy’s, United Graphics Printing Group, Nfocus Magazine and Lite 106.9 WVEZ

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

May 1, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s Celebrity Day at the Downs on Thursday, May 2, at Churchill Downs will showcase a variety of entertainers and celebrities, many will take part later that day in the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade. Celebrity Day at the Downs will begin at 11:30 a.m. on the sixth floor at Churchill Downs, featuring a traditional Kentucky luncheon and a day of racing on Millionaire’s Row.

Among the Kentucky Derby Festival’s guests scheduled to appear at the luncheon: Actor, film director and writer, Emilio Estevez; Gunnar Deatherage and Alicia Hardesty from season 10 of Project Runway;  Big Brother season 14 cast members Louisvillian Wil Heuser, Frank Eudy, Ashley Iocco and Mike “Boogie” Malin; Camille Cothron of Style Network’s “Dress My Nest;” Miss Kentucky 2012 Jessica Casebolt; Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan; Winner of TLC’s “Next Great Baker” Ashley Holt; country music star J.C. Shelburne; actors Conrad Bachmann and Keith Robinson; actress, film director and producer Heather Hemmens; actor Matt Barr of The History Channel’s mini-series “Hatfields & McCoys” actress  Christa B. Allen of ABC’s hit show “REVENGE,” and actor Garrett Morris of “Two Broke Girls.”

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

May 1, 2013 Louisville, KY. This is the schedule for THURSDAY’S Festival activities.

Star Gazing:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL CELEBRITY DAY AT THE DOWNS PRESENTED BY KENTUCKIANA HONDA DEALERS.  11:30 AM.  Churchill Downs, Sixth Floor. Tickets: $892 Preferred Table of 8 or $99 each or $792 Table of 8.  Sponsor:  Kentuckiana Honda Dealers.  Contributing Sponsors: Macy’s, United Graphics Printing Group, Nfocus Magazine and Lite 106.9 WVEZ.

Parade On Broadway:

REPUBLIC BANK KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL PEGASUS® PARADE.  5 PM.  West on Broadway from Campbell to 9^th Street. Bleacher tickets $9 and chair seating $11. Review stand seating $26. This annual spectacle of colorful floats, marching bands, giant inflatables and equestrians will be broadcast live on WAVE 3 TV. Sponsor: Republic Bank.

The party continues at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville and the Chow Wagon:

KROGER’S FEST-A-VILLE ON THE WATERFRONT. Open Weekdays 11 AM – 11 PM. Waterfront Park.  Happy Hour Weekdays 4-6 PM, $2 Beers. ULTIMATE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE featuring concerts with national talent, family fun, food, kids’ inflatable playground, midway rides and more. Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED).  Sponsor:  Kroger.  Contributing Sponsor:  Miller Lite.

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL CHOW WAGON® Open Weekdays 11 AM – 11 PM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront. Outdoor food & live music venue. Sponsors: Kroger and Miller Lite.  Featuring the Miller Lite Music Stage.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED).

FOURTH STREET LIVE! KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL AFTER PARTY.  11 PM – Close. Fourth Street Live! in downtown Louisville.  When the fun winds down at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, head to the after party at Fourth Street Live!  Contributing Sponsor:  98.9 Radio Now.

Derby Gala:

 KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL 100 BLACK MEN OF LOUISVILLE DERBY GALA.  7 PM – 2 AM. Kentucky International Convention Center, Cascade Ballroom. Entertainment featuring R&B artist Keith Sweat. Tickets $200, Tables $2,000, Corporate Table of 10 $4,000. Produced by 100 Black Men of Louisville. For more information call (502) 457-9941 or visit www.100bmol.org.

Thursday Concert:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL TUNE IT UP THURSDAY CONCERT FEATURING AN EVENING WITH THE WALLFLOWERS.  9 PM.  Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin©.  Contributing

Sponsor:  100.5 Gen X Radio.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)

REPUBLIC BANK DERBY FESTIVAL PEGASUS^Ò PARADE

THURSDAY, May 2^nd

STREET CLOSING INFORMATION

ASSEMBLY AREA

FLOAT ASSEMBLY AREA:

Barrett Ave – Broadway to Rubel-  Close at 6:00 AM, No Parking starting at 5:00 AM

Lexington Road – Barret to Hamilton- Vehicles will be TOWED at Owners Expense

BAND ASSEMBLY AREA:

Broadway – Baxter to Barrett-      Close at 1:00 PM, No Parking starting at 12:00 PM

Vehicles will be TOWED at Owners Expense

OFFICIAL VEHICLES ASSEMBLY AREA:

Swan – Alley north of Lampton to Vine Street-    Close at 1:00 PM, No Parking starting at 12:00 PM

Vehicles will be TOWED at Owners Expense

EQUESTRIAN ASSEMBLY AREA:

Vine – Brent to Breckinridge St-      Closes at 1:00 PM, No Parking starting at 12:00 PM

Brent – Broadway to Stoneware Alley –   Closes at 3:00 PM, No Parking starting at 12:00 PM

Vehicles will be TOWED at Owners Expense

STACKING – START – ROUTE:

Broadway – Barrett to 10^th Street-       Closes at 4:00 PM / Re-opens about 8:30 PM

INFORMATION ABOUT ALL AREAS:

1. Residents, businesses’ employees and service vehicles, except semi-trailers, will have limited, police-controlled use of the streets until parade units begin to stack for the parade at 4:00 PM

2.  No parking will be allowed on closed streets from one hour before they close.  Meter bags will be installed along streets to be closed at approximately 3:00 PM Wednesday, May 2^nd and removed by 8:00 PM Thursday May 3^rd.  Bags will state restricted parking day and hours.

3.  All connecting streets and alleys will be blocked with manned barricades.  No one other than parade personnel and those listed above will be allowed to pass the barricades after closing.

4.  City Solid Waste Management and Services (SWMS) will clean streets and sidewalks after the parade.

PLEASE USE CAUTION IF DRIVING WITHIN THE AREA.

CHILDREN WILL BE WALKING, PARTICIPANTS WILL BE GATHERED IN GROUPS AND PARADE PERSONNEL WILL BE USING SLOW MOVING VEHICLES ON THE CLOSED STREETS.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation,

We hope you enjoy all the Kentucky Derby Festival events!

Staging for the 58^th Annual Republic Bank Pegasus Parade begins at 6 AM tomorrow morning and continues throughout the day.  Here is the schedule of the day’s activities, to help you plan your coverage.  If you need additional information, please contact us.

Parade Staging:

• 6 AM:  Floats moved and stacked in Float Assembly along Baxter Avenue
• 10 AM: Character balloons start inflation at Inflatable Assembly (Goodwill Lot and Gray Street)
• 12:30 PM: Marching bands begin arriving by bus at Band Assembly (East Government Center on Baxter (South of Broadway)
• 1 PM:  Horses start arriving in Equestrian Assembly (top of Broadway, above Baxter Avenue)
• 3 PM:  Specialty units begin assembly at Seven Counties parking lot on Broadway
• 3: PM:  Celebrities, Queen & Court, VIPs, etc. begin arriving at VIP Assembly at Louisville Stoneware
• 5 PM:  Step-off at Broadway & Campbell (watch the parade funnel together as all the components enter the route from their separate staging areas)

May 1, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s oldest event – the 58^th annual Republic Bank Pegasus Parade – will step offTOMORROW, May 2, at 5 p.m. The parade will march west on Broadway from Campbell to Ninth Street. The parade is one of the festival’s most cherished and popular events, attracting thousands of spectators to downtown streets. The University of Louisville Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams will be the Grand Marshals. The theme of this year’s Pegasus Parade is “Now, That’s Entertainment!”

Among the Kentucky Derby Festival’s guests scheduled to appear in the Pegasus Parade are: actor Jason Biggs of “American Pie”, Brad Penny (former Major League Baseball pitcher), Louisvillian Keith Robinson (“Dreamgirls”), country music artist J.D. Shelburne, Gunnar Deatherage and Alicia Hardesty of “Project Runway,” Christa Allen (“Revenge”), Camille Cothron (“Dress My Nest”), Ashley Holt, winner of “Next Great Baker,” Garrett Morris (“Two Broke Girls”), Matt Barr (“Hatfields & McCoys) and his actress-girlfriend Heather Hemmens, cast members from the 14th season of “Big Brother,” including Wil Heuser, Frank Eudy, Ashley Iocco, Mike “Boogie” Malin and Janelle Pierzina, the musical group The Wallflowers, Louisville native and actor Conrad Bachmann, Miss Kentucky 2012 Jessica Casebolt, and Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan.

Tickets for the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade are still available.  They can be purchased tomorrow at will call from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Floats from 12 sponsoring organizations will be featured: CenterStage at the Jewish Community Center, Chabad of Kentucky, City of St. Matthews, Grand Lodge of Kentucky, Hwang’s Martial Arts, Kentuckiana Pride Festival, Kosair Charities/Kosair Shriners, Louisville International Film Festival, Norton Healthcare, Second Chance@Life, The Fillies, Inc. and UAW Local 862 / Ford Louisville Assembly Plant

The parade will also feature: 10 equestrian units, 2 camels, 6 inflatables, 10 marching bands, 4 push floats and 22 specialty units.

Inflatable characters scheduled to participate include: Republic Bank (Peggy Bank), Horseshoe Southern Indiana (Horseshoe), LG&E (Louie the Lightning Bug), AAA Kentucky (Otto the Auto), Stage One Family Theatre (Cowboy) and ZirMed, Inc. (Curious George).

COVERAGE NOTE:  Live trucks are welcome in the float staging area for morning, noon and afternoon live news cut-ins. Complete broadcast coverage is the official right of NBC affiliate WAVE TV. Parking is available in the grass lot of Concordia Lutheran Church at the corner of Baxter and Broadway. Media with KDF Press credentials can access the VIP staging area for celebrity interviews beginning at 3:30 PM at Louisville Stoneware, 731 Brent Street.

The Pegasus Parade – the Derby Festival’s founding event – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Kentucky Derby Festival in the spring. The first parade was organized by just a handful of volunteers in 1956 on a budget of $640. It provides an estimated impact of $22 million to the area’s economy.  The Derby Festival is now an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation.

Parade Timing (good place for visuals and feature stories on Thursday, May 2):

• 6 AM:  Floats moved and stacked in Float Assembly along Baxter Avenue
• 10 AM: Character balloons start inflation at Inflatable Assembly (Goodwill Lot and Gray Street)
• 12:30 PM: Marching bands begin arriving by bus at Band Assembly (East Government Center on Baxter (South of Broadway)
• 1 PM:  Horses start arriving in Equestrian Assembly (top of Broadway, above Baxter Avenue)
• 3 PM:  Specialty units begin assembly at Seven Counties parking lot on Broadway
• 3: PM:  Celebrities, Queen & Court, VIPs, etc. begin arriving at VIP Assembly at Louisville Stoneware
• 5 PM:  Step-off at Broadway & Campbell (watch the parade funnel together as all the components enter the route from their separate staging areas)

April 30, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The $1 million prize is still up for grabs after 24 years as none of the 50 competitors aced Hole #8 at Seneca Golf Course in tonight’s Finals of the Stock Yards Bank Kentucky Derby Festival $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest.

Michael Passafiume of Louisville came closest to the pin, hitting his tee shot 1 foot, 10 inches from the cup.  Passafiume won a $5,000 first prize.

“My ultimate goal was to have fun,” said Passafiume. “Going early definitely made it easier, because I had less to compete with. I couldn’t see that far to the hole. By the reactions, I expected to place, but didn’t expect to be the winner at all.”

A crowd of about 300 turned out at Seneca to watch the 50 Finalists. Any golfer who earlier made a hole-in-one during the qualifying rounds automatically qualified for the Finals and a shot at the $1 million. Any amateur player was eligible to enter. Everyone from scratch golfers to duffers took a swing at qualifying.

The Stock Yards Bank Kentucky Derby Festival $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One preliminaries were held at the Seneca Golf Course Driving Range. The contest started April 18 and ran through April 28. Each shot was only $1, with special prices available for more than one shot.

Stock Yards Bank and Trust Company is the new sponsor of the Hole-In-One Contest. Contributing sponsors of the $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest are Golf Galaxy, Kentuckiana Golf Course Superintendents, WLKY 32 and 84WHAS.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 30, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival Great Steamboat Race on Wednesday, May 1, will feature two vessels, the Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati vying for Ohio River supremacy. The same task and scoring system that was implemented four years ago will return this year. The winner of the Great Steamboat Race will be determined by the vessel which accumulates the most points from performing a series of tasks assigned to each competitor throughout the day and during the race. The task competition gets underway at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the 4^th Street Wharf.  The ten tasks are listed below:

• Task No. 1: Jousting inflatable competition (10 points for 1^st, 0 points for 2^nd)
• Task No. 2: Obstacle inflatable course (10 and 0 points)
• Task No. 3: Handy line toss (10 and 0 points)
• Task No. 4: Monkey fist toss (10 and 0 points)
• Task No. 5: Miniature Paddle Wheel Assembly (10 and 0 points)
• Task No. 6: Calliope contest (10 and 0 points)
• Task No. 7: Buoy flag retrieval (25 points for successful retrieval, 0 points for failure)
• Task No. 8: VIP retrieval (25 points for successful retrieval, 0 points for failure)
• Task No. 9: Bourbon barrel retrieval (25 points for successful retrieval, 0 points for failure)
• Task No. 10: Boat race finish (29 points) 2^nd vessel under the bridge will get 15 points added to their score.

Failure to perform a task will result in a “no score,” plus a 35-point penalty. The vessel with the most points as determined by the judges will be declared the winner. The majority decision of the judges will be final. The Awards Ceremony will take place immediately following the race on the Miller Lite Music Stage inside the Chow Wagon in Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront. The winner will be presented with a set of 12-point Silver Antlers.

Four Roses Bourbon is also hosting a competition on the boats. Each steamboat is serving a special single- barrel bourbon chosen during a tasting in April.  Passengers onboard both boats will have the opportunity to sample both bourbons and vote for their favorite.  The boat with the winning bourbon will receive a mint julep trophy and bragging rights for a year.  Commemorative bottles from each vessel will also be available for purchase at the Galt House in the 3rd Floor Spirits and More shop.

Boarding for the Great Steamboat Race will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., with the boats departing the shore at 5:30 for a 6 p.m. start. Each boat will be assigned two judges, in addition to an overall event judge from the Derby Festival.

Tickets for the Belle of Louisville (limited availability) cost $130; Belle of Cincinnati tickets cost $60 (dinner not included, but concessions available on board). An $80 ticket is also available for the Belle of Cincinnati, which includes a Four Roses bourbon tasting and appetizers. Passenger tickets for both boats may be purchased by calling (502) 584-FEST. Free spectator viewing at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront and along the banks of the Ohio River.

Contributing sponsors of this year’s Great Steamboat Race are Four Roses Bourbon, Republic Industries International, Inc., Captain’s Quarters Riverside Grille and Lite 106.9 WVEZ.

April 30, 2013 Louisville, KY . This is the schedule for WEDNESDAY’S Festival activities.

Bounce Around:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL BATTLE OF THE BOUNCE. 11 AM – 2 PM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, Great Lawn.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin® .  Corporate obstacle course competition that benefits Christian Care Communities.  Sponsor:  Louisville Inflatables.  Media Partners:  WDRB-TV and 99.7 DJX.  For entry information call (502) 254-4256 or visit www.ChristianCareCommunities.org.

Grape Escape:

KENTUCKY PROUD KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL WINEFEST.  Wine tasting sessions daily 5 PM – 9 PM. Belvedere.  Tickets: $40, includes wine tastings, etched souvenir wine glass and WineFest pin. (21 and over only. Must present ID upon entry.) Tickets available by calling (502) 584-FEST or online atwww.kdf.org.   Sponsor:  Kentucky Proud.  Contributing Sponsors: Today’s Woman and Lite 106.9 WVEZ.

