April 28, 2023. Louisville, KY. This is the schedule for FRIDAY’S Derby Festival activities.
Last Day for Runner Packet Pick-Up
DICK’S SPORTING GOODS KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL RACE EXPO AND PACKET PICK-UP. 11 AM – 9 PM. Kentucky Exposition Center, Freedom Hall. Two-day Expo where you can see the latest running gear, get nutritional advice, pre-race running tips and pick up your race packet for the GE Appliances Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon®. Sponsor: Dick’s Sporting Goods. Contributing Sponsor: Kentucky Tourism, Kentucky Venues and Louisville Tourism. Media Sponsor: 99.7 DJX.
The party continues at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville and the Chow Wagon:
KROGER’S FEST-A-VILLE ON THE WATERFRONTSM. Open Daily 11 AM – 11 PM, except Sunday Noon – 10 PM. Waterfront Park. ULTIMATE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE featuring concerts with national talent, family fun, food, kids’ inflatable playground, midway rides. Admission is free with a 2023 Pegasus Pin®. (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED). Sponsor: Kroger. Official Craft Beer: TEN20 Craft Brewery. Official Seltzer: High Noon. Music Stage Sponsor: Miller Lite. Pegasus PlayVille Sponsor: Norton Children’s.
KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL CHOW WAGON® Open Daily 11 AM – 11 PM, except Sunday noon – 10 PM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront. Outdoor food & live music venue. Happy Hour Weekdays 4 – 6 PM $3 beer at the Beer Garden. Admission is free with a 2023 Pegasus Pin®. (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED). Sponsor: Kroger. Official Craft Beer: TEN20 Craft Brewery. Official Seltzer: High Noon. Music Stage Sponsor: Miller Lite.
Waterfront Relaxation:
KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL NEIGH-MASTE ON THE WATERFRONT. 12 PM – 1 PM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, Great Lawn. Relax and recharge at this yoga event at the Waterfront. Admission is free with a 2023 Pegasus Pin®. Produced by 502 Power Yoga. (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)
Wrestling on the Great Lawn:
KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL OHIO VALLEY WRESTLING RUN FOR THE ROPES. 5:30 PM – 7 PM. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, Great Lawn. Special meet-and-greet with OVW stars at 5 PM, followed by six big matches including a special “Every Man for Himself Free-for-All” over the top rope Battle Royal. Admission is free with a 2023 Pegasus Pin®. For more information, call (502) 759-7665. Produced by Ohio Valley Wrestling. (FOOD, DRINK AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED.)
Young Athletes Honored:
KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL ATHLETE’S DERBY GALA. 7 PM. Mellwood Art Center, DaVinci Room. Honoree: Darrell Griffith. Tickets $150 each, Table of 8 is $1,000. The Athlete’s Derby Gala recognizes the talent, progress, and achievements of young athletes, students, women, and men in Kentucky with a goal to raise $150,000 for post-secondary scholarships for underserved students. Produced by One Plus One Equals U, Inc. For tickets, visit athletesderbygala.com.
Hot Air Balloons A-Glow:
L&N FEDERAL CREDIT UNION KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL GREAT BALLOONFESTSM. Admission is free with a 2023 Pegasus Pin®. Sponsor: L&N Federal Credit Union. Contributing Sponsors: Breeze Airways, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and Kentucky Kingdom & Hurricane Bay. Media Sponsor: MIX 106.9.
April 28: 9 PM. Kentucky Derby Festival Great Balloon Glow. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront. Admission is free with a 2023 Pegasus Pin®. Streamed live on WLKY.com on April 28. Broadcast special on April 29 at 8 PM on WLKY. Sponsor: L&N Federal Credit Union. Contributing Sponsors: Breeze Airways, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and Kentucky Kingdom & Hurricane Bay. Official Broadcast Partner: WLKY. Media Sponsor: MIX 106.9.
About Kentucky Derby Festival
2023 marks the 68th year for the Kentucky Derby Festival, a month-long celebration packed with 70+ events leading up to the first Saturday in May. As an independent community organization, it’s supported by 4,000 volunteers, more than 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. It entertains more than 1.5 million people every spring and has a local economic impact of more than $127 million. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
