2022 SHOW CELEBRATES 75TH AIR FORCE ANNIVERSARY

March 3, 2022. Louisville, KY. – Just 51 days and counting until Thunder Over Louisville returns to the Waterfront with one of the nation’s top air shows and largest fireworks displays. Festival officials released details about the show this morning at the Waterfront, including the unveiling of the 2022 theme – “The Legend Returns.” The 33rd annual daylong show is set for Saturday, April 23rd. Presenting sponsors of the show include Caesars Southern Indiana, LG&E, Meijer, and UPS, as well as a new presenting sponsor – Humana.

“We can’t wait to be back at the waterfront for Thunder Over Louisville this year and celebrate one of our favorite traditions together again,” said Matt Gibson, KDF President & CEO. “It’s thanks to the support from our sponsors, especially through the past couple of years, that we can continue producing events like Thunder for the community to enjoy.”

Humana is a longtime partner of the Festival and has sponsored various events on the Festival’s schedule over the years. This is their first year as a presenting sponsor of Thunder. As part of their partnership and to help the Festival’s efforts to make sure Thunder is accessible for the whole community, Humana is sponsoring free rides to Thunder this year with TARC. More information on the fare-free day will be released in the coming weeks.

The 2022 Thunder Air Show will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United States Air Force with a packed line-up of military and civilian aircraft. Scheduled performances include the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo, U.S. Air Force C-17 Demo, U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight, the Kentucky Air National Guard 123rd Airlift Wing with the new C-130J, and the Commemorative Air Force’s B-29, B-24, and B-25, as well as the U.S. Navy E/A-18 Growler Demo with a Legacy Flight, Younkin Airshows, and many more. The air show also returns with a Category 1 aerobatic box, which allows for more of the fast and loud aircraft, as well as the demo teams. More details on the 2022 Thunder Air Show will be released closer to the show date.

“It’s going to be phenomenal! You’ll see the best air equipment this country has on Thunder Day,” said Wayne Hettinger, Thunder Producer. “The soundtrack is going to set the mood for the entire fireworks show and this year’s music is like nothing we’ve ever done before.”

Thunder’s fireworks show is choreographed to an original soundtrack each year. Zambelli Fireworks will design the show again in 2022. On Thunder Day the FoodFest and Ford’s Thunder On the Ground open at 11:00 AM, the air show starts at 3:00 PM, and fireworks roll at 9:30 PM.

For fans who want a front-row seat to the show, tickets are now on sale for the Thunder VIP Rooftop Party Presented by Number Juan Tequila. Tickets are $150 and can be purchased at ThunderOverLouisville.org. Tickets include premium viewing, appetizers and derby-inspired cuisine, specialty cocktails, and more.

This is the 32nd consecutive year that UPS has been a presenting sponsor of Thunder Over Louisville. Caesars Southern Indiana has been a presenting sponsor for 23 consecutive years. LG&E and Meijer have both been Thunder sponsors for the past 16 years in a row. This is Humana’s first year as a presenting sponsor of Thunder.

In addition to the presenting sponsors, Ford Motor Company returns as title sponsor of Ford’s Thunder on the Ground. Shepherd Insurance is the Official Sound Sponsor, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport returns as title sponsor of the Command Center, and The Galt House is the Official Hotel of the event. Official Boat and RV Sponsor is My Financing USA. Thunder Over Louisville’s 2022 Official Broadcast Partners are WLKY and SummitMedia’s 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.