New BeerFest on Tap:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL BEERFEST PRESENTED BY AMERICAN FOUNDERS BANK.  5 PM – 9 PM. Beer tasting sessions featuring regional craft beers. Overlook at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville.   Tickets: $35, includes beer tastings, sampling  beer mug and BeerFest pin.  Tickets available by calling (502) 584-FEST or online at www.kdf.org.  (21 and over only. Must present ID upon entry.) Sponsor:  American Founders Bank.   Contributing sponsors:  Blue Moon Brewing Company, Kroger, 95.7 WQMF and 100.5 Gen X Radio.

Riverboat Rivalry:

2013 Great Steamboat Race Tasks.  2 p.m. Crew Competition begins at the 4th Street Wharf.

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL GREAT STEAMBOAT RACE.  4:30 PM – 5:30 PM boarding.  5:30 PM departure. Race begins at 6

PM. Awards presentation immediately following at the Chow Wagon in Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville.  Tickets on the Belle of Louisville $130 (limited availability).  Tickets on the Belle of Cincinnati $60 Cruise Only; $80 Dinner, Four Roses Bourbon Tasting, and Cruise. For tickets call (502) 584-FEST. Free spectator viewing at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville and along the banks of the Ohio River.  Contributing Sponsors: Four Roses Bourbon, Republic Industries International, Inc., Captain’s Quarters Riverside Grille, and Lite 106.9 WVEZ.

The party continues at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville and the Chow Wagon:

KROGER’S FEST-A-VILLE ON THE WATERFRONT. Open Weekdays 11 AM – 11 PM. Waterfront Park.  Happy Hour Weekdays 4-6 PM, $2 Beers. ULTIMATE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE featuring concerts with national talent, family fun, food, kids’ inflatable playground, midway rides and more. Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED).  Sponsor:  Kroger.  Contributing Sponsor:  Miller Lite.

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL CHOW WAGON® Open Weekdays 11 AM – 11 PM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront. Outdoor food & live music venue. Sponsors: Kroger and Miller Lite.  Featuring the Miller Lite Music Stage.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED).

FOURTH STREET LIVE! KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL AFTER PARTY.  11 PM – Close. Fourth Street Live! in downtown Louisville.  When the fun winds down at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, head to the after party at Fourth Street Live!  Contributing Sponsor:  98.9 Radio Now.

Wednesday Concert:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL WEDNESDAY EVENING CONCERT PRESENTS THE FEATURES WITH SPECIAL GUEST DISCOUNT GUNS.  7 PM.  Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®. Contributing Sponsor:  91.9 WFPK.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)

April 29, 2013  Louisville, KY. This is the schedule for TUESDAY’S Festival activities.

Free Health Screenings for Families and Children:

ANTHEM BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL HEALTHY LIFESTYLE SHOWCASE.  5 PM – 9 PM.  Republic Bank Parade Preview Party at Kentucky Exposition Center, North Wing. Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  $8 KEC parking fee.  Promoting healthy lifestyles, there will be free health screenings for families and children provided by Norton Healthcare, as well as an American Red Cross blood drive.  Sponsor:  Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Contributing Sponsor: WAKY 103.5.

The party continues Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Chow Wagon:

KROGER’S FEST-A-VILLE ON THE WATERFRONT. Open Weekdays 11 AM – 11 PM. Waterfront Park.  Happy Hour Weekdays 4-6 PM, $2 Beers. ULTIMATE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE featuring concerts with national talent, family fun, food, kids’ inflatable playground, midway rides and more. Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED).  Sponsor:  Kroger.  Contributing Sponsor:  Miller Lite.

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL CHOW WAGON® Open Weekdays 11 AM – 11 PM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront. Outdoor food & live music venue. Sponsors: Kroger and Miller Lite.  Featuring the Miller Lite Music Stage.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED).

FOURTH STREET LIVE! KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL AFTER PARTY.  11 PM – Close. Fourth Street Live! in downtown Louisville.  When the fun winds down at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, head to the after party at Fourth Street Live!  Contributing Sponsor:  98.9 Radio Now.

See the Parade before it marches down Broadway:

REPUBLIC BANK KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL PARADE PREVIEW PARTY. Private group tours 9 AM – 1 PM. Open to Public 5 PM – 9 PM.  Kentucky Exposition Center, North Wing. Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin® . $8 KEC parking fee.  Floats, inflatables, and equestrians for the Pegasus Parade on display. To schedule a private group tour call (502) 572-3828.  Sponsor: Republic Bank. Contributing Sponsors: Today’s Family Magazine and Easy Rock 105.1.

Walk for a Cause:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL RAMBLE FOR THE ROSES®.  6 PM.  Walk starting at the Iroquois Park Amphitheater. Join us for the Ramble mini Festival after the walk. Entry fee $20 adults, $10 children.  Contributing Sponsor: 99.7 DJX. For entry information call (502) 447-4363, ext. 101 or (502) 368-6519 or download at www.DeSalesHighSchool.com/Ramble.  Proceeds to benefit the scholarship programs of DeSales High School and Holy Cross High School.

50 Golfers take shot at Million Dollar Hole-In-One:

STOCK YARDS BANK KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL $1 MILLION DOLLAR HOLE-IN-ONE GOLF CONTEST^SM FINALS.  6 PM. Seneca Golf Course, Hole #8. Free for spectators.  Sponsor:  Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company.  Contributing Sponsors:  Golf Galaxy, Kentuckiana Golf Course Superintendents, WLKY 32 and 84WHAS.

Great Grapes:

KENTUCKY PROUD KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL WINEFEST.  Wine tasting sessions daily 5 PM – 9 PM. Belvedere.  Tickets: $40, includes wine tastings, etched souvenir wine glass and WineFest pin. (21 and over only. Must present ID upon entry.) Tickets available by calling (502) 584-FEST or online atwww.kdf.org.   Sponsor:  Kentucky Proud.  Contributing Sponsors: Today’s Woman and Lite 106.9 WVEZ.

Texas Hold’Em on the River:

ENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL TEXAS HOLD’EM TOURNAMENT.  4 PM Boarding/check-in.  6 PM one-hour Cruise and Tournament begin.  Belle of Cincinnati, docked at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.   $125 Buy-in includes 10,000 in chips and commemorative pin.  Add-on available 1st hour of play $40 for 4,000 chips.  $5,000 first place prize.  Payouts for 1st – 24th place. Payouts based on 325 players, payouts pro-rated based on actual number of players.  $15 for guests. LICENSE# ORG0001638.  Call (502) 584-FEST to register.  Contributing Sponsor:  1450 AM The Sports Buzz.

Word Up!  CAMEO in Concert:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL RHYTHMFEST CONCERT FEATURING CAMEO.  9 PM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  Sponsors:  Kroger and Miller Lite.  Contributing Sponsors:  B96.5 FM and MAGIC 101.3.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)

April 29, 2013 Louisville, KY.   – Before a crowd of 3,500, Curtain Call Photo booth pulled off another win in the Champion division of the Kentucky Derby Festival Great Bed Races.  This was the 24th year for the event, held at Broadbent Arena. Curtain Call’s time was 25.7 seconds and they participated in the 11th of 20 heats held during the competition.  In second place, Rubbies Southside Grill held a time of 26.88 seconds and UAW/Ford Assembly Plant was in third place with a time of 27.7 seconds.  The theme of this year’s event, “Now That’s Entertainment,” had people decorating their beds in a variety of styles depicting everything from musical groups to movies and sports.

In the Fun division of the competition, first place went to Apple Valley Gang with a time of 25.8 seconds.  There was a second place tie claimed by Wellstone Regional Hospital and Air Hydro Power with a time of 27.1 seconds.  Chegg claimed third place with a time of 27.5 seconds.

The results of the 24^th annual competition:

2013 Results:

Best Decorated Bed: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar (Old Time Movie theme with pigs)

Most Entertaining: Wellstone Regional Hospital (Village People theme)

People’s Choice: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar

Most Likely to Break Down: Mattress & More

Cone Eater: Heartland Payment Systems #1

Teams pushed decorated beds on wheels around the “track,” competing for the fastest times and decoration and entertainment awards. Prizes went to the teams with the three fastest times, as well as for the “Best Decorated Bed,” “Most Entertaining,” “People’s Choice,” “Most Likely to Break Down” and “Cone Eater categories. The People’s Choice Award returned for the ninth year in a row, with attendees paying to cast their votes; Rubbies Southside Grille & Bar was the winner. A total of $734 was raised in voting, with half the money going to the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation and half to Kosair Bravehearts.

Winners will also be invited to appear in the Pegasus Parade on May 2. Contributing sponsors of the event were AAA Kentucky, Mattress & More and 107.7 The Eagle. The event had a special 30-minute broadcast live on WAVE 3 TV. First held in 1990 on the cobblestone streets of downtown Louisville in Theatre Square as “Bedlam in the Streets,” this event has exploded in popularity.  Now in its 24th year, it continues to attract participants from small local businesses to five-man teams from large corporations.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 29, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Finals for the Stock Yards Bank Kentucky Derby Festival $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest begin at 6 p.m. TOMORROW (Tuesday, April 30) at Seneca Golf Course, Hole #8. Fifty finalists will get one shot each at the hole set up 150 yards away for the chance to win $1 million for the first time in the 23-year history of the event. If no finalist hits a hole in one, the participant hitting the ball closest to the pin will win $5,000. The Finals competition is exciting and free for spectators.

         What: Stock Yards Bank Kentucky Derby Festival $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest Finals

Where: Seneca Golf Course, Hole #8

When: 6 pm., Tuesday, April 30

Prize: $1 million if hole-in-one is made at Finals. If no hole in one is made, the participant hitting closest to the pin will win $5,000.

In 2012, Josh Garr of Louisville came the closest to the pin, hitting his tee shot 4 feet, 4 ½ inches from the cup. Garr, who works in car sales, was competing in the Finals of the event for the first time.

Stock Yards Bank and Trust Company is the new sponsor of the Hole-In-One Contest. Contributing sponsors of the $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest are Golf Galaxy, Kentuckiana Golf Course Superintendents, WLKY 32 and 84WHAS.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 29, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Republic Bank Derby Festival Parade Preview Party will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, April 30) at the Kentucky Exposition Center, North Wing.

This event offers a sneak peek at the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade, which will be held on Thursday, May 2, in downtown Louisville. Each parade float and inflatable will be on display, complete with costumed characters, as well as 3 equestrian units, 2 camels & and kangaroo. Stage performances from local dance groups will also be featured.

Admission to the Pegasus Parade Preview Party is a 2013 Pegasus Pin. Children can participate in the Fun Pass Program, collecting stamps from the parade units to receive a free Parade Preview metal pin. Private tours will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 30^th, and the event will be open to the public from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Anthem Healthy Lifestyle Showcase Set for Tuesday

April 29, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Healthy Lifestyle Showcase will be featured again this year at the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade Preview Party from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, at the Kentucky Exposition Center, North Wing. This year’s event will promote healthy families and healthy lifestyles and provide free health screenings for families and children.

The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive during the event, which will also feature free dental screenings (up to age 14) from Derby City Pediatric Dentistry, an interactive display by the Kentucky Beef Council, free health screenings (blood pressure and Body Mass Index) by Norton Healthcare and the Vision Van from the Kentucky Lions Club Eye Foundation will be performing free eye screenings.  The Center for Courageous Kids will provide summer camp information; the Learning Rx will be demonstrating brain training procedures; and Shine, a wellness studio, will be teaching a yoga class.

In addition, Anthem’s 75^th anniversary is this year and we will be helping them celebrate with organic cupcakes and a collaborative painting that people can help paint while they are at the event.  Representatives from Louisville Metro Fire will be on-site with interactive displays, including a mock home to show youngsters escape routes in case of a residential fire.

Admission to the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Healthy Lifestyle Showcase is a 2013 Pegasus Pin (the admission also includes the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade Preview Party). The Kentucky Derby Festival Healthy Lifestyle Showcase is sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield for the sixth consecutive year. WAKY 103.5 is the event’s contributing sponsor.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 29, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Wine lovers will have two days worth of sampling opportunities as the Kentucky Proud Kentucky Derby Festival WineFest opens Tuesday, April 30, at 5 p.m. on the Belvedere. The event, which is open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on both Tuesday, April 30, and Wednesday, May 1, will feature 16 wineries from Kentucky and Indiana. Tickets are $40 and still available. They can be purchased by calling (502) 584-FEST or can be purchased the nights of the event, while they last. .  Tickets include a souvenir etched wine glass, a WineFest pin and unlimited admission to the wine-tasting sessions.

This year’s event will feature cooking demonstrations courtesy of Kentucky Proud and Kroger. Old 502 Winery, KDF’s Official Wine Partner, will also have demonstrations on pairing certain foods with individual wines.  Plus, Wine 101 educational classes will be offered at various times throughout the event.

A wine-tasting guide, featuring information on the participating wineries and their products, will be distributed to patrons. The guide will also include a ballot for attendees to vote on their favorite wine in each of several categories. Bottles of wine will be available for purchase from the wineries.

Kentucky Proud is sponsoring this year’s WineFest, joining contributing sponsors Today’s Woman and Lite 106.9 WVEZ.

Participating vineyards:

•  Best Vineyards – Elizabeth, IN
• Broad Run Vineyards – Louisville, KY
• Chrisman Mill Vineyards – Lexington, KY
• Elk Creek Vineyards – Owenton, KY
• Horseshoe Bend Vineyards – Willisburg, KY
• Indian Creek Winery – Georgetown, IN
• Lover’s Leap Vineyards & Winery – Lawrenceburg, KY
• McIntyres Winery & Berries LLC – Bardstown, KY
• Old 502 Winery – Louisville, KY
• Prodigy Vineyards & Winery – Frankfort-Versailles, KY
• Purple Toad Winery – Paducah, KY
• Rose Hill Farm Winery – Butler, KY
• Smith-Berry Vineyard and Winery – New Castle, KY
• StoneBrook Winery – Melbourne, KY
• Wight-Meyer Vineyards & Winery – Shepherdsville, KY

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 28, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament returns Tuesday, April 30, and will be held aboard the Belle of Cincinnati steamboat.

Boarding and check-in begin at 4 p.m., with a one-hour cruise and tournament starting at 6 p.m. The $125 buy-in includes $10,000 worth of chips and a commemorative Derby Festival Texas Hold ‘Em metal event pin. An add-on will be available for the first hour of play for $40 for $4,000 worth of chips. First place is $5,000, a custom winner’s bracelet. Cash prizes will also be awarded from first to 24^th place. Payouts are based on 325 players; payouts will be prorated based on actual number of players. Guests can watch all the action on board for a $15 admission fee. Call (502) 584-FEST to register. License #ORG0001638.

The Media Partner for the Kentucky Derby Festival Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament is 1450 AM The Sports Buzz

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 28, 2013  Louisville, KY. This is the schedule for MONDAY’S Festival activities.

Teeing it up with kids:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL DON FIGHTMASTER GOLF OUTING FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN. 9 AM – 12 PM. Children’s golf event.  Shawnee Golf Course.  Free for spectators. Sponsor: Kentucky PGA Foundation.  For more information, call (502) 243-8295 or 1 (800) 254-2742 or www.kygolf.org.

Special Programming for Kids at the Waterfront:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL DISCOVERY DAY PRESENTED BY PNC.  11 AM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Educational and interactive activities for young people and families featuring Stage One Storytellers, Louisville Water Company, Frazier International History Museum, kids’ inflatable playground and other participatory activities. Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin©.  Presenting Sponsor:  PNC.  Contributing Sponsor:  White Castle.

 The party continues Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville and the Chow Wagon:

KROGER’S FEST-A-VILLE ON THE WATERFRONT. Open Weekdays 11 AM – 11 PM. Waterfront Park.  Happy Hour Weekdays 4-6 PM, $2 Beers. ULTIMATE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE featuring concerts with national talent, family fun, food, kids’ inflatable playground, midway rides and more. Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED).  Sponsor:  Kroger.  Contributing Sponsor:  Miller Lite.

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL CHOW WAGON® Open Weekdays 11 AM – 11 PM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront. Outdoor food & live music venue. Sponsors: Kroger and Miller Lite.  Featuring the Miller Lite Music Stage.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED).

