FIVE PRESENTING SPONSORS RETURN TO SUPPORT EVENT
March 2, 2023. Louisville, KY. – In 51 days, one of the country’s top fireworks displays and air shows – Thunder Over Louisville – will light up the Louisville skyline for the 34th year. The daylong event is set for Saturday, April 22nd on the Waterfront. Festival officials released details about the show this morning, including unveiling the 2023 theme – “Through the Decades.” Caesars Southern Indiana, Humana, LG&E, Meijer and UPS return again this year as Presenting Sponsors.
This year’s theme is inspired by the early years of Thunder Over Louisville and how much the show has grown over the decades. Thunder draws thousands of fans spanning all ages and generations, who come together to celebrate on the Waterfront, and “Through the Decades” is meant to invoke feelings of nostalgia for this long-running springtime tradition.
“We have all become a little more nostalgic over the last few years because of those special events we have missed, and now we have an even greater appreciation for those traditions. We wanted the theme for this year’s show to pay tribute to those favorite Thunder memories our Festival Fans have experienced across the decades,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “We are especially grateful for the generosity of our sponsors who come back year after year to allow us to produce this one-of-a-kind event and bring our city together to kick-off the Derby Festival season.”
This marks the 33rd consecutive year that UPS has been a Presenting Sponsor of Thunder Over Louisville. Their UPS Flight Deck viewing area returns at the Overlook at Waterfront Park for this year’s show.
The third annual Drone Show powered by LG&E is another highlight of the 2023 show and will light up the nighttime sky as they fly over the Ohio River in different formations just before the fireworks begin. This marks the 17th year that LG&E has been a Presenting Sponsor.
The Meijer Family Fun Zone returns to a new location at the Big Four Bridge and offers a prime viewing space filled with family activities. This is Meijer’s 17th year as a Presenting Sponsor.
Humana returns for the second year as a Presenting Sponsor, and as part of their partnership to make the Derby Festival accessible to the entire community, they will once again be sponsoring free rides to Thunder this year in partnership with TARC. More information on the free-fare day will be released in the coming weeks.
Caesars is back for the 24th straight year as a Presenting Sponsor of the 2023 show.
The Festival is also planning another packed air show line-up this year featuring both military and civilian aircraft. Highlights include: The Air Force F-35 Demo and Heritage Flight, Navy F-35 Demo and Growler Demo with Legacy Flight, U.S. Army Golden Knights, Matt Younkin’s “Magic by Moonlight” performance, as well as numerous warbirds taking to the skies, including the P-51 Mustang, F-86 Sabre, F4U Corsair and F8F Bearcat. More details about the 2023 Thunder Air Show will be released closer to the date.
Thunder’s fireworks show is choreographed to an original soundtrack each year and Zambelli Fireworks will design the show again in 2023. On Thunder Day, the FoodFest and Thunder On the Ground open at 11 a.m., the air show starts at 3 p.m., and fireworks blast off at 9:30 p.m.
“This year’s soundtrack is a mix of current songs and oldies but goodies, and to play up this year’s theme, we’ve also included favorite songs from past Thunders. We’ve built the soundtrack as if we were designing a roller coaster with ups and downs, shifting turns and surprises,” said Wayne Hettinger, Producer of Thunder Over Louisville. “We’ll have the volume on high, so buckle up and enjoy the ride!”
For fans looking for a front-row seat to the show, tickets are on sale now for the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport Thunder Over Louisville VIP Rooftop Party. Tickets are $165 and can be purchased at ThunderOverLouisville.org. Admission includes premium viewing, Derby-inspired cuisine, local and regional beers, specialty cocktails, private restrooms and more.
In addition to the Presenting Sponsors, AKIMA is the Military Zone Sponsor, UofL Health is the Official Health Care Provider and the Official Hotel is the Galt House Hotel. TEN20 Craft Brewery is the Official Craft Beer and High Noon is the Official Seltzer of Thunder Over Louisville. Thunder Over Louisville’s 2023 Official Broadcast Partners are WAVE and MIX 106.9.
Thunder Over Louisville is one of the more than 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. It provides an estimated impact of $56 million to the area’s economy. The Derby Festival is an independent community organization. It entertains more than 1.5 million people annually every spring and is one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
