Last Day to Register is September 14 September 12, 2020. Louisville, KY. – There’s still time to register for the Kentucky Derby Festival’s virtual cycling event – the Virtual PNC Tour de Lou. Registration is open online at KDF.org/TourdeLou until 11:59 PM on Monday, September 14. “Moving events like the PNC Tour de Lou into […]

August 31, 2020. Louisville, KY. – Today is the last day for participants to register for the Virtual Humana Kentucky Derby Festival mini or Marathon. Registration will be open online at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com until 11:59 PM tonight. “The Derby Festival’s virtual race allows participants to run their own course and finish in their own time,” said […]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 20, 2020) – While the Belle of Louisville won’t be racing the Belle of Cincinnati in the Kentucky Derby Festival Great Steamboat Race this year, Four Roses will still recognize the time-honored event on land with a commemorative Single Barrel Bourbon. For the past 15 years, Four Roses has joined with the […]

August 20, 2020. Louisville, KY. – Donna Gribbins of Shelbyville, KY, has been crowned the 2020 Derby Burger Champion in the 9th Annual “Derby Burger Challenge,” sponsored by Kentucky Beef Council and coordinated by the Kentucky Derby Festival. Gribbins’ recipe for her “Bourbon Blackberry Bacon Cheeseburger” was selected as the overall winner after two rounds […]

August 15, 2020. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s tribute to Thunder Over Louisville continues this afternoon with a familiar Thunder sight in the sky. Fans around Louisville will see a plane towing banners flying around the city between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Today would have been the rescheduled date for the 2020 […]

August 11, 2020. Louisville, KY. – Burger fans have spoken! Nearly 4,000 beef lovers voted online to help pick the Top 4 finalists for this year’s Derby Burger Challenge, sponsored by the Kentucky Beef Council. This year’s finalists include: Lori Poe of Mt. Sterling, with the Southern Charm Burger; Greg Schaad of Louisville, with The […]

August 7, 2020. Louisville, KY. – The Derby Festival is paying tribute to Thunder Over Louisville next week, leading up to what would have been the rescheduled date for the event on August 15. While the in-person event is not able to be held this year, the Festival is helping fans find other ways to […]

August 5, 2020. Louisville, KY. – A Kentucky favorite – the Derby Festival Pegasus Pin – is back just in time for the new Derby season. The pins are available exclusively in area Kroger stores for a limited time and retail for $6 each. The pins are a staple every spring during the Derby Festival […]

August 4, 2020. Louisville, KY. – Derby Festival Fans can help pick this year’s ‘Derby Burger’ Champion. Dozens of original recipes were submitted in the spring for the competition sponsored by the Kentucky Beef Council. Those recipes featuring 100% beef have been narrowed to the top 8 recipes created by local chefs and foodies. Voting […]

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people gather in Louisville for concerts, fireworks, and other extraordinary events that take place in the weeks leading up to the world-renowned horse race. We are proud of the work the Kentucky Derby Festival does in coordinating programming that brings our community together and truly makes spring in Louisville […]

July 29, 2020. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival has partnered with Passport Health Plan, as well as Louisville vocalist and songwriter Jason Clayborn, for a special music video release. Clayborn and The Atmosphere Changers perform his Grammy-nominated hit “Better” – in a tribute to the Derby Festival’s annual GospelFest event, and to share […]

July 1, 2020. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival is making sure U.S. Troops around the world won’t miss Thunder Over Louisville this year. The Festival has teamed up with the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet, as well as WDRB to share an encore presentation of Thunder with the American Forces Network. It […]

DERBY FESTIVAL EXPLORES ALTERNATIVES TO IN-PERSON EVENTS DUE TO COVID-19 FESTIVAL’S LARGEST EVENTS NOT ABLE TO BE HELD June 11, 2020. Louisville, KY. – Originally postponed until August and September, the Kentucky Derby Festival, has determined many of its events, including Thunder Over Louisville, the miniMarathon and the Pegasus Parade are not able to be […]

The Kentucky Derby Festival stands against systemic racism. We support the Black community. We support equity, justice, and inclusion. We are listening. We commit to work with our staff, board, volunteers, sponsors, and partners to be part of the solution. TOGETHER, We will continue to engage leaders in the Black community and all of our […]

NEW DATE FOR HUMANA DERBY FESTIVAL MINI IS SATURDAY, AUGUST 22 2020 MARATHON, RELAY WILL NOT BE RESCHEDULED March 25, 2020. Louisville, KY. – As the Kentucky Derby Festival works to move events to later in the year, the new date for the annual Humana miniMarathon has been set for Saturday, August 22. While the […]

NEW DATE FOR THUNDER OVER LOUISVILLE IS AUGUST 15 March 17, 2020. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival is postponing all events on the 2020 schedule until later in the year in response to concerns about COVID-19. Festival organizers have been monitoring the developments since early January, and in recent weeks have been in […]

March 12, 2020. Louisville, KY.   – In support of the efforts being taken by the Centers for Disease Control and Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness, the Kentucky Derby Festival is postponing events on the 2020 schedule through April 5. “This is about public health and safety and at the Derby Festival that is always […]

March 4, 2020. Louisville, KY. – It’s time to start planning for spring and the 2020 Kentucky Derby Festival! Tickets for Festival events go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday, March 6. To purchase tickets fans can order online at KDF.org 24 hours/7 days a week. For questions, call the Derby Festival Hotline at […]

‘FESTIVAL UNVEILED’ FEATURES ROSE JULEP CONTEST AND KENTUCKY CUISINE March 3, 2020, Louisville, KY. A Kentucky Derby Festival favorite returns this week to help usher in spring. Festival Unveiled is Thursday, March 5, at the Mellwood Art and Entertainment Center. The event kicks off at 5 p.m. Citizens Union Bank and Four Roses are the […]

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 […]