FOURTH STREET LIVE! KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL AFTER PARTY.  11 PM – Close. Fourth Street Live! in downtown Louisville.  When the fun winds down at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, head to the after party at Fourth Street Live!  Contributing Sponsor:  98.9 Radio Now.

 Pet Friendly Happy Hour:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL HAPPYTAIL HOUR.  5 PM – 9 PM.  Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin® .  A pet-friendly (leashes please!) social event.  Coordinated by Metro Animal Services.

Bed Racing:

 KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL GREAT BED RACES.  6 PM.  NEW location: Broadbent Arena.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  $8 KEC Parking fee.  $130 entry fee for team of 5.  Contributing Sponsors: AAA, Mattress & More and 107.7 The Eagle.  Broadcast special on WAVE 3 TV.

April 28, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – One of the Kentucky Derby Festival’s zaniest events – the Kentucky Derby Festival Great Bed Races – returns to Broadbent Arena in 2013.

·         What: Kentucky Derby Festival Great Bed Races

·         When: Monday, April 29 – Dormitory area opens at 11:30 a.m. for tailgating outside the arena. Parade of beds begins at 6:00 PM with racing starting at 7 PM.

·         Admission:  2013 Pegasus Pin.

Teams will race decorated beds on wheels, competing for prizes for fastest times and most outrageous costumes and decorations. This wacky competition will feature two 600-yard divisions – the Fun Division and the Champions Division.  While the Fun Division is just what its name implies, the Champions Division is for serious racers. The theme of this year’s event is “Now That’s Entertainment,” with competitors encouraged to decorate their beds and wear costumes in keeping with the theme.

The dormitory area will be staged outside Broadbent Arena and will open at 11:30 a.m. for participant tailgating and a complete fun-filled day. The participating teams will have an opportunity to showcase their costumes and bed in a pre-race parade around the racing surface, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The first heat begins at 7 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to the teams with the three fastest times, as well as awards for the “Cone Eater,” “Best Decorated Bed,” “Most Entertaining” and “People’s Choice Award.” Winners will also be invited to appear in the Pegasus Parade on Thursday, May 2.

News crews from other affiliates will be accommodated for news coverage of the event.  Live coverage will be permitted in the bed assembly area outside Broadbent Arena for 11:30, Noon, 4, 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m. newscasts.

Contributing sponsors are: AAA, Mattress & More and 107.7 The Eagle. Broadcast special on WAVE 3 TV.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 28, 2013. Louisville, KY. This is the schedule for SUNDAY’S Festival activities.

One of the Nation’s largest outdoor Volleyball Tournaments continues:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC. Contributing Sponsors:  ASICS, Hyatt Regency Louisville, Mikasa and 98.9 Radio Now. For more information call The Volleyball Connection/Tandem Sports (502) 582-3530.

 Sand Divisions at Baxter Jacks

April 28: 9 AM – 9 PM

Grass Divisions at Seneca Park at the Tennis Courts

April 28: 9 AM – 6 PM

Brunch on the River:

MAYOR’S DERBY BRUNCH ON THE RIVER.  11 AM-1:30 PM.  Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing.  A festive brunch featuring a traditional Kentucky breakfast, live riverboat jazz, and tours of the property including the newly renovated Moremen Family Chapel.  Tickets $65 or $500 for Table of 8.  For tickets or information call (502) 935-6809 or www.riverside-landing.org.

 NEW Kids’ Fitness Run

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL miniFUN RUN PRESENTED BY SUBWAY RESTAURANTS.  11:30 AM.  Kids’ fitness run with start near Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville at Preston & Witherspoon Streets.  First annual miniFun Run promoting healthy lifestyles and families.  For ages 3-14.  Entry fees and registration info at www.DerbyFestivalMarathon.com.  Free for spectators. Sponsor:  Subway Restaurants. Contributing Sponsors:  Today’s Family Magazine and Easy Rock 105.1.

 Celebration Sunday includes GospelFest at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville and  the Chow Wagon:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL CELEBRATION SUNDAY WITH 88.5 WJIE FEATURING BUILDING 429 WITH RHETT WALKER BAND AND FINDING FAVOUR.  5 PM.  Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Christian contemporary concert.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin©.  Sponsor:  88.5 WJIE.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL GOSPELFEST PRESENTED BY PASSPORT HEALTH PLAN.  2 PM – 10 PM.   2 PM Gospel Choir Showcase.  Chow Wagon at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin©. (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)  Sponsor:  Passport Health Plan.  Contributing Sponsor:  WLOU/ New Praise 104.7

Tea with Royalty:

 CHILDREN’S TEA WITH THE KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL PRINCESSES.  1 PM-3:30 PM. The Crowne Plaza Hotel.  Tickets $30 each.  Children ages 4 and up invited to meet the Kentucky Derby Festival Princesses.  Reservations required.  Sponsor:  Goldberg Simpson. Contributing Sponsor: Today’s Family Magazine. Produced by:  The Fillies, Inc.  For more information contact2013childrenstea@insightbb.com or 502-299-0708.

Louisville Youth Orchestra Performs:

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL LOUISVILLE YOUTH ORCHESTRA CONCERT.  4 PM.  Iroquois Amphitheatre.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  A concert featuring ten Louisville Youth Orchestra ensembles.  For more information call (502) 896-1851 or visit www.lyo.org.

Last chance at HOLE-IN-ONE:

 This is the last day to take a swing at a million in the qualifying rounds of the Stock Yards Bank Kentucky Derby Festival $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest.  It runs 10:00AM – 5 PM at the Seneca Golf Course Driving Range.  Semi-Final rounds begin at 6 PM. Grand Prize:  $1 million.  First Prize (if no Hole-in-One):  $5,000. Sponsor:  Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company.  Contributing Sponsors:   Golf Galaxy, Kentuckiana Golf Course Superintendents, WLKY 32 and 84WHAS.

Mike Ehrler Honored for 40 years in ballooning

April 27, 2013. Louisville, KY.   Light winds and overcast skies made for an excellent launch for the 41^st annual U.S. Bank Great Balloon Race.  27 balloons took off from Bowman Field this morning in one of the Derby Festival’s marquee events.  Hundreds of balloon fans gathered on the field to watch the competition get underway just after 7 a.m. as winds took the balloons north/northeast toward the Ohio River.

The “Hare” – U.S. Bank Balloon piloted by Scott McClinton – landed at the Different Strokes Golf Center on River  near Cox Park about 30 minutes after launching.  U.S. Bank landed and laid out a giant “X” for the target.  Some of the hound balloons chased the hare for up to an hour before landing.  Many of the balloons crossed the Ohio River and landed in Southern Indiana, after dropping their bag of Bluegrass Seed.  21 of the 26 “Hound” balloons scored in this morning’s race.

PLACE                        BALLOON                                  PILOT                                    DISTANCE

FIRST                    French Lick Resort                        Jerry Copas                          1’ 2”

SECOND              Curves, International                    Chase Donner                     3’7”

THIRD                   Shane Co.                                        Chris Spalding                     8’4”

FOURTH              Sam’s Club                                       Dale Dommer                       15’10”

FIFTH                    Re/MAX                                           Stuart Enloe                          20’8”

Results of this morning’s race were announced at the annual U.S. Bank Great BalloonFest Awards Luncheon.  During the luncheon, pilots and sponsors are also honored for consecutive years of participation in the event.  Mike Ehrler, pilot of Mike’s Udder Delight, received the Balloon Federation of America’s “Ed Yost Master Pilot Award,” which recognizes lighter than air pilots who have maintained safe flight operations for 40 or more years.  Ehrler is the Commonwealth’s first hot air balloon pilot and currently the oldest pilot flying in Kentucky, at 89 years old.  He’s participated in the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Great Balloon Race for 40 consecutive years.

The Tran Orthodontics, piloted by Nick Donner, was named Overall winner of the U.S. Bank Great BalloonFest based on a combination of points from both Friday and Saturday’s races.  Donner had 1,693 overall points, barely nosing out his father, Ray Donner, who had 1,615 points.  Nick Donner wins a complimentary entry for Tran Orthodontics in the 2014 U.S. Bank Derby Festival Great BalloonFest.

This was the fifth of five ballooning events that are part of the U.S. Bank Great BalloonFest, which kicked off on Thursday with the new U.S. Bank Great Balloon Crew Challenge and Glimmer, followed by the U.S. Bank Great Rush Hour Race and Great Balloon Glow on Friday.  A crowd estimated at 63,000 gathered to see the static luminary of the U.S. Bank Great Balloon Glow last night at the Kentucky Exposition Center.  This is the first time all five balloon events have gotten off the ground.  The BalloonFest is sponsored by U.S. Bank.

The Derby Festival balloon events remain one of Louisville’s favorite family traditions.  The race is regarded by pilots as one of the country’s most prestigious balloon events and began in 1973 with nine balloons flying in the inaugural launch from Iroquois Park.

Rush Hour Race Winner Will Be Announced

April 26, 2013– LOUISVILLE, KY   – 27 Balloons will draw for positions in TONIGHT’S U.S. Bank Great Balloon Glow at the BalloonFest Position Draw to be held today at NOON at the Brown & Williamson Club at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. The Position Draw will determine where balloons will be located on the field for the Glow at the Kentucky Exposition Center.  Results from this morning’s U.S. Bank Great Balloon Rush Hour Race will also be announced.

Last night’s U.S. Bank Great Balloon Crew Challenge was a hit at the Waterfront!  This is the newest event, part of the U.S. Bank BalloonFest. UAW Ford Louisville Assembly Plant, with pilot Randy Oates, won the challenge, competing against 11 other balloon teams.  They won with a combined total of 445 points.  The tasks in the challenge included packing a cold-air inflated balloon and tossing a bag of Bluegrass seed at a target.  Conditions were also perfect for the “mini-glow” on the Great Lawn, after the Crew Challenge.  An estimated crowd of just over 3,000 watched as 18 balloons participated in the U.S. Bank Great Balloon Glimmer on opening night at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville.

The Derby Festival balloon events remain one of Louisville’s favorite family traditions.  Though not the largest, the race is regarded by pilots as one of the country’s most prestigious balloon events and began in 1973 with eleven balloons flying in the inaugural launch from Iroquois Park.

Remaining U.S. Bank Great BalloonFest Events:

·         U.S. Bank Great Balloon Glow at 9 p.m. on April 26 at KEC

·         U.S. Bank Great Balloon Race at 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 at Bowman Field.

Late Registration Still Open for miniFun Run

April 25, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s newest road race – the miniFun Run presented by Subway Restaurants – is scheduled for Sunday, April 28, at 11:30 a.m.  The kids’ fitness run will be held along River Road near Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville and is for ages 3-14 years old.

The route will feature a looped course which will start and finish in the same place.  The start line for all age groups will be near the finish for the Marathon and miniMarathon at Preston and Witherspoon Streets on River Road. There will be three separate distances in the miniFun Run:

• 3-5 years old –  50 meters
• 6-9 years old –  150 meters
• 10-14 years old – 400 meters (1/4 mile)

Adults are welcome to participate with their child and do not have to pay an additional registration fee.  Parents of those in the youngest age group are encouraged to run along with their child.

Late registration is available tomorrow from 11 AM to 9 PM at the Running Wild Race Expo at the Kentucky International Convention Center or day of the event from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.  Late registration fees are $25.  (Runners in the Marathon and miniMarathon receive a $5 discount for their children.)

Participants will receive a special medal and Asics T-shirt.  Subway Restaurants are presenting sponsor of the new event, joining contributing sponsors Today’s Family and Easy Rock 105.1.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Gospel Showcase Features More Than A Dozen Live Performances

April 25, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – After resounding success in 2012, the GospelFest presented by Passport Health Plan returns to the Festival schedule on Sunday, April 28, on the Music Stage at Chow Wagon, featuring a Gospel Choir Showcase beginning at 2 PM.

GospelFest will feature choir performances during the day beginning at 2 PM. Performances include: Greater Friendship, Pleasant View, Louisville Connection, Totally Dedicated, Chad Higgins with In Spirit and Truth, George Shanks & Friends of Lexington, KY, Moore Sisters of Elizabethtown, KY, Cable, Bates Memorial, St. Stephen, Maestro J, In God’s Presence, Great Salem, Magazine Street, Jason Clayborn & Team, Lil C and the Spiritual Sons, Shiloh, United Missionary, Friendship Dance Ministry, Blessed, Sensational Bentleys and Forest Baptist.

The Derby Festival is working with a choir director from one of the area churches in west Louisville to coordinate the event – Frankie Raymore, who leads the Friendship Baptist Church Mass Choir.

The event is sponsored by Passport Health Plan with contributing sponsor WLOU/New Praise 104.7.  Admission is a 2013 Pegasus Pin.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 25, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Opening today, Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront and Chow Wagon venues will offer entertainment and activities for patrons of all ages. Fest-a-Ville and the Chow Wagon will be open for a nine-day run ending Derby Eve, Friday, May 3. Fest-a-Ville is sponsored by Kroger, along with contributing sponsor Miller Lite. Fest-a-Ville and Chow Wagon hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Admission is a 2013 Pegasus Pin.

Fest-a-Ville and Chow Wagon attractions include:

• Kentucky Derby Festival events such as U.S. Bank Great Balloon Glimmer, HappyTail Hour and Battle of the Bounce.
• New events include:  U.S. Bank Balloon Crew Challenge, April 25 at 5 p.m,, Frat Friday Movie Night Featuring “Old School” on a giant screen on April 26, the miniFun Run presented by Subway Restaurants on Sunday, April 28, and BeerFest presented by American Founders Bank on Wednesday, May 1.
• New this year, “Happy Hour,” will be weekdays from  4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and feature $2 Beers
• At Pegasus Play-a-ville, daily children’s activities include a kids’ playground with rock-climbing wall, inflatable games and midway rides
• The Zumba® Fitness Party on Friday, April 26, an exercise activity choreographed to Latin and international rhythms.
• ACO DerbyHole Classic on Saturday, April 27, at 4:30 p.m. is an ACO World Championship Qualifier with a $20 per team entry fee and 40 teams maximum
• Heyman Talent Model Search on April 27 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Helicopter rides will be available from Friday through Friday for $40.
• GospelFest, featuring a gospel choir showcase, is on Sunday, April 28, beginning at 2 p.m.
• Awards ceremony for the Great Steamboat Race on the Chow Wagon Stage on Wednesday, May 1.
• National concerts on the Great Stage: Saturday, April 27 – Uncle Kracker; Sunday, April 28 – Building 429 with Rhett Walker and Finding Favour; Tuesday, April 30 – Cameo; Wednesday, May 1 – The Features with special guest Discount Guns; Thursday, May 2 – The Wallflowers; Friday, May 3 – Kix Brooks with special guest Greg Bates.
• The Chow Wagon will feature the Blue Moon Tap Room and Miller Lite Talent Stage.
• Military personnel with valid I.D. receive free admission to the venue for the Derby Eve Jam and other attractions.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 24, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Running Wild Expo opens Thursday, April 25, at the Kentucky International Convention Center Hall 2D. The Expo, features runner’s packet pickup for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon/miniMarathon® presented by Walmart and HumanaVitality, as well as the miniFun Run presented by Subway Restaurants, plus exhibitors offering the latest fitness gear.  It will be open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 25 and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 26.

Registration for the races closed last week at 16,000 runners – there will be NO LATE ENTRIES OR BIB TRANSFERS for runners who want to participate in the races but are not registered. However, race organizers will offer 250 “Charity Bibs” for runners who missed the registration deadline. The bibs – which allow entry into either the Marathon or miniMarathon – cost $125, with proceeds going to the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, the Derby Festival’s charitable arm. The Charity Bibs will only be available at the Running Wild Race Expo, first-come, first-served, beginning at 3 pm. on Thursday, April 25.

To honor those affected by the recent events in Boston, the Festival will have blue and yellow ribbons (the signature colors of the Boston Marathon) available for runners to pick-up at the Expo free of charge.  A moment of silence will also be held at the start of the race on Saturday morning.

