DAY-LONG EVENT INCLUDES SHOPPING, MUSIC, AND EASTER EGG HUNTS

March 30, 2026. Louisville, KY. – The community is invited to a block party this weekend to celebrate Derby Festival season! The Kentucky Derby Festival’s Block Party Presented by Humana and Park Community Credit Union returns on Saturday with local food, live entertainment, and family-friendly festivities. The day-long event at the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center on Saturday, April 4 runs from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. This is the fifth year for the Block Party, which is becoming a favorite spring tradition.

“We love seeing the community come together for Block Party,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President & CEO. “It’s a day to celebrate local businesses, great food and entertainment, and a chance for Festival fans to enjoy what makes this time of year so special.”

The Block Party showcases talent, resources and minority-owned businesses that help shape the community. Guests can enjoy an all-day celebration featuring cuisine from local food trucks, live entertainment, a shopping marketplace, wellness activations, a vendor fair, programming and more.

Humana has been a Presenting Sponsor of Block Party since the first event in 2022. “Louisville has been Humana’s home for 65 years, and this community has shaped who we are. As a part of the Kentucky Derby Festival Block Party, we are creating a space where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together and feel welcomed,” said Carolyn Tandy, Humana’s Chief Inclusion and Engagement Officer. “Connection is essential to well-being, and we’re proud to support experiences that help strengthen the health of our entire community.”

Park Community Credit Union teamed up as Presenting Sponsor in 2023. “We are proud to be part of something that brings the community together in a meaningful way,” said Jana Erny, President & CEO, Park Community Credit Union. “The Block Party is about connection, belonging, and celebrating those who make our community thrive. That’s the exact kind of impact we are committed to every day at Park.”

New Easter Egg Hunts & Passport Activity

Families won’t want to miss the Easter Egg Hunts taking place throughout the afternoon, sponsored by Humana and produced by The Hope Village. To ensure a fun experience for all, the hunts are organized by age group: 10 and under at 2:30 PM, ages 11 and up at 3:00 PM, and a final community-wide hunt for all ages at 3:30 PM.

New for 2026, fans can participate in the Block Party Passport Presented by Brown-Forman. This interactive experience guides guests through key event areas, including the MELANaire Marketplace, the Community Village, and the Health & Wellness zone, as well as Street Food Row. Participants who complete their passports will be eligible for a variety of prizes provided by Brown-Forman, including sets of four passes to the Louisville Zoo and the Kentucky Derby Museum, as well as passes to the Muhammad Ali Center.

Live Entertainment

The Ford Philanthropy Music Stage will feature a non-stop lineup of performances beginning at noon, starting with a magical tribute to Disney Musicals followed by a showcase of Black Broadway. The afternoon continues with artistic honors for legends Alvin Ailey and Debbie Allen, followed by back-to-back celebrations of the legendary Queens and Kings of R&B. In the evening the stage will come alive with the sounds of Motown and culminate in a Grand Finale: A Tribute to Pop and Rock n Roll.

Food Trucks and Vendors

This year’s culinary lineup features an assortment of options and local flavors, including returning favorites BRAINFREEZE: Cones for a Cause, Annie Up Pizza, Slushie Lab, Sugar Rush and Sum, and Gores SmokeOut, as well as new additions like Acme Chicken Bowls, JoyFul Eats, All Things Fish, Blondie on the Block and The Cookie Cabinet. There will also be international foods from Made in Brazil, Al Prince Mediterranean, and authentic Kenyan flavors from Sasa Samosa Kitchen

Other Block Party 2026 highlights include:

• 15+ local food trucks and vendors, including complimentary water from the Louisville Water Company.
• 55+ Vendors at the MELANnaire Marketplace highlighting Black entrepreneurs.
• Live outdoor entertainment on the Ford Philanthropy Music Stage with group and solo artists, as well as visual artists, DJs, dancers.
• Kids’ activities in the Kids Zone featuring outdoor fun, inflatables and face painting.
• A Community Village featuring 20+ local nonprofits, all with missions to help meet the needs of residents in the West Louisville Community.
• Park Community Credit Union will offer financial literacy expertise and loan information and have a Photo Booth onsite.
• Norton Healthcare will be onsite offering prevention and wellness tips.
• Heuser Hearing Institute will offer free hearing screenings and hearing protection.

Admission to Block Party is FREE. (No outside food or drinks can be brought into the venue). Parking at the venue will also be FREE thanks to the partnership with Park Community Credit Union.

Presenting Sponsors: Humana and Park Community Credit Union. Contributing Sponsors: Brown-Forman, Ford Philanthropy, Heuser Hearing Institute, and Walmart. Supporting Sponsors: BRAINFREEZE: Cones for a Cause, Erica Denise Entertainment, Louisville Parks & Recreation, MELANnaire Marketplace, The Hope Buss and The Hope Village.