A 30-by-50-foot American Flag, formerly flown at Thunder Over Louisville, was installed in The Galt House Hotel’s East Tower on Monday, Feb. 23, as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival’s event announcing highlights of the 2026 show, set for Saturday, April 18.

The flag was first flown at Thunder Over Louisville, the Opening Ceremonies of the Kentucky Derby Festival, on April 11, 1992. It became one of the event’s most powerful and recognizable symbols.
At the time, it was the largest flag ever flown from an aircraft. Suspended beneath a heavy-lift helicopter by a 75-foot cable, the flag’s successful flight required months of experimentation. Engineers ultimately achieved stability using a 600-pound concrete counterweight, allowing the flag to remain taut and vertical while flying at approximately 20 miles per hour.

During its evening flight over a six-mile route, the flag was illuminated by six World War II–era searchlights, keeping it visible against the night sky and creating a stirring patriotic moment for spectators below.

The flag flew annually through 2015, before the tradition evolved into two smaller flags flown on both sides of the river by sky banner aircraft. In 2022, Thunder Over Louisville once again embraced new technology, introducing an array of synchronized drones forming the image of the American flag, a tradition that continues today.

The Thunder Over Louisville American Flag will be on display in the East Tower of the Galt House Hotel through the Fourth of July.