The races, which will begin simultaneously at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, start at Main and Floyd streets in downtown Louisville and finish at Preston and Witherspoon streets, just outside the entrance to Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville, an entertainment venue located within Waterfront Park. Every registered runner will need to bring their confirmation email from the Kentucky Derby Festival and a valid photo ID.

The Running Wild Pasta Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26. The dinner is a great way for runners to carbo-load with friends and family members. Tickets for the dinner are $9 for adults and $6 for children under 12 and are available by calling (502) 584-FEST. Runners can sign up for the ASICS Pace Team at the Expo on Thursday and Friday. HumanaVitality will be showcasing its new health and wellness program and showing how members can earn credit points by playing the Xbox Kinect.

The Running Wild Expo contributing sponsors are BB&T, BlueMile, LHC Group, 99.7 DJX.  Michael & Associates, Inc. is contributing sponsor of the Pasta Dinner.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

58^th Annual Parade to Step off on May 2

 April 24, 2013.  Louisville, KY.  Businesses sponsoring inflatable balloons in the 2013 Republic Bank Pegasus Parade will practice at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront from 2:00 PM- 3:30 PM (weather permitting) on April 28. Participants will be instructed in proper balloon handling and will be practicing with one of the Macy’s style inflatable character balloons.

The 2013 Republic Bank Derby Festival Pegasus Parade will feature several amazing inflatables.  Republic Bank’s “Peggy Bank” Pegasus balloon will lead the Parade of more than 90 units. The Parade is Thursday, May 2, on Broadway from Campbell to Ninth. Step-off for the parade is 5:00 PM.

The giant inflatable character balloons are always a crowd favorite.  The balloons are inflated with helium the morning of the parade and led down the route by employees and volunteers of the sponsoring companies and organizations.  Some of the balloons are more than 60 feet tall.  On average, each balloon requires more than 6000 cubic feet of helium to come to life.

 2013 Republic Bank Pegasus Parade Character Balloons

AAA – “Otto the Auto”

Horseshoe Casino and Hotel – “Horseshoe”

Kentucky Derby Festival – “Cowboy”

LG&E– “Louie the Lightning Bug”

Republic Bank – “Peggy Bank”

ZirMed, Inc. – “Curious George”

The Pegasus Parade – the Derby Festival’s founding event – is one of the more than seventy events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The Derby Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation.  It entertains more than 1.5 million people in a two- week period. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 24, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s U.S. Bank Great BalloonFest, with five hot-air balloon events, lifts off this Thursday, April 25, and runs through Saturday, April 27. New this year, the balloon crews will compete in the first-ever U.S. Bank Great Balloon Crew Challenge at 5 p.m. on Thursday at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville.

For the crew challenge, over a dozen balloon teams will compete for bragging rights and a traveling trophy. The competition includes packing a balloon, after it’s been inflated; and tossing a bag of bluegrass seed closest at a target. The team who packs the balloon the fastest and throws closest to the target wins the challenge. Later that night, 18 balloons will participate in the U.S. Bank Great Balloon Glimmer on the North and South Great Lawns at 8:30 p.m.  The Glimmer will be preceded by live music at 7 p.m. from Salsa All Stars and Appalatin.

BalloonFest resumes the following morning (Friday, April 26) with the U.S. Bank Great Balloon Rush-Hour Race at 7 a.m. at Bowman Field.  The Rush-Hour race will offer a beautiful view to those fighting traffic on their way to work. The U.S. Bank Great Balloon Glow returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center at 9 p.m. on Friday night.  Glow spectators are encouraged to come out early (gates open at 6 p.m.) and make an evening out of it. At 9 p.m., the balloon pilots will fire their burners, making the balloons glow against the night sky synchronized to a musical score provided by New Country Q103.1. The event will also be broadcast live on MeTV Louisville 32.2 and Insight Cable 188.

The BalloonFest wraps up on Saturday, April 27, with the U.S. Bank Great Balloon Race at 7 a.m. at Bowman Field.  A field of 27 balloons will take flight from Bowman Field in the oldest portion of the balloon events, the U.S. Bank Great Balloon Race.

Since the first Great Balloon Race was held in 1973, the Derby Festival’s balloon events have been considered among the best in the country by pilots from all around the world. BalloonFest attractions are annually among the most popular family-friendly events on the Derby Festival schedule. There are four flight opportunities to get both races off the ground – Friday morning, Saturday morning and afternoon, and Sunday morning. If the event is not held by Sunday morning, it is considered cancelled. In the event’s 41-year history, this has occurred six times.

The Kentucky Derby Festival Great BalloonFest is sponsored by U.S. Bank. Easy Rock 105.1 is media partner of the Rush Hour Race and Great Balloon Race.  New Country Q103.1 is media partner of the Great Balloon Glow.  MeTV Louisville 32.2 is the TV broadcast partner for the Glow.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

WHAT:         Kentucky Derby Festival Photo/Video Opportunity –

Opening Ceremony & Ribbon Cutting at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront and the Chow Wagon

WHEN:          Thursday, April 25 12:00 p.m.

WHERE:    Entrance to Kroger’s Kentucky Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront

(South Great Lawn at Waterfront Park, off Witherspoon.)

ATTENDING:

Mike Berry, KDF President and CEO

Chris Whelan, 2013 KDF Chair

2013 Royal Court

Kroger Representatives

Please join the Kentucky Derby Festival for the OPENING of Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront and the Chow Wagon. 

There will be a short opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting, followed by the purchase of the first meals inside the venue.

Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront opens on Thursday, April 25, and will run through Derby Eve, Friday, May 3.  The venue will once again be located at Waterfront Park.  The Fest-a-Ville venue will be open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. This ultimate entertainment experience offers national concerts, family fun, food vendors, a children’s inflatable playground, midway rides and more.  Admission is a 2013 Pegasus Pin. Kroger is title sponsor of the event, with contributing sponsor Miller Lite.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Day-long show features more than air show and fireworks

April 19, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – You can do a lot more at Thunder Over Louisville this year than simply look to the sky. Ford’s Thunder on the Ground activities will offer numerous ways to entertain friends and family members as well. From the Thunder FoodFest to the Interactive Display Area to the Kid’s Play Areas on the Great Lawn, there’s refreshments and entertainment galore to be found all over the venue. Some attractions require a 2013 Pegasus Pin admission, but some activities are completely free. Most are open from 11:00 a.m. until the fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. Presenting sponsors of the 2013 show are Horseshoe Southern Indiana, KentuckyOne Health, LG&E, Meijer and UPS.

Some of the Ford Thunder on the Ground activities include:

• Thunder on the North Great Lawn – 2013 Pegasus Pin admission. Opens at 9 a.m., featuring food, Beer Garden and Thunder Sound. (The rest of Waterfront Park, excepting the North Great Lawn, will also open at 9 a.m. on Thunder Day) (NO TENTS, STAKES, TAPE OR PETS.)
• Thunder at the Chow Wagon – 2013 Pegasus Pin admission. Opens at 11 a.m., featuring food, a Beer Garden and Thunder Sound.  (NO FOOD, DRINK, TENTS, STAKES, TAPE OR PETS.)
• Lincoln Memorial Lot off River Road – 2013 Pegasus Pin admission.  Opens at 11 a.m., featuring food, a Beer Garden and Thunder Sound.

• The Interactive Display Area opens at 11 a.m.  Attractions include:  Ford Experience Tour featuring the latest Ford vehicles and technology; Meijer Mobile Virtual Playground; Great Clips Auto Racing; Madison Regatta Display; U.S. Army Display, U.S. Marines, U.S. Air Force and much more!
• Kid’s Play Areas: The interactive attractions on the South Great Lawn include Merry Go Round, Moon Bounce Obstacle Course, Rock Wall, Super Slide, Ali-Baba Magic Carpet and more.
• The Thunder FoodFest will offer a wide variety of tasty treats from more than 100 food vendors from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Chow Wagon, Great Lawn, West Belvedere, and along Witherspoon Street and East River Road.
• Beer Gardens, with Pegasus Pin admission, will be open at the Chow Wagon, North Great Lawn and Lincoln Memorial Lot off River Road.
• Pegasus Pin trading fans can add to their collections by visiting the following locations on Thunder Day from noon to 7 p.m.: 4^th and River Road, Bingham Way and Witherspoon (near Chow Wagon entrance), Preston and Witherspoon and Second and Main (NW corner).
• Official Derby Festival Merchandise, including ThunderWear, will be available at the Waterfront Chow Wagon, South Great Lawn, East Great Lawn, Belvedere, 2^nd Street and River Road, 3^rd Street and River Road, 4^th Street and River Road, Preston and Witherspoon, Bingham and Witherspoon Street, River Road and Bingham Way and in Southern Indiana.
• Merchant Row along Witherspoon will feature vendors selling everything from sunglasses to jewelry and hand-drawn caricatures.
• Meijer Relief Stations include hand sanitizer, Wet Ones and ibuprofen.

April 19, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Cameryn Jones was selected as the 2013 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen tonight at the 55th annual Fillies Derby Ball in the Grand Ballroom of the Galt House East. Jones, of Goshen, KY is a senior majoring in food science at the University of Kentucky.

This year’s Derby Festival Princesses anxiously awaited the traditional spin-of-the-wheel, performed by 2013 Fillies President Becky Fangman.  The other members of the court include: Chelsea Diamond of Louisville, a junior majoring in exercise science at Transylvania; Katherine Gardner of Greenville, KY, a senior majoring in industrial & mechanical Engineering at The University of Louisville; Allison Grant of Harrodsburg, KY, a sophomore majoring in biology at the University of Louisville; and Dominique Luster of Louisville, a junior majoring in theatre at the University of Kentucky.

The members of the Royal Court have been representing the Festival at a variety of events since their selection in January, including the Poster Premiere, Spelling Bee and Macy’s Spring Fashion Show. They were selected as Royal Court members out of more than 100 young women who applied to participate in the program last fall.

Criteria for selection included knowledge of the Derby Festival, poise, intelligence, personality and campus/community involvement. Each woman receives two $1,000 scholarships (one from the Fillies, Inc., and one from the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation) and an official wardrobe provided by Blades Salon, Blush Boutique, Caught Ya Lookin’, Dillard’s, Donna Sharp, Elizabeth Arden, Family Care Dentistry and Youthful You, Frenchy by Heather French Henry, Goody Two Shoes LLC., Jo Graves, Julie Hinson, Kentucky Derby Festival, Macy’s, Miss Priss, Olivia & Co., Boutique LLC., Sunny Daize, Target, The Eye Care Institute, Vineyward Vines and Work the Metal.

The Princesses act as ambassadors for the Derby Festival and the city as they represent the community at a variety of functions. The Fillies, Inc. was established to support the Kentucky Derby Festival. Their mission is to organize the traditional Derby Ball, coordinate the “Princess Program,” produce the “Children’s Tea” event, and publish the Official Derby Festival Program. Membership is limited to 250 ladies of our community.

Past Derby Festival Queens include Martha Layne Collins – Kentucky’s first woman Governor, Gail Gorski – the first female pilot for United Airlines and a number of other community leaders. Many say their Derby Festival experience helped them prepare for their future careers.

The Derby Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation.  It entertains more than 1.5 million people annually. This involvement has made the Festival the largest-single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 19, 2013 Louisville, KY.   – More than 500 people will gather for the 57^th annual Fillies Derby Ball tonight – one of the Kentucky Derby Festival’s oldest and most elegant events, at the Galt House East Hotel. The Fillies, Inc., a volunteer organization that works closely with the Kentucky Derby Festival, are hosts of this formal event, which is themed “Galloping with the Fillies.” The Derby Festival Queen will be chosen by the traditional spin of the wheel, and the Royal Court established with the four remaining Princesses, two Handmaidens, two Pages to the Court and four newly knighted outstanding citizens of the community.

Becky Fangman, President of The Fillies, Inc., said, “The Fillies Ball has always been the premiere social event of the year in our community.  Months of preparation and planning come together in this magical evening.  We wait with anticipation to find out who will serve as the Queen and Court.”

Fangman will spin the wheel that will determine the 2013 Derby Festival Queen. Masters of Ceremonies will be Lynda Lambert and George Lindsey of the popular “Lambert & Lindsey” morning radio show on 102.3 The Max. This year’s musical entertainment will be provided by The Crashers.

The event begins at 7:00 p.m. with cocktails, followed by dinner at 8:30 p.m.  Programming will begin at 7:45 p.m.  The Queen’s Coronation will take place before dinner at approximately 8:00 p.m. in the Galt House East Grand Ballroom. Proceeds from the event benefit the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation. Contributing Sponsors of the Ball are Brown-Forman, Treyton Oak Towers and 102.3 The Max.  For tickets call (502) 572-3856.

The selection of the Kentucky Derby Festival Royal Princesses is a self-nominating procedure. After submitting applications, the young women then go through a judging process before being chosen to serve as ambassadors to the community for the Festival. Along with the newly crowned Queen, the Court will attend nearly all events associated with the Kentucky Derby Festival and the Kentucky Derby itself.

More information about the Royal Court is available online at https://discover.kdf.org/join-the-fun/royal-court/.

The Fillies, Inc. was established to help support the Kentucky Derby Festival. Their mission is to organize and produce the traditional Derby Ball, coordinate the “Princess Program,” and publish the Official Derby Festival Program. Membership is limited to 250 ladies of our community.

April 19, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Cleaning up after an average of 500,000 – 700,000  people who attend Thunder every year is no small task.  The Kentucky Derby Festival enlists the help of other agencies and volunteers to help return the venue to tip-top shape following the daylong air show and fireworks event. Breakdown and clean-up from Thunder Over Louisville begins once the show ends at 10 p.m. and continues through the day on Sunday until complete.  Crews work through the night breaking down the venue.  The best media opportunities for clean-up footage will be during the night or during the early hours of Sunday morning.

At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer will join KDF President and CEO, Mike Berry, at the North Great Lawn, as Thunder weekend wraps up and the Mayor’s Give A Day Week of Service comes to an end.  Both the Mayor and Mike Berry will be available for interviews at 9:30 a.m.

Coverage Note:  The best opportunity for “post Thunder” interviews will be at 9:30 a.m. at the North Great Lawn on Sunday, April 21.

Here are contacts for agencies involved in Thunder Clean-up:

• Rumpke – (Thunder pots and Clean-up) – Set-up Thunder pots before show and get them out-of sight by Sunday morning, Set-up dumpsters for Thunder.  Sara Cullin – (513) 741-2617 (cell) 513-200-4064.
• Tru-Service (Thunder Clean-up on site at Waterfront Park) – Sam Ellis – (502) 817-1984.

Sunday, April 21

2 PM   Clark Memorial/2^nd Street Bridge reopens

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 19, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – There are several Kentucky Derby Festival activities this weekend in addition to Festival’s Opening Ceremonies: Thunder Over Louisville.

They include:

Saturday, April 20

 FOURTH STREET LIVE! THUNDER PARTY IN THE PLAZA.  10 PM – Close. Fourth Street Live! In downtown Louisville.   After the fireworks show, visit Fourth Street Live! for Thunder Party in the Plaza featuring DJ Mikus.

Saturday, April 20-Sunday, April 28

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC. Contributing Sponsors:  ASICS, Hyatt Regency Louisville, Mikasa and 98.9 Radio Now. Entry Deadline:  March 30. For more information call The Volleyball Connection/Tandem Sports (502) 582-3530.

Sand Divisions at Baxter Jacks

April 20 and 21: 9 AM – 9 PM and April 27 and 28: 9 AM – 9 PM

Grass Divisions at Seneca Park at the Tennis Courts

April 27 and 28: 9 AM – 6 PM

Sunday, April 21

STOCK YARDS BANK KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL $1 MILLION DOLLAR HOLE-IN-ONE GOLF CONTEST SM.

