September 16, 2014 Louisville, KY. Top honors today for Thunder Over Louisville, the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies. The annual air show and fireworks spectacular has made the 2014 “Top 100 Events” list in the United States. The list is put together by BizBash – the leading trade media for event and meeting organizers and event marketers.
“It’s both rewarding and humbling to be recognized among our peers in the event industry,” said Mike Berry, KDF President and CEO. “This really is a reflection of all the tremendous support we receive from our sponsors, patrons and volunteers, and the community as a whole. Everyone should share in the sense of pride generated by this tremendous recognition among the top special events in the country.”
BizBash spent the past year evaluating events around the country, seeking the most prominent and powerful events produced. Thunder made the list in the category of Top Festivals, Parades and Holiday Events, alongside other events including Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, New Year’s Eve in Times Square, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, and Mardi Gras. The Top 100 Events in the United States article is featured in the Fall issue of BizBash magazine and on the BizBash website atwww.bizbash.com/top-100.
“When you look at the collective impact of these annual events, it’s clear just how influential live experiences can be,” says BizBash editor in chief Anna Sekula. “They are the focus of pop culture conversation throughout the year, and they also represent huge opportunities for building communities and movements, starting debates, supporting local economies, and allowing for the exchange of ideas.”
Thunder Over Louisville is one of nearly 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. While the estimated economic impact of the Festival is $127.9 million, Thunder has the largest economic impact for any single KDF event with an estimated $56.6 impact for the local economy each year. The 2014 show, themed “Throwback Thunder,” celebrated the 25th show and featured the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. The 2015 Thunder Over Louisville show is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2015.
ABOUT KDF:
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.
ABOUT BIZBASH:
BizBash is North America’s #1 event marketplace for content ideas, news, and industry resources. Each month more than 175,000 unique users look to BizBash for venue discovery, event style, and tools for their next event. Visit us atwww.bizbash.com; follow us at @BizBash on Twitter, or www.facebook.com/bizbash. CONTACT: Grazia Mohren, 646.839.6896 or gmohren@bizbash.com.
