March 2, 2020. Louisville, KY. – Runners will see purple as they cross the Finish Line for this year’s Humana Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon, Marathon and Relay on Saturday, April 25th. The finish for the annual Derby Festival road races is moving to a new location in 2020 at Lynn Family Stadium, home of Louisville City FC.
“We’re excited to team up with Louisville City FC for this move. It’s a big win for our runners,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President & CEO. “It provides the perfect backdrop for runners as they cross the Finish Line and celebrate their huge accomplishment.”
The mini, Marathon and Relay will start simultaneously at 7:30 a.m. on Main Street near Slugger Field and then finish on Adams Street, just outside the stadium. After crossing the finish, runners will receive their medals as they enter the stadium, for a firsthand look inside the new facility.
“Having runners finish these races in Lynn Family Stadium will be tremendous,” Louisville City FC President Brad Estes said. “Finishing a Marathon or miniMarathon is a massive accomplishment for these athletes and to have that memory occur in our new home is special. We look forward to fielding a team of runners from Louisville City to run this year’s mini as well.”
The Finish Line area will have all the same amenities as before, with the added bonus of being around and within the new stadium, including Finish Line Nutrition, Kentucky Proud Runners Reunite, Goodwood Beer Garden, Runners VIP, Charity Village, and Official Race Gear.
“The Finish Line move means a few minor changes at the beginning and end of the race route for participants, but overall it impacts less than a mile of the route,” said Shanna Ward, Kentucky Derby Festival Director of Events.
Runners will notice changes within the first mile of the race, which will now go through the epicenter of the 18th Street corridor, passing the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, before turning off on Broadway. From Mile 2 on, the rest of the course remains unchanged up until the finish. As runners approach the finish, they will now make a right turn on Witherspoon and head for the new Lynn Family Stadium, finishing right outside on Adams Street.
Registration for this year’s race is open online at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com.
Humana is Title Sponsor of the miniMarathon and Marathon. The Official Race Medical Provider & Training Partner is Norton Sports Health. Official IT Partner: Deloitte. Contributing Sponsors: Churchill Downs, Kentucky Department of Tourism, Kentucky Proud, Louisville Water Company, Powerade, The Courier-Journal and The Outlet Powered by Zappos. Official Credit Union: Commonwealth Credit Union. Official Finish Line Nutrition Partner: Meijer. Official Hotel: The Galt House. Official Pace Team: Dick’s Sporting Goods. Official Pace Car: Bachman Subaru. Official Beer: Goodwood Brewing. Official Refuel Partner: Prairie Farms.
About Kentucky Derby Festival
Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