April 18-April 27: 10 AM – 8:30 PM, April 20:  Closed for Thunder, April 28: 10 AM – 5 PM, Semi-finals 6 PM.  Seneca Golf Course Driving Range. $1 per shot and free for spectators.  April 25:  Ladies get 2 shots for $1.  April 27:  Kids Day – under 18 get 2 shots for $1. Grand Prize:  $1 million.  First Prize (if no Hole-in-One):  $5,000.  Sponsor:  Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company.  Contributing Sponsors: Golf Galaxy, Kentuckiana Golf Course Superintendents, WLKY 32 and 84WHAS.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Friday, April 19:

8:30 AM – 10 AM Set-up for the They’re Off! Luncheon in the Galt House East Grand Ballroom. Volunteers will be setting up for today’s luncheon.

10 AM Meet the 2013 Thundernator in the Command Center. 62-year-old Tom Hatton of Lexington, Kentucky, won the chance to be Thundernator through the Kentucky Lottery. This will be his first visit to the Command Center and first time to see Thunder Over Louisville.

10 AM – 8 PM   Final Set-up and preparation for Thunder Over Louisville. Tents, Interactive Exhibits on the Great Lawn and vendors will set-up as weather permits. Most exhibits will begin set-up after 6 p.m. on the South Great Lawn.

10:30 AM – 11:15 AM Archie Manning will be available for an interview/photography session in the Breathitt Room of the Galt House East Hotel. A KDF media credential will permit access. PLEASE NOTE this is the only available interview time.

12:00 PM   Annual “Gas Up” for Thunder Lunch with the Thunder Crew in the Command Center.  This year’s lunch features the winning Chocolate Chili from the Festival’s Derby Chili Challenge sponsored by the Kentucky Beef Council.

12:00 PM – 4 PM   Air Show Practice for Demo Teams and other aircraft as weather permits

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Limited number of Charity Bibs available

 April 18, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Registration is now closed for the 2013 Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon presented by Walmart and HumanaVitality.  The date of the races is Saturday, April 27. Combined registration for both races has reached 16,000 participants. There will be no late registration.

Race organizers will offer 200 “Charity Bibs” for runners who missed the registration deadline. The bibs – which allow entry into either the Marathon or miniMarathon – cost $125, with proceeds going to the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, the Derby Festival’s charitable arm. The Charity Bibs will only be available at the Running Wild Race Expo on April 25-26 at the Kentucky International Convention Center. The bibs will be first-come, first-served starting at 4 p.m. on April 25.

The races, which will begin simultaneously at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, will start near on Main Street in downtown Louisville (near Louisville Slugger Field) and will finish at Preston and Witherspoon streets, just outside the entrance to Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville, a 500,000-square-foot entertainment venue located within Waterfront Park. Fest-a-Ville will open at 7:30 a.m. on race day for runners to reunite with family and friends and enjoy breakfast-type concessions in Waterfront Park.

Walmart and HumanaVitality are co-presenting sponsors of the Marathon and miniMarathon.

The Official Race Medical Partner is Norton Sports Health and Contributing Sponsors are ASICS, Bluegrass Family Health, Churchill Downs, Courier-Journal Media, and Powerade. Supporting Sponsors: Louisville Water Company and UPS. Official Pace Car:  MINI OF LOUISVILLE.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 17, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – UPS will fly one of its Boeing 767-300 aircraft in the Thunder air show this weekend. With the tail number N334UP, it is the first to be equipped with new fuel-saving winglets.

When fully implemented on the 767 fleet, the winglets will have significant environmental and fuel-saving benefits. UPS projects a savings of seven million gallons of fuel each year and a reduction of more than 65,000 tonnes in carbon emissions.

Said Mike Mangeot, UPS, “The winglets are a perfect embodiment of UPS’s commitment to sustainable business. We constantly strive to be as efficient as possible, while being a good corporate citizen and environmental steward.”

UPS currently flies 51 of the 767 aircraft and will take delivery of eight more in 2013, rounding out this fleet type at 59 aircraft. The wide-body 767 is the most versatile fleet type. UPS uses these planes all over the world, and they are capable of flying both long-range international routes and shorter range domestic flights.

UPS 767s have a cruising speed of 465 knots, a range of 3,270 nautical miles and are powered by General Electric CF6 engines. The two-pilot freighters can carry 132,200 lbs of payload in 24 cargo positions on the upper deck and seven positions on the lower deck. They are 176’1” long, 52’ high and (with the new winglets) have a wingspan of 167’2” inches.

In total, UPS operates 230 of its own aircraft and 300 vendor planes to fly 1,900 flight legs into 700 airports in 220 countries and territories around the world each day. UPS is celebrating its 25^th anniversary as an airline in 2013.

UPS is one of the five presenting sponsors of Thunder Over Louisville – and the longest running sponsor.  This is their 23rd consecutive year that UPS has been involved in the show.  They join Horseshoe Southern Indiana, KentuckyOne Health, LG&E and Meijer as presenting sponsors of the 2013 Thunder Over Louisville fireworks and air show.

Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The 2013 Thunder Over Louisville, themed “Thunder Vision,” is set for Saturday, April 20, and will be the  will be the 24^th annual production.

April 15, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – A special mural will be painted and on display at Louisville’s Extreme Skate Park Thunder weekend thanks to the Kentucky National Guard.

The patriotic mural, which highlights images from Kentucky, will be installed toward the end of the week. It will be painted on three wood panels. Together they will create an 8-feet by 12-feet mural. The panels for the painting will be installed on the back side of the half-pipe. The painting will take place from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. on Thunder day.

Said J.C. Newton, Marketing Director, Kentucky National Guard, “The Guard is looking to expand our efforts into the action sports market, as we have realized there are great candidates for military service in the non-traditional X-Game type sports. We are working with BMX, skateboarding, snowboarding, skiing, etc. to let those participants know that the Guard could be an option for them. They have the strong individual attitudes and fearlessness that can make great soldiers.”

Kentucky was one of five states chosen to receive a mural in a nationwide competition.  Louisville’s Extreme Park was picked due to the uniqueness of the full pipe and its historical significance in the skating world. A company called Zoom Graphics is working with the National Guard Bureau to create the murals around the country.

The painting and the skate park will be featured on several national releases with time-lapse video and highlights from the day. Louisville’s Metro Parks will also have access to the finished video.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 15, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – This week marks the official kick-off of the 2013 Kentucky Derby Festival.  Venue set-up and preparations for Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies: Thunder Over Louisville and Chow Wagon begin today. The public venue runs North of Main between Clay and 8th Street on the Kentucky side.

 Monday, April 15:

§  Thunder Command Center starts assembly in Room 2400 of the Galt House.  Follow construction during the week as equipment builds. Installation of fiber optic sound system begins.

§  Chow Wagon vendor move-in and stage set-up begins at Waterfront Park.  Fencing, dumpsters and other infrastructure will be put into place.

§  12:00 PM – King Southern Bank Pro Am Golf Tournament tees off at Big Spring Country Club

§  Thunder infrastructure set-up all day.

§  Members from Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley as well as the Thunder Over Louisville Safety Coalition will be available from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Louisville Waterfront Park (LMPD Dock next to Tumbleweed) for media to ride aboard any of the assets available. The Coast Guard will have two 25-foot response boats available.  USCG Contacts:  LTJG Geoff Albe (502) 376- 1862 and LT Ron Easley (502)779-5442.

§  5:30-8:30 PM – Taste of Derby Festival at Louisville Slugger Field.

§  2^nd Street Bridge closes at 9:30 AM and will remain closed through at least 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 21

§  Thunder fireworks racks and brackets being installed throughout day – pending weather

§  10 AM – Sat.  Fireworks loading on 2^nd Street Bridge.  Call press office for access and details.

§  Aircraft begin arriving for Thunder.  Call the press office for more information.

§  10 AM:  Stock Yards Bank $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest Opens at Seneca Golf Course.

§  4 PM:  They’re Off! Luncheon set up begins.  50 volunteers in the Galt House East Clements Room.

§  7:00 AM:  They’re Off! Luncheon set up continues in the Galt House East Grand Ballroom.

§  Lost children tents go up on KY side, Port-a-Johns being delivered

§  10:00 AM:  Coast Guard Press Conference – Waterfront Park Great Lawn: Water Safety Plan, Boater Safety

USCG Contacts:  LTJG Geoff Albe  (502) 376-1862 and LT Ron Easley (502)779-5442.

§  10:00 AM:  Various street closures for venue. Concession trailer caravan from East River Road

§  11:30 AM:  They’re Off! Luncheon at the Galt House.

§  1-6 PM:  Command Center open for tours, interviews.  Call press office for arrangements.

§  1 PM: Remaining streets on venue closed for duration of event – other assets being moved in

§  Interactive exhibits and displays set-up along River Road.

§  6:30 PM: Displays and interactive exhibits installed.

§  Kentucky Derby Festival, Louisville Metro Police Department and Waterfront Development Corp. personnel will strictly enforce NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING, NO TENTS – all personal items left unattended overnight in the event venue will be considered abandoned and removed (camping gear, coolers, tarps, chairs, etc ).

§  EARLY AM – Kentucky Derby Festival, Louisville Metro Police Department and Waterfront Development Corp. personnel will enforce NO TENTS in Waterfront Park

§  9 AM – Waterfront Park opens, except North Great. Lawn. 9 AM – North Great Lawn viewing area opens.  Free admission with 2013 Pegasus Pin.

§  NO TENTS, STAKES, TAPE OR PETS allowed anywhere in the Thunder venue.

§  NOON – Free bicycle check-in for public at city compound, Preston and Witherspoon streets.

Other story angles for Thunder Week coverage:

§  2013 theme “Thunder Vision” reflected in Fireworks Soundtrack

§  McBride Transportation (Damon Boots – 664-7777) can provide video and interview opportunities related to utilizing the barges used for fireworks throughout the week

§  Ford’s Thunder on the Ground – all the interactive exhibits and activities on the Great Lawn

§  Economic impact of Thunder is $56 million, many businesses reap big benefits from show

§  Thunder parties: many other area non-profits have significant fund-raisers using Thunder as the featured entertainment

§  Thunder vendors:

o    Rumpke (Thunder pots and Clean-up) – Set-up Thunder pots before show and get them out-of sight by Sunday morning, Set-up dumpsters for Thunder – Sara Cullin – (513) 741-2617

o    Hertz – providing generators for show – John Imbaratto (615) 207-7618

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 15, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival will be closing the Clark Memorial/2^nd Street Bridge this week in preparation for Thunder Over Louisville. We ask your help in communicating this information to the public in the coming days. The Louisville Metro Police Department will release their Thunder traffic plan at a press conference later this week.

CLARK MEMORIAL/2^ND STREET BRIDGE CLOSURES THIS WEEK:

§  Thursday, April 18^th:  9:30 a.m. – CLOSED thru Sunday at 2 p.m.

§  Friday, April 19^th: CLOSED ALL DAY

§  Saturday, April 20^th: CLOSED ALL DAY

§  Sunday, April 21^st: CLOSED Midnight to 2:00 p.m.

PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLE COMMUTERS:

From Thursday at 9:30 a.m. until Saturday at 11 a.m., pedestrian and bicycle commuters needing to cross the Clark Memorial/2^nd Street Bridge may do so using a free shuttle van operated, as needed, by the Kentucky Derby Festival. To request a van ride, speak with a security officer at either end of the Clark Memorial Bridge. The bridge will be completely closed – and no shuttle will operate – from Saturday, April 20, at 11 a.m. until Sunday, April 21, at 2:30 a.m.

TRAFFIC and EVENT HINTS for Thunder:

 ¨       NO TENTS, STAKES, TAPE, BIKES, SKATES, SKATEBOARD, GLASS BOTTLES OR PETS allowed anywhere in the permitted event area. (This runs north of Main to the River bounded by Clay and 8^th). Patrons can bike or board to the event venue, but will be asked to carry them while in the permitted area due to safety in large crowds or check them at the bike valet. Picnic baskets, plastic bottles, blankets and lawn chairs are welcome (No food or drink allowed in Thunder Chow Wagon at Festival Plaza). All parcels will be subject to police search.

¨       Canopies or tents of ANY kind are not permitted within Waterfront Park. They can damage the underground irrigation system and obstruct the view of other attendees. Structures will be required to be taken down.

¨       Kentucky Derby Festival, Louisville Metro Police Department and Waterfront Development Corp. personnel will strictly enforce NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING, NO TENTS – all personal items left unattended overnight in the event venue will be considered abandoned and removed (camping gear, coolers, tarps, chairs, etc ).

¨       Arrive as early as practical for the best space. (Waterfront will open at 9 a.m. for the public.)  FoodFest and Thunder on the Ground (interactive exhibits) open at 11 a.m. throughout the venue. The North Great Lawn viewing area opens at 9 a.m. and is a Pegasus Pin admission.  The Thunder Chow Wagon at Waterfront Park also opens at 11 a.m. It is a Pegasus Pin admission. The airshow begins at 3:00 p.m. The fireworks kick off at 9:30 p.m.

¨       Park as far away from the event area as you can comfortably walk. This will make exiting traffic easier. Visithttps://www.louisvilleky.gov/metropolice for the best place to park to exit in the direction you intend to go.

¨       Use TARC buses to get to the event. TARC offers several committed routes and buses for the Thunder viewing audience. Check out their full schedule for Thunder Day buses at www.ridetarc.org

¨       P.A.R.C. and Riverside Garages in the area are accessible until full for special event rates. For more information on garage and lot locations contact the Parking Authority of River City (PARC) at (502) 587-PARK or Riverside at (502) 584-2459. All handicapped spaces are honored until full.

¨       FREE Thunder Valet Bike Parking is available through Louisville Metro’s Bike Louisville program. Just ride to the northeast corner of Witherspoon Street and Preston Street across from Slugger Field. The bicycle parking facility will be open from Noon – 11 PM.

April 13, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Complete details about the 2013 Kentucky Derby Festival will be released tomorrow.  Copies of the Sunday, April 14, 2013, edition of The Courier-Journal will include the Official Festival Guide.

 The special 48-page tab section features complete details about each of the Festival’s nearly 70 events, including new events like the Zumba Fitness Party, Frat Friday Movie Night, miniFun Run presented by Subway Restaurants and BeerFest presented by American Founders Bank, as well as maps, ticket information, stories about this year’s Pegasus Pins, and much more!

It will be delivered to more than 500,000 households, including all 120 counties in Kentucky and 19 counties in Southern Indiana.

 The Official Festival Guide will also be available for viewing online beginning Monday at

www.courier-journal.com.

 For more information on Kentucky Derby Festival activities, log onto www.kdf.org.

The Derby Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation.  It entertains more than 1.5 million people annually. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

The Kentucky Derby Festival has launched a social media campaign inviting the University of Louisville Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams to be Grand Marshals of this year’s Pegasus Parade.  The Festival is asking fans to “share” and “retweet” the post.  (See attached images.)

www.facebook.com/DerbyFest

www.twitter.com/kyderbyfestival

This year’s Republic Bank Pegasus Parade is themed “Now, That’s Entertainment!” and will march down Broadway on Thursday, May 2.  Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 584-FEST.

Go Cards!

April 8, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Bill Keyer of Louisville is the winner of the 2nd Annual “Derby Burger Challenge” recipe contest sponsored by Kentucky Beef Council and coordinated by the Kentucky Derby Festival. Keyer’s recipe for his Beef Bacon Bourbon and Blue Burger was selected as the overall winner after a cook-off.  It features ground chuck, garlic powder, steak sauce, Dijon mustard, Herbs de Provence, thick slice bacon, blue cheese, onion, butter and Kentucky Bourbon Whisky all served on a large bun.

Coverage Note:  Media are invited to meet the Derby Burger Champion this morning at 10:30 a.m. at the Kentucky Derby Festival Headquarters at 1001 S. Third Street.  The Kentucky Beef Council will be cooking samples of the winning burger.

The Festival received hundreds of submissions for the “Derby Burger Challenge” after the competition opened on March 11. A panel of judges determined the overall contest winner based on points accumulated from three factors – taste, appearance and creativity. Margaret Hill (BLT Burger with Russian Dressing) finished runner-up in the contest. Melissa Richardson (South of the Border Burger) finished third and Peter Herbener (Jennie Benedict Burger) finished fourth.

