October 8, 2024. Louisville, KY. – You can start making your Derby season plans now! Tickets for all 2025 Kentucky Derby Festival events go on sale this week. From bourbon and wine tastings, to a steamboat race and fashion show, plus, fireworks and family-friendly fun, there’s an event for everyone. Tickets go on sale at […]

WIN DERBY FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE VALUED AT MORE THAN $10,000 FESTIVAL’S FOUNDATION SELLING EXCLUSIVE GOLDEN TICKET October 4, 2024. Louisville, KY. – Get your Golden Tickets for a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime Kentucky Derby Festival experience! It’s an opportunity for one lucky winner and a guest to win tickets to some of the Derby season’s […]

October 1, 2024. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival received global recognition this week for its excellence in the festivals and events industry during the International Festivals & Events Association’s (IFEA) annual Convention & Expo in Pittsburgh. The Festival won five awards in various categories for promotions, multimedia, advertising campaigns and merchandise. The IFEA […]

NEW FINISH LINE PLANNED FOR 2025 EVENT September 5, 2024. Louisville, KY. – Ready, set, go! Registration for the GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon officially opens TODAY – Thursday Sept. 5, at 9 a.m. Kentucky’s largest day of road racing is set for Saturday, April 26, 2025, and attracts more than 10,000 runners to Louisville […]

NEW FINISH LINE PLANNED FOR 2025 EVENT August 27, 2024, Louisville, KY. – Ready, set, go! The countdown is on to secure a spot for Kentucky’s largest day of road racing. Registration for the GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon officially opens next week on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 9 a.m. The annual race is set […]

APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 ROYAL COURT OPEN THIS WEEK July 29, 2024. Louisville, KY. – The search is on for Kentucky Derby Festival royalty! Young women from Kentucky and Southern Indiana who are full-time college students (in at least their 2nd year) can apply to be part of the 2025 Royal Court. Applications open Thursday, August […]

July 23, 2024. Louisville, KY. – If you are passionate about running and connecting with the community, the Kentucky Derby Festival is looking for you! The Festival is searching for its next team of running experts to represent the 2025 GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon, set for Saturday, April 26, 2025. Race officials are accepting […]

June 27, 2024. Louisville, KY. – U.S. Troops around the world will have the opportunity to experience Thunder Over Louisville on the Fourth of July. The Kentucky Derby Festival has partnered with the Kentucky Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet and WDRB to share a special presentation of this year’s Thunder air show and fireworks with […]

June 13, 2024. Louisville, KY. – Now that all the events have wrapped up, the Kentucky Derby Festival is Spring cleaning to prepare for the Festival’s annual Yard Sale next week. The summer tradition is a one-stop shop for finding deals on a variety of Derby Festival merchandise and collectibles. It takes place ONE DAY […]

FESTIVAL CHAIR & DATES FOR SIGNATURE EVENTS ANNOUNCED June 12, 2024. Louisville, KY. – Louisville business leader Alfonso N. “Al” Cornish will Chair the 2025 Kentucky Derby Festival. Cornish, who has served on the Board for 10 years, was elected by the Festival’s Board of Directors at its annual meeting this afternoon. Cornish is the […]

LOCK IN DEALS FOR ONE DAY ONLY May 31, 2024. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival is hitting the ground running to celebrate Global Running Day on Wednesday, June 5. Runners will receive special pricing on registration for the 2025 GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon for one day only! “We’re celebrating Global Running Day […]

May 6, 2024. Louisville, KY. – Derby Festival fans who discovered a Gold Winner Pin in their 2024 Pegasus Pin Sponsorship envelope need to register online at PegasusPins.com by 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 to be eligible for the drawing of the $20,000 cash Gold Pin Grand Prize. The winner will be announced on Friday, […]

May 2, 2024. Louisville, KY. This is the schedule for THURSDAY’S AND FRIDAY’S Derby Festival activities. THURSDAY, MAY 2 Derby Festival Day at the Races: KENTUCKIANA HONDA DEALERS KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL DAY AT THE DOWNS. 11:30 AM. Churchill Downs, Fourth Floor, Skye Terrace. Celebrate Thurby at the track with a great view and all-inclusive ticket. […]

May 1, 2024. Louisville, KY. – It was a Battle of the Belles and there’s a new queen of the Ohio River. Upriver rival, the Belle of Cincinnati, was declared the winner of the Shepherd Insurance Great Steamboat Race tonight by judges after crossing the Finish Line first. In the 61st race down the Ohio […]

TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR FESTIVAL DAY AT THE RACES April 30, 2024. LOUISVILLE, KY – The Kentucky Derby Festival is getting in the Thurby spirit with Kentuckiana Honda Dealers Festival Day at the Downs on Thursday, May 2 at Churchill Downs in the 4th floor Skye Terrace. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. and the post-time […]

May 1, 2024. Louisville, KY. This is the schedule for WEDNESDAY’S Derby Festival activities. Rolling on the River!: SHEPHERD INSURANCE KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL GREAT STEAMBOAT RACE. 4:30 – 5:30 PM boarding. 5:45 PM departure. Race begins at 6 PM. The Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati will compete for bragging rights on the Ohio […]

SAMTEC RETURNS AS TITLE SPONSOR OF 2024 EVENT April 29, 2024. Louisville, KY. – Bed racing fans filled the stands at Broadbent Arena tonight for the Kentucky Derby Festival’s 35th annual Great Bed Races. Samtec returned for the second year as the Title Sponsor of the 2024 event, which featured 50 teams pushing their decorated […]

April 30, 2024. Louisville, KY. This is the schedule for TUESDAY’S Derby Festival activities. Bettin’ on a Fun Night: KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL TEXAS HOLD’EM TOURNAMENT. 4:30 PM Boarding/check-in. 6 PM Tournament begins, plus one-hour Cruise (subject to river and weather conditions). Belle of Cincinnati, docked at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront. $125 Buy-in includes 10,000 in […]

April 29, 2024. LOUISVILLE, KY – Toast the Tuesday of Derby Week at the Commonwealth Credit Union WineFest. Enjoy a spring evening of sipping, savoring and strolling on Tuesday, April 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Mellwood Art Center in the Van Gogh and DaVinci Rooms. Commonwealth Credit Union is the new Title […]

April 28, 2024. Louisville, KY. – The Zoeller Pump Company Pegasus Parade kicked off Derby Week this afternoon as it marched on a Sunday for the third straight year. Fans lined Broadway in downtown Louisville in partly sunny, 80-degree weather to celebrate the founding event of the Kentucky Derby Festival. The theme of this year’s […]