February 8, 2019. Louisville, KY. – A losing lottery ticket could help you win big for this year’s Kentucky Derby Festival. The Festival and Kentucky Lottery are joining forces to give away a once-in-a-lifetime experience. One lucky winner will be named the 2019 Festival Fanatic and receive a prize package that includes unique experiences from […]

February 6, 2019. Louisville, KY. – Wish you could ride faster or go further on your bicycle? The Kentucky Derby Festival and PNC can help you do both through their NEW training program for bicyclists at all experience levels. Registration for the FREE PNC Tour de Lou Training Program opens Thursday, February 7, online at […]

February 4, 2019. Louisville, KY. – 68 days and counting to this year’s Thunder Over Louisville – the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies. The Festival announced the theme of this year’s show and named the event’s sponsors at their headquarters this morning. This year’s theme – “The Wonderful World of Thunder” – will celebrate 30 […]

February 1, 2019. Louisville, KY. – Time to start planning what you’ll be wearing this spring to all the Derby Festival events. You’ll find the latest looks and hottest trends at the Macy’s Kentucky Derby Festival Spring Fashion Show on March 28th. Tickets go on sale today for the season’s most exclusive fashion event. The […]

January 30, 2019. Louisville, KY. – Now’s the time to sign up for the 2019 Humana Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon. Registration prices increase this Friday, February 1st. Runners and walkers waiting to sign up will want to register soon to save money and guarantee their spot in Kentucky’s largest road race. Current registration […]

January 25, 2019 Louisville, KY. – A sign of warmer temperatures! Tickets for the first official Kentucky Derby Festival event of 2019 are on sale now! The event – Festival Unveiled – is set for Thursday, March 14th at 5 p.m. at the Mellwood Arts Center. “Festival Unveiled” will showcase several elements of the upcoming […]

January 15, 2019. Louisville, KY. – Do you have a stand out burger recipe? The Kentucky Derby Festival and the Kentucky Beef Council are looking for the next ‘Derby Burger’ Champion. Starting today hamburger recipes will be accepted for submission in the eighth annual “Derby Burger Challenge,” sponsored by the Kentucky Beef Council. Recipes can […]

January 7, 2019. Louisville, KY. – It’s an early sign of spring in Kentuckiana! New Derby Festival Royalty were crowned this morning. The five women selected to serve as Princesses in the 2019 Kentucky Derby Festival Royal Court were introduced in a ceremony at Macy’s at Oxmoor Center. The Royal Court Program is coordinated by […]

December 20, 2019. Louisville, KY. – A new sponsor has stepped in to help keep a favorite Derby Festival event on the schedule for 2019. BB&T is the new title sponsor of the Festival’s three-day Great BalloonFest. A longtime friend of the Festival, BB&T decided to take their partnership to new heights, after learning of […]

November 16, 2018, Louisville, KY. – If you’re planning to run or walk your way to the finish line of the Humana Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon or Marathon in April, the Norton Sports Health FREE Training Program will give you a jumpstart. The 15-week program helps prepare runners and walkers for the Derby Festival’s road […]

November 13, 2018. Louisville, KY. – A Louisville-based company focused on keeping you healthy is now partnering with a local event that gets over 12,000 people in shape every year – the Derby Festival’s miniMarathon and Marathon. Humana announced this morning they will be the title sponsor of Kentucky’s largest annual road race in 2019. […]

November 2, 2018. Louisville, KY. – You may want to hang on to your Halloween costumes for next year’s Republic Bank Pegasus Parade. Themed “Pegasus Power,” the parade on May 2, 2019, will celebrate super heroes from all walks of life. “Everyone has a hero. From real-life to the big screen, we plan to celebrate […]

October 29, 2018. Louisville, KY. – After crossing the finish line, it’s all about the bling for runners. Starting in 2019, the Derby Festival is taking their race hardware to a new level by launching a four-year medal series for runners participating in the miniMarathon and Marathon Presented by Humana. The finisher medals from 2019 […]

October 2, 2018, Louisville, KY. – Kentucky Derby Festival has a lot of reasons to celebrate today! Louisville’s annual civic celebration received 46 top honors at the International Festivals & Events Association’s (IFEA) Convention and Expo in San Diego, California. The Derby Festival won the Bronze Grand Pinnacle in the “Best Overall Festival Program” category, […]

August 27, 2018. Louisville, KY. – Runners mark your calendars! Registration for the 2019 Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon presented by Humana opens on Wednesday, September 12, at 9:00 a.m. EST. The Festival is kicking off registration at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com with 24 hours of deals which include: the lowest prices of the season, discounted VIP […]

August 24, 2018, Louisville, KY. – The search is on for a new court of Kentucky Derby Festival Royalty! The application process for the 2019 Royal Court opens online Monday, August 27, at KDF.org. Young women from Kentucky or Southern Indiana who are full-time college students (in at least 2nd year) are eligible. The deadline […]

July 2, 2018. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s 2018 Opening Ceremonies – Thunder Over Louisville – will be re-broadcast on the American Forces Network 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. “We’re honored that we can […]

June 22, 2018. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation Charity Module Program raised over $158,000 in 2018 for local charities. 31 different charitable organizations benefitted from the program by having individual runners and running teams participate in the 2018 Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon Presented by Humana on April 28. The Charity […]

June 18, 2018. Louisville, KY. – Louisville native, Marita Willis, will chair the 2019 Kentucky Derby Festival. She was elected by the Festival’s Board of Directors at its annual meeting tonight. Willis is Major Gift Officer at the American Red Cross. She follows the leadership of Scott Watkins, who will continue serving as Immediate Past […]

June 10th Event to Feature 5 Courses, Cooking Demonstrations, Wine Pairings June 6, 2018. Louisville, KY. – Vincenzo and Agostino Gabriele will host their seventh annual “Night at Vincenzo’s” fund-raiser for the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation on Sunday, June 10. The elegant event will be held at Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant in Louisville. The benefit, which […]