The Derby Burger recipe will be featured as the Local Legendary Burger at Hard Rock Café Louisville in April and May, recognized in Louisville-area and Lexington-area Kroger stores and samples will be featured at the Kentucky Derby Festival’s new BeerFest presented by American Founders Bank. The winner also receives VIP tickets to Thunder Over Louisville and a concert at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville, as well as a $100 gift certificate to Kroger and a grilling package from Kentucky Beef Council.

From March 11 to April 24, all purchasers of fresh ground beef at any of the Kentuckiana Kroger stores (including Lexington locations) will receive a message at checkout (on the bottom of the receipt).  The message includes an entry code to register online at www.kdf.org/beef for a chance to win VIP tickets to a Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville Concert.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 5, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s quest to find the best hamburger recipe has been narrowed to four. The finalists of the “Derby Burger Challenge” recipe contest, which is sponsored by the Kentucky Beef Council, were notified this week.

All the finalists are from Louisville:   Peter Herberner’s Jennie Benedict Burger recipe, Margaret Hill and her BLT Burger with Russian Dressing, Bill Keyer’s Bourbon Bacon and Blue burger, and Melissa Richardson’s South of the Border burger.  The Festival received hundreds of entries after the competition opened on March 11. The winning burger will be named on Monday, April 8^th.  The champion will be determined based on three judging factors – taste, appearance and creativity.

Coverage Note:  Media are invited to meet the Derby Burger Champion on Monday, April 8, at 10:30 a.m. at the Kentucky Derby Festival Headquarters at 1001 S. Third Street.  The Kentucky Beef Council will be cooking samples of the winning burger.

The Derby Burger recipe will be featured as the Local Legendary Burger at Hard Rock Café Louisville in April and May, recognized in Louisville-area and Lexington-area Kroger stores and samples will be featured at the Kentucky Derby Festival’s new BeerFest presented by American Founders Bank. The winner will also receive VIP tickets to Thunder Over Louisville and a concert at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville, as well as a $100 gift certificate to Kroger and a grilling package from Kentucky Beef Council.

From March 11 to April 24, all purchasers of fresh ground beef at any of the Kentuckiana Kroger stores (including Lexington locations) will receive a message at checkout (on the bottom of the receipt).  The message includes an entry code to register online atwww.kdf.org/beef for a chance to win VIP tickets to a Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville Concert.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

SPECIALLY SELECTED BOURBON TO BE SERVED ON EACH BOAT

April 3, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The jousting has begun for the 2013 Great Steamboat Race set for Wednesday, May 1 on the Ohio River. At a press conference this morning, the tasks and scoring system that will determine the winner of the race was announced.  Representatives of the Kentucky Derby Festival, the Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati also participated in a sampling of “individual tasting mats” to select a different single-barrel bourbon to be served aboard each vessel for the event.

With three of three judges’ votes, the Four Roses barrel numbered ME-83J was selected as the bourbon to be served aboard the Belle of Cincinnati.  A separate panel chose the bourbon for the Belle of Louisville.  With two of three judges’ votes, the barrel numbered ME-83C was selected as the bourbon for the Belle of Louisville. Both selected bourbons were aged nine years.

“I was very happy this year that both boats had the opportunity to choose their own barrel,” said Jim Rutledge, Four Roses Master Distiller.  “The barrels they were choosing from featured our OBSV recipe – with yeast that generates light, delicate fruity flavor. I’m confident that passengers on both boats will be in for a real treat.”

For the first time ever, passengers onboard both boats will have the opportunity to sample the two bourbons and vote for their favorite.  The boat with the winning bourbon will receive a mint julep trophy and bragging rights for a year.  Commemorative bottles from each vessel will also be available for purchase at the Galt House in the 3^rd Floor Spirits and More shop.

The task and scoring system that was implemented four years ago to determine the winner of the Great Steamboat Race will return again this year. Instead of the event winner being determined by the first boat to cross the finish line at the Clark Memorial Bridge, the winner will be the vessel which accumulates the most points from performing a series of nine tasks assigned to each competitor throughout the day and during the race.

•  Task No. 1: Jousting inflatable competition (10 points for 1^st, 0 points for 2^nd)
• Task No. 2: Obstacle inflatable course (10 and 0 points)
• Task No. 3: Handy line toss (10 and 0 points)
• Task No. 4: Monkey fist toss (10 and 0 points)
• Task No. 5: Miniature Paddle Wheel Assembly (10 and 0 points)
• Task No. 6: Calliope contest (10 and 0 points)
• Task No. 7: Buoy flag retrieval (25 points for successful retrieval, 0 points for failure)
• Task No. 8: VIP retrieval (25 points for successful retrieval, 0 points for failure)
• Task No. 9: Bourbon barrel retrieval (25 points for successful retrieval, 0 points for failure)
• Task No. 10: Boat race finish (29 points) 2^nd vessel under the bridge will get 15 points added to their score.

Failure to perform a task will result in a “no score,” plus a 35-point penalty. The vessel with the most points as determined by the judges will be declared the winner. The majority decision of the judges will be final. The winner will be presented with a set of 12-point Silver Antlers.

Boarding for the Great Steamboat Race will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., with the boats departing the shore at 5:30 for a 6 p.m. start. Each boat will be assigned two judges, in addition to an overall event judge from the Derby Festival. The Awards Ceremony will take place immediately following the race at the Chow Wagon in Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront. Tickets for the Belle of Louisville (while still available) cost $130, Belle of Cincinnati tickets cost $80 (includes Four Rose Bourbon tasting and appetizers) and $60 (no food or drink included – concessions available on board). Tickets can be purchased by calling (502) 584-FEST or online at www.kdf.org.

Contributing sponsors of this year’s Great Steamboat Race are Four Roses Bourbon, Republic Industries International, Inc., Captain’s Quarters Riverside Grille and Lite 106.9 WVEZ.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

April 3, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The McDonald’s Kentucky Derby Festival Preview Party is set for tomorrow, Thursday, April 4, at the Central American Airways Flying Service hangar at Bowman Field. Sponsored by McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana, the Thunder Preview Party will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and is a great way to get into the spirit of Thunder a little early.

The event features planes on display, a McDonald’s Playland Kidzone, Command Center photos ops, a display of mock fireworks shells, helicopter rides ($40 per ride) and the sale of 2013 Kentucky Derby Festival Official Merchandise. The eighth annual event will also be attended by Thunder Over Louisville crew members, including producer Wayne Hettinger and Air Boss, Mike Riordan. Admission is a 2013 Pegasus Pin or a 2013 McDonald’s Thunder Funder Cup (available at area McDonald’s restaurants).

“If you’re looking for a family activity during spring break, the McDonald’s Thunder Preview Party is the perfect place to go.” said Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “It offers plenty of activities for kids of all ages, plus the McDonald’s Thunder Funder program is a great way for the community to show their support for Thunder Over Louisville.”

The McDonald’s Thunder Funder Program, which helps to provide financial support for Thunder Over Louisville – the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – kicked off on March 11 and runs through April 15. During that time, ninety-six area McDonald’s restaurants will donate a portion of their large drink sales revenue to help support Thunder. The promotion coincides with McDonald’s $1.00 drink campaign, with drinks served in a commemorative Thunder Over Louisville cup.

“McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana are proud to once again support such an important event as Thunder Over Louisville,” said Ira Salls, a McDonald’s Owner/Operator. “McDonald’s has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting community events going back many years and we’re very happy to continue our title sponsorship of the Thunder Funder program.”

Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Kentucky Derby Festival in the spring. The 2013 Thunder Over Louisville, themed “Thunder Vision,” is set for Saturday, April 20, and will be the 24^th annual production. The show is sponsored by Horseshoe Southern Indiana, KentuckyOne Health, LG&E, Meijer and UPS.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

WHAT:                Kentucky Derby Festival Photo/Video Opportunity – 2013 Great Steamboat Race Task Announcement and Four Roses Bourbon Barrel Selection

WHEN:                          Wednesday, April 3, 10 a.m.

WHERE:                      Captain’s Quarters Riverside Grille, 5700 Captain’s Quarters Road

ATTENDING:

Mike Berry – KDF President & CEO

Mayor Greg Fischer

Chris Whelan – KDF 2013 Chair

Belle of Louisville and Belle of Cincinnati boat captains

Jim Rutledge – Four Roses Master Distiller

2013 GREAT STEAMBOAT RACE TASKS TO BE ANNOUNCED

Barrel Selection to Determine Winning Batch of Bourbon

April 2, 2013. Louisville, KY. – Tomorrow morning at 10 a.m., the Kentucky Derby Festival will announce the details of this year’s Great Steamboat Race, including the format, tasks and scoring system that will determine the winner of the race between the Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati.

 In addition, the announcement will feature the Four Roses Bourbon Barrel Selection with a sampling of “individual tasting mats” to determine which batch of bourbon will be served on each boat during the Great Steamboat Race on May 1.

Contributing sponsors of this year’s Great Steamboat Race are Four Roses Bourbon, Republic Industries International, Inc., Captain’s Quarters Riverside Grille and Lite 106.9 WVEZ.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

March 29, 2013.   The air show acts for the 2013 Thunder Over Louisville Air Show have been confirmed.  While there will be no military aircraft in the show, there will be a full show starting at 3:00 PM on Saturday, April 20^th.  The show will feature many civilian aircraft that have not been in Thunder before.

Billy Werth

Off Shore Powerboats

F-86 Super Sabre

F4U corsair

Flash Gordon L-39

Jay Gordon Extra 300

Jet Air Combat

Lee Leet

Lima Lima

P-51 Vlado Lenoch

Team AeroDynamix

Trojan Horseman

Twin Beech 18

Go to https://thunderoverlouisville.org/the-show/ for additional information on these great acts.

March 28, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Kix Brooks, formerly of Brooks & Dunn, will close out the 2013 Kentucky Derby Festival at the Derby Eve Jam on Friday, May 3, at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Special guest Greg Bates will open the show which starts at 7:30 p.m.

Admission to the show is a 2013 Pegasus Pin. Military personnel with a valid ID will receive free admission to the venue from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. 97.5 WAMZ is a contributing sponsor of the event.

Brooks will also perform later that night at the Barnstable Brown Gala, where he will join country music’s elite, legendary Motown and rock star chart toppers.  “We are ready to Kix up our boots on Derby Eve!” said Patricia Barnstable Brown.  “Kix puts on an awesome show and we’re thrilled to have him for our 25^th Anniversary Barnstable Brown Gala.”

The platinum selling artist has been performing since age 12 and started writing songs in high school.  He eventually landed in Nashville working with artists like Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Highway 101, before teaming up with Ronnie Dunn in 1990.  They became the highest selling duo in the history of country music. Since 2006, Brooks has hosted the long-running syndicated radio program, American Country Countdown.

Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront opens on Thursday, April 25, and will run through Friday, May 3.  The venue will once again be located at Waterfront Park.  It will be open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. This ultimate entertainment experience offers national act concerts, family fun, food vendors, a children’s inflatable playground, midway rides and more.  Admission is a 2013 Pegasus Pin.

Kroger is title sponsor of the event, with contributing sponsor Miller Lite.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Floats, inflatables draw for position at special event

March 27, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The line-up is set for the 58^th annual Republic Bank Pegasus Parade.  Floats and inflatable units participating in this year’s parade drew for positions at a special event tonight at Pinot’s Palette St. Matthews. “Now, That’s Entertainment!” will be the theme for the Derby Festival’s oldest event, which will feature approximately 100 units on Thursday, May 2.

The parade theme will be used by sponsoring companies to help direct the building of floats and costuming of the inflatable handlers and crew. The floats and inflatables compete for various awards based on originality, eye appeal, theme representation, animation, attention to detail and enthusiasm. Marching bands use the theme to help with musical selection and it is the basis of costume and concept design for the other marching units. The annual spectacle marches west on Broadway from Campbell to Ninth Street.

The 2013 Parade will feature at least 12 floats, many of them built by the employees of the companies sponsoring them. The following companies drew for their float position in the parade at tonight’s event, as well as the sponsors of the six participating inflatable character balloons.

Floats:

                CenterStage at the Jewish Community

                        Center

                Chabad of Kentucky

                 City of St. Matthews

                 Grand Lodge of Kentucky

                 Hwang’s Martial Arts

                Kentuckiana Pride Festival

                Kosair Charities/Kosair Shriners

                Louisville International Film Festival

                Norton Healthcare

                 Second Chance@Life

                 The Fillies, Inc.

                UAW Local 862 / Ford Louisville

                       Assembly Plant

Spectators will have an opportunity to preview each float at the Republic Bank Derby Festival Parade Preview Party on Tuesday, April 30, at the Kentucky Exposition Center, in the North Wing. This event will offer a taste of nearly the entire parade. Character balloons, equestrian units and assorted VIPs will join the floats on display for the indoor tour “inside” a parade. Admission is a 2013 Pegasus Pin.

Tickets for the Parade are on sale now online at www.kdf.org or by calling the Derby Festival Hotline at (502) 584-FEST. Ticket prices are $9 for bleacher seats, $11 chair seating and $26 review stand seats.

The very first Festival event in 1956, the Pegasus Parade remains a community favorite. Tickets sell out quickly and thousands of families come downtown to enjoy the parade.

March 26, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The 2013 Macy’s Kentucky Derby Festival Spring Fashion Show is this Thursday, March 28, in the Showroom of Horseshoe Southern Indiana.  One of the country’s premier retailers – Macy’s – is the new title sponsor of the show.  The event starts with cocktails and boutique shopping at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and runway show at 8 p.m.

Christine Fellingham, Editor-in-chief of Her Scene and Director of Women’s Audience at The Courier-Journal, will help style the show again this year.  The event is themed “Festival on Location” and guests can expect a night of fun and high fashion.

This year’s fashion show will feature outfits and accessories by: Apricot Lane Boutique, Boutique Serendipity, Collections Boutique, Crush Boutique, Dillard’s, Dress & Dwell, GUESS? Inc., Macy’s, Old Navy, Olivia & Co. Boutique, Pink Julep Boutique, Rodeo Drive, Sunny Daize, The Tangerine Closet, Cargo, and Caden.  Some of the Festival’s Official Products will also be featured and the Official 2013 Derby Festival merchandise will be on sale at the event. A broadcast special airs on Friday, April 5, on WAVE 3 TV.  Models are provided by Heymen Talent Agency.

As part of the Fashion Show sponsorship, Macy’s will provide a red carpet experience for attendees, as well as contributing special items in gift bags. A handful of tickets for the “Her Scene Lounge” area will be available at the door, while they last.  Tickets for the Lounge (general admission seating in 2nd floor lounge area) are $35. Contributing sponsors are Guess?, Inc., Her Scene, Horseshoe Southern Indiana and 102.3 The Max.

First produced in 1990, the Kentucky Derby Festival Fashion Show was originally conceived as a venue for unveiling the new Board of Director’s uniform, the teal Pegasus jacket.  It was so successful, the Board of Directors decided to make it a permanent addition to the Festival schedule. Thanks to the support of many retailers, the Spring Fashion Show has become THE fashion show for the season.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation.  It entertains more than 1.5 million people in a two- week period and has a local economic impact of more than $127 million.  This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

March 26, 2013. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival will hold its annual Republic Bank Pegasus Parade Position Draw on Wednesday, March 27, at Pinot’s Palette St. Matthews, 291 N Hubbards Lane. The 2013 float and inflatable sponsors will be introduced as they draw for positions in the parade.

The 58^th annual Republic Bank Pegasus Parade on Thursday, May 2, will be a spectacle of colorful floats, marching bands, giant inflatables, equestrians and celebrities parading down Broadway in downtown Louisville. Nearly 250,000 spectators are expected to line the 1.7-mile route to enjoy the more than 90 units in the two-hour march.

Tickets for the Parade are currently on sale online at www.kdf.org or by calling the Kentucky Derby Festival at (502) 584-FEST. Ticket prices are $9 for bleacher seats; $11 chair seating and $26 review stand seats.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

For more information, contact: (502) 584-FEST.

