April 25, 2016 Louisville, KY.  – Ladies start practicing your swing!  Tuesday (April 26) is Ladies’ Day at the Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company Kentucky Derby Festival $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest.  Preliminary rounds for the competition continue this week. All Ladies who attend preliminaries Tuesday get 2 shots for $1. The preliminary […]

April 24, 2016 Louisville, KY. – The King Southern Bank Derby Festival Foundation Pro-Am Golf Tournament tees off at noon TOMORROW at Big Spring Country Club. This Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation event benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. King Southern Bank has been title sponsor of the event since 2005. This year the Derby Festival welcomes […]

April 24, 2016. Louisville, KY. – This is the last day runners or walkers can register to participate in the 2016 Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon presented by Walmart and Humana set for next Saturday, April 30. Registration will close tonight at 11:59 p.m. There is no late registration. Those who’ve been waiting to […]

April 24, 2016 Louisville, KY.  – Kids under the age of 18 get to take a shot at $1 million today at the Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest.  The special Kids’ Day promotion is 10 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. during the preliminary rounds at the Seneca Golf Course […]

April 23, 2016– LOUISVILLE, KY   – Blue skies, warm weather and a packed show added up to the second largest crowd in the 27 year history of Thunder Over Louisville – the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies.  An estimated at 725,000 spectators lined both sides of the Ohio River tonight.  The North Great Lawn even […]

April 22, 2016 Louisville, KY.  – Each year, the Kentucky Derby Festival presents the Fifth Third Bank Silver Horseshoe Award to an individual or organization for their outstanding service to the community.  This year’s award will be given to honor the West Louisville Performing Arts Academy (WLPAA). The award will be presented at the 60th […]

April 22, 2016 Louisville, KY. Cleaning up after an average of 500,000 – 700,000 people who attend Thunder every year is no small task.  The Kentucky Derby Festival enlists the help of other agencies and volunteers to help return the venue to tip-top shape following the daylong air show and fireworks event. Breakdown and clean-up […]

April 21, 2016 Louisville, KY. – Thunder fans will hear this year’s fireworks soundtrack loud and clear, thanks to the help of a new sponsor. The Kentucky Derby Festival announced this morning that CareSource has just signed on as the Official Sound Sponsor for this year’s Thunder Over Louisville. Their sponsorship helps offset the costs […]

April 20, 2016 Louisville, KY. You can do a lot more at Thunder Over Louisville this year than simply look to the sky. Sponsored by Ford Motor Company, Ford’s Thunder on the Ground activities will offer numerous ways to entertain friends and family members as well. From the Thunder FoodFest to the Interactive Display Area […]

April 19, 2016 Louisville, KY.  – It’s time to take your shot at $1 million! The Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company Kentucky Derby Festival $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest opens this Thursday, April 21, at 10 a.m. and runs through Sunday, May 1, at the Seneca Golf Course Driving Range off Pee Wee […]

April 19, 2016. Louisville, KY.   – Just in time for the 2016 Derby Festival, Drake’s will open a new temporary bar at the Waterfront.  “Drake’s By the River,” will be introduced at Thunder Over Louisville on Saturday, April 23rd, and located inside the Thunder Chow Wagon. The “pop-up” bar will also return for the 9-day […]

April 16, 2016. Louisville, KY.  -With the traditional spin of a wheel Madison Kristine Orman of Prospect, Kentucky, was named the 2016 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen tonight at the 58th annual Fillies Derby Ball at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. Madison is a Junior at the University of Louisville majoring in Business Finance.  She is a […]

April 15, 2016 Louisville, KY.  A crowd of 4,017 was on hand tonight at Freedom Hall as the White Team defeated the Maroon Team 144-132 in the 44th annual Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic presented by Papa John’s. Eron Gordon (Undecided) was named Maroon Team MVP. Auburn signee Mustapha Heron was named MVP of the […]

April 15, 2016 Louisville, KY.  The Clark Memorial/2nd Street Bridge will close Thursday, April 21, in preparation for Thunder Over Louisville. We ask your help in communicating this information to the public in the coming days. The Louisville Metro Police Department will release their Thunder traffic plan on Tuesday.  CLARK MEMORIAL/2ND STREET BRIDGE CLOSURES THIS […]

April 13, 2016. Louisville, KY.   – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s two-day basketball event kicks off Thursday night at 7 p.m. with the Horseshoe Foundation Night of the Future Stars at New Albany High School in Indiana. Admission is free with a ticket to Friday night’s Basketball Classic at Freedom Hall. Thursday’s event is comparable to […]

April 12, 2016. Louisville, KY. Some of the top basketball recruits in the country arrive in Louisville tomorrow for the 44th annual Derby Festival Basketball Classic presented by Papa John’s this Friday, April 15. This year’s roster includes players ranked in the Top 100 nationally by recruiting services Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247sports.com; UK recruit Brad […]

April 11, 2016 Louisville, KY.   – The first ball of the Derby season – the 58th annual Fillies Derby Ball – is set for Saturday, April 16th, at a NEW location – the Louisville Marriott Downtown. The Fillies, Inc., a volunteer organization that works closely with the Kentucky Derby Festival, are hosts of this formal […]

April 9, 2016 Louisville, KY.- Complete details about the 2016 Kentucky Derby Festival will be released Sunday.  Copies of the Sunday, April 10, edition of The Courier-Journal will include the Official Festival Guide. The special 24-page section features complete details about each of the Festival’s nearly 70 events, concert line-up for the Waterfront Jam, ticket […]

April 6, 2016. Louisville, KY.   – Through a special second chance promotion sponsored by the Kentucky Lottery, Louisville resident Pat Kemper won the opportunity to be this year’s Festival Fanatic for the 2016 Kentucky Derby Festival.  As part of her big win, Kemper will serve as the Thundernator for the Derby Festival Opening Ceremonies:  Thunder […]

April 5, 2016. Louisville, KY.  – The line-up is set for the 2016 Republic Bank Pegasus Parade.  Floats and inflatable units participating in this year’s parade drew for positions at a special event tonight at the Kentucky Center. “Fun for the Arts” will be the theme for the Derby Festival’s oldest event, which will feature approximately 100 […]