March 9, 2017. Louisville, KY.   – Students from around Kentucky and Southern Indiana will compete in the 24th annual Ford Motor Company Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 11th.  The competition starts at 11 a.m. in the Bomhard Theater at the Kentucky Center for the Arts (501 W. Main Street in Louisville). 64 […]

March 7, 2017. Louisville, KY. – This spring, you’ll find signs of the Derby Festival everywhere, including on bourbon bottles. Four Roses Bourbon has just released their commemorative Derby Festival Poster Special Selection Single Barrel Bourbon, featuring the image of the 2017 Derby Festival Official Poster designed by Ron Jasin, and a single barrel bourbon […]

Friday, March 3, 2017. Louisville, KY.   – Spring is on the way! The Kentucky Derby Festival’s 45th edition of the Pegasus Pin is shipping out to over 1,000 locations. Beginning on Monday, March 6, the pins will be available at grocery stores, gas stations, banks and other retail outlets around Kentuckiana from Elizabethtown to Louisville […]

March 2, 2017. Louisville, KY. – Get ready to ROBORUMBLE! New to the 2017 Derby Festival Schedule, the Indiana University Southeast RoboRumble Regional Robotic Tournament is tomorrow, Saturday, March 4. The tournament, hosted at Ramsey Middle School, will challenge students and teams from Jefferson Country schools and surrounding regions to design, build and compete with […]

March 2, 2017. Louisville, KY.   – Spring was in the air tonight as a sold out crowd enjoyed the Kentucky Derby Festival’s first official event of the New Year – “Festival Unveiled” Presented by Citizens Union Bank and Four Roses Bourbon. The event, held at the Tim Faulkner Gallery, showcased many elements of the 2017 […]

March 1, 2017. Louisville, KY. – Tickets for Kentucky Derby Festival events go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 3. To purchase tickets order online at KDF.org 24 hours/7 days a week. For questions, call the Derby Festival Hotline at (502) 584-FEST. “We have another packed line-up of events to look forward to […]

March 1, 2017. Louisville, KY.  The Derby Festival is looking for teams to participate in this year’s Thorntons Great Bed Races – one of the most unique racing events on the Festival’s schedule. This year’s event is scheduled for Monday, May 1, at Broadbent Arena.  Dozens of teams participate in the event each year and […]

February 28, 2017, Louisville, KY. The Kentucky Derby Festival is counting down to spring. Their first official event of 2017 – Festival Unveiled – is this Thursday, March 2, at a new location, the Tim Faulkner Gallery.  The event kicks off at 5 p.m. Citizens Union Bank and Four Roses Bourbon are the Presenting Sponsors […]

(Louisville, KY) Everyone is prepping for this year’s Derby festivities: athletes are training for the marathons, trainers are preparing their horses for the first Saturday in May, and DB Bourbon Candy is working with the Kentucky Derby Festival to make sure their events get a taste of a delicious treat. DB Bourbon has been named […]

February 23, 2017. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s Waterfront Jam returns on Thursday, April 27, at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville. The concert series includes over 30 local and regional bands and 7 national concerts on two stages. Admission to all shows is FREE with a 2017 Pegasus Pin. Kroger sponsors the Waterfront Jam, along with […]

LOUISVILLE, KY (February 22, 2017) – The YMCA of Greater Louisville has announced that the longtime, annual YMCA Healthy Kids Day® will become a Kentucky Derby Festival event this year. The free event will take place on Sunday, April 30 from 1-4 pm on the North Great Lawn at Waterfront Park, inside Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville. “We […]

February 20, 2017. Louisville, KY. – Get ready to ROBORUMBLE! Indiana University Southeast is partnering with the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation and Jefferson Country Public Schools to bring a regional STEM robotics competition to the 2017 Kentucky Derby Festival schedule. The Indiana University Southeast RoboRumble Regional Robotic Tournament, set for Saturday, March 4, will allow […]

February 17, 2017 Louisville, KY.  – 64 days out to this year’s Thunder Over Louisville – the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – and the air show line-up continues to grow. This year’s show, set for Saturday, April 22, will feature the F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighter in its first-ever Thunder appearance. The F-35 is […]

Thursday, February 16, 2017. Louisville, KY.   – It’s a sure sign of spring!  The first shipment of the Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Pins arrived this morning at Evan Williams Bourbon Experience on Main Street. It’s the first place you can purchase a 2017 Pegasus Pin beginning today. Heaven Hill Distillery has also produced a special […]

February 15, 2017. Louisville, KY.   – Tickets for the 45th annual Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic presented by Papa John’s go on sale tomorrow Friday, February 17. The high school all-star game will feature the next class of Cards, Cats and Hoosiers. The game is set for Saturday, April 15, at Freedom Hall. This year’s […]

February 13, 2017. Louisville, KY. – Do you have a winning 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 sixth annual “Derby Burger Challenge,” sponsored by the Kentucky Beef Council. Recipes can be […]

February 13, 2017. Louisville, KY.  – The Kentucky Derby Festival and Kentucky Lottery are joining forces to find the 2017 Festival Fanatic! One lucky winner, as part of a second-chance promotion, will have the opportunity to claim a prize package that includes nine individual Festival experiences ranging from being the Thundernator for Thunder Over Louisville […]

February 3, 2017. Louisville, KY.  They say what’s old is new again, and that’s the case with this year’s Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Pin. This year’s design is a throwback to the original Pegasus Pin designed in 1973. The plastic pin features a cutout design with a warm red colored Pegasus in the center, surrounded […]

February 1, 2017 Louisville, KY.  – 80 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 – “Thunder: Local & Original” – is a nod to […]

January 31, 2017. Louisville, KY.  We’re only 81 days away from the Kentucky Derby Festival and this year fans can look forward to some new events planned for the annual spring celebration. The Festival is adding everything from a STEM robotics competition and Soccer Tournament to a Bocce competition and a Bourbon tasting for the […]