WHAT:

Kentucky Derby Festival Photo/Video Opportunity – 2013 Republic Bank Pegasus Parade Position Draw

WHEN:

Wednesday, March 27

5:30 p.m. Reception; 6:00 p.m. Drawing

WHERE:

Pinot’s Palette, 291 N Hubbards Lane

ATTENDING:

Mike Berry – KDF President & CEO

Chris Whelan – KDF 2013 Chair

Steve Trager – Chairman & CEO, Republic Bank & Trust Company

Float & Inflatable Sponsors

March 26, 2013– LOUISVILLE, KY   – Members of the American Wine Society will be in Louisville tomorrow to judge the best vino from wineries around Kentucky and Indiana.  The judging will begin at 9 AM on Wednesday, March 27, at the Brown Hotel in the Louisville room (3^rd Floor).

This is the 7^th year for the Kentucky Derby Festival Wine Competition, which is part of the Festival’s annual Kentucky Proud WineFest event.  This year 164 wine varietals from 18 Kentucky and Indiana wineries will participate in the competition. They will be judged in one of several different categories:  White or Red Native American, Hybrid or Vinifera, Non–Grape or Dessert wine.

The judging panel is composed of 12 experts from the American Wine Society who will use their experience to score the wines based on appearance, bouquet, taste/texture, aftertaste and overall impression.  Since the wines are judged on a points scale it is possible to have multiple gold, silver and bronze winners in a given category.

The winning wine makers will see the fruits of their labor as they promote their wine as the best in the region and tote the prestige that comes with winning the award.

Participating vineyards to be judged:

Rose Hill Farm Winery- Butler, KY

Best Vineyards- Elizabeth, IN

Huber’s Orchard, Winery, & Vineyards- Borden, IN

Purple Toad Winery- Paducah, KY

Talon Winery- Lexington, KY

Old 502 Winery – Louisville, KY

Lovers Leap Vineyards – Lawrenceburg, KY

Smith-Berry Vineyards & Winery, New Castle, KY

Horseshoe Bend Vineyards – Willisburg, KY

Forest Edge Winery- Shepherdsville, KY

MillaNova Winery- Mt. Washington, KY

Chrisman Mill Vineyards, Inc- Lexington, KY

Prodigy Vineyards & Winerry, LLC- Frankfort, KY

StoneBrook Winery- Melbourne, KY

Wight-Meyer Vineyards- Sheperdsville, KY

Elk Creek Vineyards- Owenton, KY

Indian Creek – Georgetown, IN

McIntyres Winery & Berries, LLC – Bardstown, KY

Lovers Leap Vineyards – Lawrenceburg, KY

Smith-Berry Vineyards & Winery, New Castle, KY

Horseshoe Bend Vineyards – Willisburg, KY

Coverage Note: This event is not open to the public, but the media is welcome to attend the judging. There will be multiple photo and video opportunities of the wines and wine judging. Interviews with the wine judges and wine makers will also be available.

Some of the winners may be found at the ninth annual Kentucky Proud Kentucky Derby Festival WineFest set for Tuesday, April 30, and Wednesday, May 1, on the Belvedere at Waterfront Park.  The WineFest will be open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on both days.  This year’s WineFest will feature 17 wineries from Kentucky and Indiana.   Tickets are $40 and available online at www.kdf.org or by calling (502) 584-FEST. Contributing sponsors are Today’s Woman and Lite 106.9 WVEZ.

The Kentucky Derby Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation.  It entertains more than 1.5 million people annually. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

For more information, contact:

Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 584-FEST

March 25, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival is pleased to announce its national concert lineup for Kroger’s Fest-A-Ville on the Waterfront for the 2013 Derby Festival.

Pop-rock-country music star Uncle Kracker will kick off the festivities with the Sonic Saturday show on Saturday, April 27. Runners with a finisher’s medal from that day’s KDF Marathon/miniMarathon presented by Walmart and HumanaVitality will receive free entry into the venue.

On April 28, Family Sunday will feature a full slate of Christian music acts.  The show will begin at 5 p.m. featuring headliner Building 429 with Rhett Walker Band and Finding Favour.

After topping the R&B charts for more than a decade and selling more than 17 million albums, Cameo will be featured on Tuesday, May 1, at the RhythmFest concert.  Cameo is well known for their hit song “Word Up.”

On Wild Wednesday, May 2, The Features, along with special guest, Discount Guns, will take the stage beginning at 7 p.m.

Tune It Up Thursday on May 2 will feature The Wallflowers.  This group is well known for chart-topping songs such as “One Headlight,” “6^th Avenue Heartache” and “Everything I Need.”  This concert will begin at 9 p.m.

2013 Kentucky Derby Festival national concert schedule at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront:

Saturday, April 27

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL SONIC SATURDAY CONCERT FEATURING UNCLE KRACKER.  9 PM.  Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.   Contributing Sponsor: Lite 106.9 WVEZ.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)

Sunday, April 28

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL FAMILY DAY  WITH WJIE FEATURING BUILDING 429.  7 PM –Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Christian contemporary concert.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin©.  Sponsor:  88.5 WJIE.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)

Tuesday, April 30

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL RHYTHMFEST CONCERT FEATURING CAMEO.  9 PM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®.  Sponsors:  Kroger and Miller Lite.  Contributing Sponsors:  B96.5 FM and MAGIC 101.3.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)

Wednesday, May 1

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL WILD WEDNESDAY EVENING CONCERT FEATURING THE FEATURES.  7 PM.  Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin®. Contributing Sponsor:  91.9 WFPK.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)

Thursday, May 2

KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL TUNE IT UP THURSDAY CONCERT FEATURING AN EVENING WITH THE WALLFLOWERS.  9 PM.  Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin©.  Contributing Sponsor:  100.5 Gen X Radio.  (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)

Friday, May 3

A big name in country music will headline The Kentucky Derby Festival Derby Eve Jam® concert, scheduled for 8:30 p.m. at Kroger’s Fest-A-Ville on the Waterfront.

On Thursday, April 25, Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront opens and will run through Friday, May 3.  The venue will once again be located at Waterfront Park.  The Fest-A-Ville venue will be open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. This ultimate entertainment experience offers national concerts, family fun, food vendors, a children’s inflatable playground, midway rides and more.  Admission is a 2013 Pegasus Pin. Kroger is title sponsor of the event, with contributing sponsor Miller Lite.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

For more information, contact:

Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 584-FEST

March 21, 2013 – LOUISVILLE, KY   – The latest edition to the Kentucky Derby Festival’s event schedule is the first-ever BeerFest presented by American Founders Bank to be held on Wednesday, May 1, inside Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.  Regional and national breweries in Kentuckiana will be invited to participate and offer samples of different craft beers.

“Craft beer is a growing industry in Kentucky and we’re excited to be a part of this new venture.” said Trish Osborn, 2013 Derby Festival Vice Chair and American Founders Bank Louisville Market President. “Partnering with the Festival allows American Founders Bank the great opportunity to show our support of the community and local businesses through these one-of-a-kind events in the spring.”

American Founders Bank has been a partner of the Festival since expanding it s Kentucky-based business to the Louisville area in December 2007.  They have also sponsored other events including WineFest, the annual Fillies Derby Ball and the Spring Fashion Show.

“We couldn’t add new events to our schedule without the support of community-minded sponsors like American Founders Bank,” said Mike Berry, KDF President and CEO.  “BeerFest will definitely be a welcome addition to the ever growing line-up at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.”

Below is a list of just some of the brewing companies that will be featured.  A complete list will be available on www.kdf.org.

CUMBERLAND BREWERY

WEST SIXTH BREWING CO.

ALLTECH LEXINGTON BREWING AND DISTILLING CO.

FALLS CITY BREWING COMPANY

STERLING BEER

RIVERTOWN BREWING COMPA

BLUE MOON BREWING COMPANY

HENRY WIENHARD’S

BATCH 19

REDD’S APPLE ALE

UPLAND BREWING CO.

THE NEW ALBANIAN BREWING COMPANY

BLUEGRASS BREWING CO.

Tickets to BeerFest cost $35 and include beer tastings, a sampling mug and a BeerFest pin. BeerFest will be open from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. and will take place inside a tented venue at the Overlook inside Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville. It will be held rain or shine.  Tickets are available now at both American Founders Bank locations in Louisville, or by calling (502) 584-FEST and online at www.kdf.org.

BeerFest is sponsored by American Founders Bank with Contributing Sponsors, Blue Moon Brewing Company, Kroger, 95.7 WQMF and 100.5 Gen X Radio.
Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

For more information, contact:  Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 584-FEST.

March 17, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Pegasus Pin Madness starts tomorrow!  The Kentucky Derby Festival’s 41^st edition of Pegasus Pins officially go on sale Monday, April 18, at more than 1,000 retail outlets and participating financial institutions.  Since March 4, the pins have only been available at Hard Rock Café Louisville.

The 2013 Pegasus Pins, which sell for $5 come in five colors – light blue, green, orange, magenta and purple. They feature the Derby Festival corporate logo and are made from clear, recycled plastic. Family Fun Packs of five pins will also be available at retail locations for $20.

“Pegasus Pins are one of the first signs of spring in Kentuckiana and we’re hoping everyone will purchase one to show their support of the Kentucky Derby Festival,” said Mike Berry, President and CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival.  “More than a symbol of pride in this community, these plastic pins hold tremendous value as a ticket for free entry into more than half of the Festival’s events and concerts.”

Inside each pin envelope is a membership card with a “scratch-off” bar that hides a unique 12-digit alpha-numeric code. Consumers will use this code to register online at www.pegasuspins.com.  After registering, they’ll be able to choose four coupons that are sent via email.

In addition to a pin and coupons online, each Pegasus Pin Sponsor has the chance to win a gold pin. The odds of finding a gold winner pin this year are 1 in 34, with 10,000 of these pins in circulation. Gold Pin Winners can register their gold pins to win one of nine Grand Prizes, including a 2013 Honda CRV sponsored by Kentuckiana Honda Dealers, at the conclusion of the Derby Festival in May.

March 15, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Legendary quarterback and father of two Super Bowl winning quarterbacks, Archie Manning, will be the keynote speaker for the Kentucky Derby Festival’s 57th annual They’re Off! Luncheon on Friday, April 19. Manning will address approximately 1,500 Derby Festival supporters and patrons in attendance for this community tradition, which begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Galt House East Hotel, site of the festive event since 1974.

Manning is a former NFL quarterback, playing for the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1982, then for the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings. He was named All-American Quarterback when he attended the University of Mississippi and is the only Ole Miss player to have his number retired. Football runs in the Manning genes – he is the father of current Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, current New York Giants starting quarterback Eli Manning, and former Ole Miss receiver Cooper Manning. Manning and Peyton have written a book entitled Manning: A Father, His Sons and A Football Legacy. He and his boys also operate the Manning Passing Academy, a summer camp for high school quarterbacks and receivers. Manning currently serves in public relations and consulting capacities for several local, regional and national companies. For 25 years, he hosted four Archie Manning Cystic Fibrosis benefit golf tournaments in Louisiana and Mississippi and is active in a wide variety of charitable and civic causes.

“Even if you don’t follow football, you’ve heard the Manning name. They’re the first family of football and we’re excited to have Archie Manning help us kick-off the 58^th Annual Kentucky Derby Festival.” said Mike Berry, KDF President and CEO.

First held in 1957, the second year of the Derby Festival, the They’re Off! Luncheon serves as the time-honored kick-off to each year’s Festival. Manning joins Dick Vitale, Terry Bradshaw, Bill Walton, Greg Gumbel, Magic Johnson, Julius Erving, Larry King, Bob Costas, Robin Roberts, Cawood Ledford, Phil Simms and Howard Cosell in a long list of luminaries who have entertained They’re Off! Luncheon audiences for the past 57 years. This year’s luncheon will also feature the presentation of the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Volunteer of the Year Award and the AT&T Silver Horseshoe Award for service to the community.

Tickets for the event cost $76 each or $608 for a table of eight and are available on a very limited basis. For tickets or more information, call (502) 584-FEST. Contributing sponsors for the event are AT&T andBusiness First, joined by newcomers James Graham Brown Cancer Center and Kentucky Proud..

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

March 9, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Emily Keaton of Pike County won her fourth consecutive Ford Motor Company Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee today by correctly spelling “corvee” – labor exacted by a local authority for little or no pay or instead of taxes and used especially in the maintenance of roads – at the PNC Club at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Jasmine Singh of Lawrence County, Indiana finished runner-up in the competition among students from Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Keaton, 13, is an eighth-grade student at Christ Central School in Pikeville, Ky. In addition to winning the KDF Spelling Bee the past four years, she finished third in the 2009 KDF Spelling Bee. Sixty-five students from 62 counties in Kentucky and Southern Indiana participated in today’s Spelling Bee, going through 172 words and five rounds before determining a champion.

“It’s surreal to win!” said Keaton.  “I’ve studied with Webster’s Third Dictionary – the really big one – and done everything I can to study in between other activities at school.  I plan to use the scholarship money for college.”  In all, Keaton has won scholarship funds worth $43,000 (U.S. Savings Bonds at maturity). Keaton says she would like to attend Harvard one day.

For today’s win, Keaton received the John & Joan Murphy Memorial Scholarship Fund, a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond at maturity from the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, the Derby Festival’s charitable arm.  She also received a Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, Hasbro Scrabble game, Amazon.com gift card and a trophy. Emily will have the opportunity to ride on the Winner’s Float in the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade on May 2.

James Durham of Lincoln County finished fifth, winning a $1,000 savings bond. Brooke Savrer of Letcher County finished fourth and received a $1,500 savings bond. Austin Booth of Fayette County finished third, winning a $3,000 savings bond. Jasmine Singh received a $5,000 savings bond for finishing runner-up in the 20th annual competition.

The Derby Festival Spelling Bee is sponsored by Ford Motor Company with contributing sponsors the University of Louisville, Kentucky Monthly and 84WHAS.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

WHAT:  Derby Festival Photo/Video Opportunity – Spelling Bee Finals

WHEN:  Saturday, March 9, at 11 AM.  Best time to cover is around 12:30. (Winner could come at anytime.)

WHERE:  PNC Club at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium

Parking on the southeast side (Floyd Street side) of the stadium through the gates E, F, or G.  Take elevators through Gate 2A to the 3^rd floor.

ATTENDING:   Kentucky & Indiana students and their parents

Chris Whelan, 2013 Derby Festival Chair

2013 Derby Festival Royal Court

Derby Festival Board & Staff

DERBY FESTIVAL SPELLING BEE TOMORROW

March 8, 2013, Louisville, KY.   65 of the brightest students from across Kentucky and Indiana will participate in the 20^th annual Ford Motor Company Spelling Bee Finals TOMORROW.

The overall champion of this year’s Spelling Bee will receive the John & Joan Murphy Memorial Scholarship Fund, a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond at maturity.  The next four top finishers will also receive savings bonds – $5,000 for second place, $3,000 for third, $1,500 for fourth and $1,000 for fifth. The prize money will be provided by the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation – the Derby Festival’s charitable arm. The 65 qualifiers represent 62 different counties.

In addition to a $10,000 saving bond, the overall Spelling Bee champion will receive a Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, Hasbro Scrabble game, an Amazon.com gift card and a trophy. The winner will also have the opportunity to ride the Winner’s Float in the 58th annual Republic Bank Pegasus Parade on May 2.

The Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee is sponsored by Ford Motor Company, with contributing sponsors University of Louisville, Kentucky Monthly and 84WHAS.

  Preview Party at Bowman Field Set for April 4

March 7, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – This year’s McDonald’s Thunder Funder program, which will help raise funds for the 2013 Thunder Over Louisville Air and Fireworks show, kicks off on Monday, March 11. McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana is the title sponsor of the program for the eighth consecutive year.

From March 11 to April 15, ninety-six area McDonald’s restaurants will donate a portion of their large drink sales revenue to help support Thunder. The promotion coincides with McDonald’s $1.00 drink campaign, with large drinks served in a commemorative Thunder Over Louisville cup.

