June 30, 2016. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s 2016 Opening Ceremonies – Thunder Over Louisville – will be re-broadcast on the American Forces Network Broadcast Center (AFN-BC) to more than a half million U.S. Armed Forces personnel and Department of Defense civilian employees and their families stationed overseas on Independence Day.
The 90-minute program, which features highlights of the Thunder Air Show and fireworks, will be shown on July 4th to personnel stationed in approximately 174 countries and U.S. territories, as well as aboard more than 140 U.S. Navy ships at sea outside of U.S. territorial waters. (It will air at 5 p.m. viewer time overseas on the AFN|spectrum channel.)
“We’re honored that we can share Thunder Over Louisville and help military personnel around the world celebrate this patriotic holiday,” said Mike Berry, President and CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival, who introduces the broadcast along with Mayor Greg Fischer. “This year’s Thunder was one of the best ever and we hope the troops will enjoy the show.”
WDRB TV exclusively aired the original Air Show and fireworks coverage on Saturday, April 23, of this year and has produced the edited version that will be shown on the American Forces Network in conjunction with Independence Day celebrations.
Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The 2016 show, themed “No Strings Attached,” was sponsored by Horseshoe Southern Indiana, KentuckyOne Health, LG&E, Meijer, UPS, and Valero.
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.
