01/31/25 – APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR 2025 PEGASUS PARADE

DERBY FESTIVAL PLANNING A PINK PARTY ON BROADWAY

January 31, 2025. Louisville, KY. – If you or your company has always wanted to march down Broadway to help kick off the Derby Week festivities, this is your chance! Applications are open for the 2025 Zoeller Pump Company Pegasus Parade. The Kentucky Derby Festival is looking for participants in the following categories: Equestrians, Specialty Units, Marching Bands, Inflatables and Floats. Interested participants can submit their applications online at KDF.org/Pegasus Parade. The deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 28. Themed “Happy Derby: Pink Out Party!” this year’s parade will celebrate spring and one of the Festival’s signature colors.

“The variety of participants and units are what make the Zoeller Pump Company Pegasus Parade such a special community tradition each spring,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President & CEO. “This year marks the parade’s 70th year and we want to make it even more memorable by encouraging both participants and spectators to show their spring spirit in one of the Festival’s favorite colors and help us paint Broadway pink.”

The Derby Festival’s annual parade is set for Sunday, April 27, at 3 p.m. on Broadway. In addition to spotlighting the Festival’s trademark pink shade, this year’s theme also aligns with the Festival’s “Happy” marketing campaign that fans will see in the upcoming season. A different theme is chosen each year for the parade to help guide the decorations and music used by the participants, including the building of floats and costuming of the inflatable handlers and crew. 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.

Louisville-based Zoeller Pump Company returns as the Title Sponsor of the parade for the fifth consecutive year.

“At Zoeller Company, we are so proud of the Pegasus Parade and our association with the Derby Festival. From the different activities and events to all the celebrations of Louisville, we are excited about 2025 and Loving Louisville,” said Dwight Newton, Chief People Officer of Zoeller Pump Company. “Zoeller knows that our people are our greatest resource and with all of the amazing activities, we can enjoy time together and be proud of our community.”

2025 marks the 70th year for the Parade, which is the founding event of the Kentucky Derby Festival. The first Parade was produced in 1956 to create a way for the community to celebrate before the Derby horse race. It was organized by just a handful of volunteers on a budget of $640 and has become one of the Festival’s largest events with an estimated economic impact of $22 million.

Zoeller Pump Company is the Title Sponsor, joining Contributing Sponsors Churchill Downs and Kentucky Venues, UofL Health as the Official Health Care Provider, The Galt House as the Official Hotel, and Media Partner, WAVE.

February 22
March 1
March 2 - April 6
March 23 - March 23