Find your front row seat to the business of festival fundraising at an organization with a city-wide economic impact of over $127.9 million annually! Learn Sponsorship Sales 101 with our talented team of sales professionals guiding you through the real-world application of corporate partnerships, and a unique opportunity for professional networking with some of Louisville’s business leaders.

The Sponsorship Sales team is looking for energetic, well-organized and self-motivated interns that can handle their own whether in a board room or on board the Belle of Louisville. You’ll do well as a Derby Festival Sales Intern if your communication skills are at “Party Host” level, and you are proactive in getting work and assignments done with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities:

• • Write and prepare sponsorship proposals
  • Draft sponsorship contracts with staff oversight
  • Assists in implementing overall Derby Festival Marketing/Sponsorship programs
  • Coordinate sponsor promotional plans as necessary
  • Staffing certain events (i.e. set-up & break-down, check-in or staffing of sponsor promotional areas, manning ticket check-in/sales areas, etc.)
  • Assist in content-driven promotions by filming video, editing and overall production of virtual campaigns that will compliment Festival Live Events.
  • Complete assignments as designated by the members of Sponsorship Sales team and the Advertising/Promotions team.

Requirements:

• • Applicants will need to have a high availability during event season including some weekends and evenings, especially during the month of April
  • Excellent written communication and professional conduct, as interns will have close interaction with corporate sponsors
  • Must be detail-oriented and able to work under minimal to moderate supervision
  • Office Skills: Filing, excellent phone manner, professional conduct
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, specifically Excel & PowerPoint
  • Must have a valid driver’s license
  • Proficiency in Photography or Adobe Photoshop is a plus

Get the ultimate backstage pass to the production of one of the largest city-wide Festivals in the country, including one of the  nation’s largest fireworks shows!

The Event team is looking for interns who are energized by interacting with people and working on group projects, enjoy work that requires frequent shifts in direction (adaptable/flexible) and have a “no job too small!” mentality. You’ll fit in well if you can see a need and jump in to help before being asked.

Responsibilities:

• • Assisting with the implementation and execution of Derby Festival produced events, including Thunder Over Louisville, Humana miniMarathon/Marathon, Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville, Great BalloonFest and more!
  • Research for future event planning 
  • On-site production & logistics support, including assisting with load-in and load-out of events
  • Participate in brainstorming meetings as it relates to producing Virtual/Hybrid events  
  • Support on promotion activities for events, and other special projects
  • Collecting Event and Consumer Insight data, and helping with managing, analyzing and finding insights (such as analyzing patron’s insights after the event)
  • Data Entry, and other general office duties
  • Staffing certain events (i.e. set-up & break-down, check-in and greeting patrons, managing vendor load-in, etc.) – SPRING ONLY

Requirements:

• • Applicants will need to have a high availability during event season including some weekends and evenings, especially during the month of April (30 hours or more)
  • Deep interest in how events contribute to a larger community building strategy
  • Hard-working, highly motivated and detail oriented
  • Excellent written communication and collaboration skills
  • Knowledge of online platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other webinar services
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office

May be asked to assist in tasks that are physical demanding on occasion. Must be able to lift 25-30 pounds

Be on the front lines of Festival marketing and communications and work with our team to run a newsroom, ad agency & influencer school all rolled into one!

The Marketing & Communications team is searching for extremely detail-oriented interns who know how to collaborate with a group to get the job done and aren’t afraid of taking on a task they’ve never done before. You’ll do well with our team if you’re a team-player who enjoys work that changes from day to day, and doesn’t need a great deal of direction or oversight to complete a task.

Please think about which of the below focus areas you might be most interested in when you apply. While many of the Marketing and Communications tasks will overlap, we will try to assign work based on interest, background and capability.

PR & Editorial

Responsibilities:

• • Editing and updating Press Releases as needed
  • Be the go-to for quick writing projects like digital articles, website content, etc.
  • Come up with ideas and write stories for E-News and E-blasts (email newsletters)
  • Help with and manage communication for the Radio Broadcast event, Morning Line
  • Lend a hand with copy and content creation for social media channels, including graphics, photography, live-posting during events, etc.

Broadcast & Videography

Responsibilities:

• • Film video shorts for social media, on both iPhone & Nikon camera
  • Star in, host and/or interview for social or digital video
  • Assist in editing social or digital video
  • Manage and broadcast live from certain social channels like Snapchat
  • Lend a hand with copy and content creation for all social media channels, including graphics, photography, live-posting during events, etc.

* REQUIRED FOR BROADCAST/VIDEO FOCUS: Some experience in filming and editing video using iMovie, Adobe Premier or their own editing software.

Social Media & Digital Content

Responsibilities:

• • Responsible for website updates, and making sure all website information is correct during high traffic times for the Festival (you’ll learn the WordPress backend)
  • Responsible for helping populate the content for the Kentucky Derby Festival App
  • Helping with social media responses and customer service, as well as maintaining the Facebook Chat Bot during high-traffic times
  • Come up with ideas and write stories for E-News and E-blasts (email newsletters)
  • Star in, host and/or interview for social or digital video
  • Lend a hand with copy and content creation for all social media channels, including graphics, photography, live-posting during events, etc.

Advertising & Event Promotion

Responsibilities:

• • Proofing, reviewing and filing ad projects
  • Come up with ideas and write stories for E-News and E-blasts (email newsletters)
  • Organizing promotional experiences at events
  • Assist with ticketing responsibilities onsite at some events
  • Responsible for website updates and helping to manage digital Sponsor content

Requirements for all Communications/Marketing Focuses:

• Applicants will need to have a high availability during event season including some weekends and evenings, especially during the month of April (20+ hours)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Highly professional manner, as you will be interacting with members of the media, Business Leaders and event goers, and be a representative for the Festival on social media
• Must feel comfortable in front of the camera, as you may be asked to participate in creating photo or video content for social media, web or other platforms
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office required, proficiency in Photography or Adobe Suite is a plus

Ready to help move, manage and analyze over $250,000 worth of Festival swag? Want to learn the logistics and organization it takes to run a $1 million program? Try the Derby Festival Merchandise Marketing role on for size!

The Merchandise team is looking for an intern with a great work ethic, enjoy completing projects with minimal supervision, and a passion for building and growing a brand identity through apparel and merchandise marketing. You’ll be in the right place if you’re looking for an opportunity to expand your skills in market research and competitive analysis, merchandising and product strategy, brand sales techniques, and being able to take ownership of projects almost from start to finish.

Responsibilities:

• • Take photos assigned at various events for social media and website posts
  • Help manage E-Commerce Site, including product photography, writing product descriptions, and updating website
  • Strategizing product marketing and implementing SEO best practices
  • Manage relationships and communications with Merchandise Vendors
  • Oversee the recruitment of new vendors & new Pegasus Pin retailers
  • Handle on-site merchandising and vendor logistics at Derby Festival events like Thunder Over Louisville
  • Staffing at official Kentucky Derby Festival events and Pegasus Pin delivery blitz as needed

Requirements:

• • Applicants will need to have a high availability during event season including some weekends and evenings, especially during the month of April
  • Must have a professional manner on the phone, as you will be in contact with important business partners.
  • Some familiarity with Microsoft Excel is preferred
  • May be occasionally asked to assist in tasks that require maneuvering 25-50 pounds