The 2013 McDonald’s Thunder Funder Preview Party also returns this year and will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, at Bowman Field. The event features a McDonald’s playground area, elements of the Thunder Air Show, helicopter rides for $40 and much more.  Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin or McDonald’s Thunder Funder cup.

Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Kentucky Derby Festival in the spring. The 2013 Thunder Over Louisville, themed “Thunder Vision,” is set for Saturday, April 20, and will be the 24^th annual production. The show is sponsored by Horseshoe Southern Indiana, KentuckyOne Health, LG&E, Meijer and UPS.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

Three-time champion returns to defend

title

March 6, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s three-time reigning champion will defend her title this weekend at the 20^th annual Ford Motor Company Spelling Bee Finals.  Emily Keaton, an eighth-grader from Pikeville, Ky., has won the bee since 2010.  Starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 9, 65 students from Kentucky and Southern Indiana counties will compete for bragging rights and savings bonds.

“The 20th annual Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee is an important event to highlight the most talented students from across the state.  Since Ford’s beginnings in the city of Louisville 100 years ago, we have made it a priority to support our local community and schools.  Ford Motor Company congratulates all of this year’s participants,” said Kimberly Hofmann, Ford Zone Manager for the Cincinnati region.

The overall champion of this year’s Spelling Bee will receive the John & Joan Murphy Memorial Scholarship Fund, a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond at maturity.  The next four top finishers will also receive savings bonds – $5,000 for second place, $3,000 for third, $1,500 for fourth and $1,000 for fifth. The prize money will be provided by the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation – the Derby Festival’s charitable arm. The 65 qualifiers represent 62 different counties.

“One of our more far-reaching events, this competition showcases talented students from around Kentucky and Southern Indiana and it’s always a nail-biter up until the final word is spelled,” said Mike Berry, KDF President and CEO.  “We’re thankful our Foundation is able to offer savings bonds to the top five spellers. We hope they’ll be able to use those funds to help with college expenses.”

In addition to a $10,000 saving bond, the overall Spelling Bee champion will receive a Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, Hasbro Scrabble game, an Amazon.com gift card and a trophy. The winner will also have the opportunity to ride the Winner’s Float in the 58th annual Republic Bank Pegasus Parade on May 2. The Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee is sponsored by Ford Motor Company, with contributing sponsors University of Louisville, Kentucky Monthly and 84WHAS.

March 4, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival is enlisting the Kentucky Lottery Corporation to help choose the Thundernator for the 2013 Derby Festival Opening Ceremonies: Thunder Over Louisville.  As part of a second chance promotion, players will be able to register for a chance to be this year’s Thundernator – who will provide the Thunder countdown and “zero” ignition to activate the Thunder launch system sequence in the Command Center at the Galt House Hotel on Saturday, April 20.

“For years, we’ve partnered with the KDF to offer winners of a second-chance promotion front-row seats to Thunder from a special vantage point. Now, we’re definitely kicking it up a notch by allowing one lucky winner to start the night’s fireworks.” Said Chip Poltson, Vice President of Communications, Government and Public Relations Kentucky Lottery Corporation. “By entering $2 non-winning tickets via our new Fun Club Rewards program, players will be eligible for what will truly be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

To enter the promotion, players must sign-in or register for a Fun Club Rewards account at www.kylottery.com.  Once logged in, a player will be able to submit an eligible current non-winning $2 Scratch-off ticket to enter for a chance to be the 2013 Thundernator. (“Current” $2 Scratch-off games are defined as those for which the last date to claim have not expired.) All entries must be received by 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. on April 1, 2013.

The drawing for Thundernator will take place on April 3. Their V.I.P. Experience package includes:  an invitation to the Festival’s annual They’re Off! Luncheon on Friday, April 19; a Second Street Bridge and Command Center Tour also on Friday, April 19; Overnight accommodations for a family of 4 at the Galt House Thunder weekend; and a front row seat in the Command Center on Saturday, April 20, to flip the switch.

“The Kentucky Lottery is a longtime partner of the Festival and we’re excited to get their help in choosing this year’s Thundernator.,” said Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO.”  “Being the Thundernator is an important role to fill and now more people than ever will have a chance to be the one who flips the switch.  We know somebody’s gotta win!”

Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The 2013 Thunder Over Louisville, themed “Thunder Vision,” is set for Saturday, April 20, and will be the  will be the 24th annual production. The show is sponsored by Horseshoe Southern Indiana, KentuckyOne Health, LG&E, Meijer and UPS.

WHAT:                   Kentucky Derby Festival Photo/Video Opportunity – Special Announcement about the 2013 Thundernator for Thunder Over Louisville

WHEN:            Monday, March 4, 2013

10:30  a.m.

WHERE:          Kentucky Lottery Office

                        1011 West Main Street, Louisville

ATTENDING:   Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO

Kentucky Lottery Officials

Chris Whelan, 2013 Derby Festival Chair

Wayne Hettinger, Thunder Over Louisville Producer

Kentucky Derby Festival Board Members & Staff

 KDF and Kentucky Lottery to Make Thunder Announcement

 Please join the Kentucky Derby Festival and the Kentucky Lottery for some exciting news about the 2013 Kentucky Derby Festival Opening Ceremonies: Thunder Over Louisville and this year’s Thundernator.

Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The 2013 Thunder Over Louisville, themed “Thunder Vision,” is set for Saturday, April 20, and will be the  will be the 24th annual production. The show is sponsored by Horseshoe Southern Indiana, KentuckyOne Health, LG&E, Meijer and UPS.

The Kentucky Derby Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. It entertains more than 1.5 million people in a two-to three-week period every spring.

For more information, contact:  Derby Festival Press Office at 584-FEST.

DERBY FESTIVAL STRIKES CHORD WITH HARD ROCK CAFE
Rock’n’roll eatery will be first to have 2013 Pegasus Pins

February 28, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – Louisville’s Hard Rock Café will be the first to have the Kentucky Derby Festival’s 41st edition of Pegasus Pins. The restaurant at Fourth Street Live! will have the first Pegasus Pins for sale beginning Monday, March 4.  The pins will be unveiled TOMORROW MORNING at 10:30 a.m. as they are delivered to the Hard Rock Café.
COVERAGE NOTE:  Media is invited to Hard Rock Café at Fourth Street Live! on Friday, March 1, as the Pegasus Pins are unveiled and delivered to the restaurant at 10:30 a.m. It will be the first chance to see this year’s installment of the plastic pins.  Festival representatives and Hard Rock Café staff will be on hand for the delivery and unpacking of the pins. Contact the Press Office for more information at (502) 584-FEST.
“Pegasus Pins are one of the first signs of spring in Kentuckiana and we’re hoping everyone will purchase one to show their support of the Kentucky Derby Festival,” said Mike Berry, President and CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival.  “More than a symbol of pride in this community, these plastic pins hold tremendous value as a ticket for free entry into more than half of the Festival’s events and concerts.”

On Monday, the public is invited to help celebrate the first sales of the Pegasus Pins in true Hard Rock Fashion as the restaurant hosts a “Pegasus Pin Party” beginning at 5 p.m. on March 4, with live music and happy hour specials. The first 200 guests also receive a special treat from Louisville-based Cellar Door Chocolates.

The 2013 Pegasus Pins, which sell for $5 come in five colors – light blue, green, orange, magenta and purple. They feature the Derby Festival corporate logo and are made from clear, recycled plastic. Family Fun Packs of five pins will also be available at retail locations for $20. On Monday, March 18, the pins will be available at more than 1,000 retail outlets and participating financial institutions.

Inside each pin envelope is a membership card with a “scratch-off” bar that hides a unique 12-digit alpha-numeric code. Consumers will use this code to register online at www.pegasuspins.com.  After registering, they’ll be able to choose four coupons that are sent via email.

In addition to a pin and coupons online, each Pegasus Pin Sponsor has the chance to win a gold pin.The odds of finding a gold winner pin this year are 1 in 34, with 10,000 of these pins in circulation. Gold Pin Winners can register their gold pins to win one of nine Grand Prizes, including a 2013 Honda CRV sponsored by Kentuckiana Honda Dealers, at the conclusion of the Derby Festival in May.

Basketball Classic Celebrating 40th Game in 2013

February 26, 2013. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival will host some of the top basketball recruits in the country for the 40th annual Derby Festival Basketball Classic presented by papajohns.com and Fifth Third Bank on Friday, April 19. The roster includes three McDonald’s All-Americans, as well as University of Louisville signees Anton Gill and Akoy Agau, Kentucky signee Derek Willis and Indiana University signees Devin Davis, Luke Fischer, Stanford Robinson and Troy Williams. Nearly all of the players scheduled to participate are ranked among the Top 50 nationally by recruiting services Rivals.com, Scout.com, and 247sports.com. The players will also participate in the Horseshoe Foundation Night of Future Stars on Thursday, April 18, at Floyd Central High School.

“It is great to have players committed to Indiana, Kentucky, and Louisville,” said Mike Gandolfo and Keith Conrad, the event’s co-recruiting chairs. “We were able to select and attract many of the best players in the country to complete the roster. The 2013 class is loaded with really good players who will put on a great show.”

2013 will be the 40th year for the game. First held in 1973, the Derby Festival Basketball Classic is the oldest high school all-star game in the nation. The game has featured such players as Jamal Mashburn, Rex Chapman, Moses Malone, Isiah Thomas, Dominique Wilkins, Eric Bledsoe, Deron Williams and Nolan Smith, among many others.

The Basketball Classic is presented by papajohns.com and Fifth Third Bank, with Contributing Sponsors Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County, Under Armour, 99.7 DJX and B96.5 FM. Supporting Partner: The Rock. Media Partner: SLAM Magazine.

Admission to the Horseshoe Foundation Night of Future Stars is free with a ticket to the Basketball Classic. Some of the event’s most exciting moments have occurred during the Slam Dunk, 2-on-2 and 3-Point Shooting competitions. There will also be a one-hour autograph-signing session following the event, with a two-item limit for signing.

ON SALE NOW, Basketball Classic tickets are $11 and $16 (includes $1 facility fee) and are available at TicketMaster locations (www.ticketmaster.com), by phone (800-745-3000) or the Freedom Hall box office (502-367-5144).

2013 KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL BASKETBALL CLASSIC ROSTERS AS OF 2/26/2013

For more information, contact: Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 584-FEST or Co-Recruiting Chair Mike Gandolfo (@DerbyBBClassic) at (502) 396-5823.

DERBY FESTIVAL TO ADD miniFUN RUN IN 2013
ONLINE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

February 20, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival will host another road race in 2013. The new miniFun Run presented by Subway Restaurants is just for kids age 3-14 years old.  Scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 28, the kids’ fitness run will be held along River Road.

The route will feature a looped course which will start and finish in the same place.  The start line for all age groups will be near the finish for the Marathon and miniMarathon at Preston and Witherspoon Streets on River Road. There will be three separate distances in the miniFun Run:
•    3-5 years old –  50 meters
•    6-9 years old –  150 meters
•    10-14 years old – 400 meters (1/4 mile)

“The miniFun Run is a welcome addition to the Kentucky Derby Festival’s schedule,” said Mike Berry, KDF President and CEO.  “We know many of the runners who participate in the Marathon and mini will appreciate the opportunity to run with their kids.  It’s also a great way to promote healthy lifestyles and healthy families.”

Adults are welcome to participate with their child and do not have to pay an additional registration fee.  Parents of those in the youngest age group are encouraged to run along with their child.

Registration for the event is open online at www.derbyfestivalmarathon.com.  Registration fees are $20 through April 15, and $25 at the Running Wild Race Expo on April 25 and 26.  Registration day of the event is $25 and will available on site from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. (Runners in the Marathon and miniMarathon receive a $5 discount for their children.)

Participants will receive a special medal and Asics T-shirt.  Subway Restaurants are presenting sponsor of the new event, joining contributing sponsors Today’s Family and Easy Rock 105.1.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 375 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
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For more information, contact:
Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 584-FEST.

FIVE SPONSORS TO MAKE THUNDER ROLL IN 2013
THUNDER THEME PAYS HOMAGE TO THE SMALL SCREEN

Feb. 11, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – There will be five sponsors of Thunder Over Louisville – the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – this year.  KDF made the announcement at their headquarters this morning.  Four long time sponsors are returning in 2013 – Horseshoe Southern Indiana, LG&E, Meijer and UPS – and they are joined by newcomer KentuckyOne Health. All five companies are presenting sponsors of the 2013 Thunder Over Louisville fireworks and air show to be held on Saturday, April 20, along the banks of the Ohio River in downtown.

“The support of these sponsors is essential to the success of Thunder Over Louisville,” said Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO.  “Because of their generosity we can continue to produce the kind of spectacular show the community has come to expect year after year. Thunder will once again be the largest single-day event in the Southeast.”

In addition to the five presenting sponsors, McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana also returns as title sponsor of the McDonald’s Thunder Funder program and Ford Motor Company returns as sponsor of Thunder on the Ground.

This year’s Thunder theme – “Thunder Vision” – pays tribute to music from favorite television series and game shows to reality TV both past and present.  “You could hear anything from “I Love Lucy” to “American Idol” when you watch the fireworks this year,” said Berry.  “We’re incorporating a lot of familiar favorites in the soundtrack. And, don’t forget your 3-D glasses to view this year’s Thunder poster.”   The image also reflects the “Thunder Vison” theme and features 3-D images of fireworks. It will be available for patrons to purchase at Thunder

This is the 23rd consecutive year that UPS has been a presenting sponsor of Thunder Over Louisville. Horseshoe Southern Indiana has been a Thunder presenting sponsor for 14 consecutive years; LG&E and Meijer have both been Thunder sponsors for the past seven years in a row.

This is the eighth consecutive year that McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana has returned as title sponsor of the Thunder Funder Program, which helps raise funds for the show. For the second year in a row, Ford is title sponsor of the Thunder on the Ground attraction, which showcases a wide variety of activities taking place during the day in and around Waterfront Park on April 20.

Thunder Over Louisville’s 2013 Official Broadcast Partners are WHAS TV and Cox Radio’s Lite 106.9 WVEZ.

Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The 2013 Thunder Over Louisville, themed “Thunder Vision,” is set for Saturday, April 20, and will be the  will be the 24th annual production.

For more information, contact:  Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 572-3822.

MCDONALD’S® RETURNS AS THUNDER FUNDER PROGRAM TITLE SPONSOR

Feb. 11, 2013. Louisville, KY.   – For the eighth consecutive year, McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana are returning as title sponsor of the Thunder Funder Program.  The program helps raise funds for the 2013 Thunder Over Louisville show – the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies, on April 20.

This year’s McDonald’s Thunder Funder runs from March 11 to April 15.  Ninety-six area McDonald’s restaurants will donate a portion of their large drink sales revenue to help support Thunder. The promotion coincides with McDonald’s $1.00 drink campaign, with large drinks served in a commemorative Thunder Over Louisville cup.

“The McDonald’s Thunder Funder program is a great way for the community to show their support for Thunder Over Louisville,” said Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “It’s become a vital part of fundraising for this event and we’re very thankful to McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana for sponsoring the program once again.”

The 2013 McDonald’s Thunder Funder Preview Party also returns this year and will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, at Bowman Field. The event gives attendees a sneak peek at the Thunder show and will feature a McDonald’s playground area, elements of the Thunder Air Show and a pilot “meet and greet.” Admission is free with a 2013 Pegasus Pin or McDonald’s Thunder Funder cup.

“McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana are proud to once again support such an important event as Thunder Over Louisville,” said Ira Salls, a McDonald’s Owner/Operator. “McDonald’s has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting community events going back many years and we’re very happy to continue our title sponsorship of the Thunder Funder program.”

Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Kentucky Derby Festival in the spring. The 2013 Thunder Over Louisville, themed “Thunder Vision,” is set for Saturday, April 20, and will be the 24th annual production. The show is sponsored by Horseshoe Southern Indiana, KentuckyOne Health, LG&E, Meijer and UPS.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

For more information, contact:
Derby Festival Press Office at (502) 572-3822