Kentucky Derby Festival

Kentucky Derby Festival
Thunder Over Louisville
GenreHorse racing
DatesThe two weeks prior to the Kentucky Derby
Location(s)Louisville, Kentucky, US
Years active1935–1937, 1956–2019, 2021–present
Websitekdf.org

The Kentucky Derby Festival is an annual festival held in Louisville, Kentucky, during the two weeks preceding the first Saturday in May, the day of the Kentucky Derby.[1] The festival, Kentucky's largest single annual event, first ran from 1935 to 1937, and restarted in 1956.

The festival's main components are: Thunder Over Louisville, the largest annual fireworks display in North America; the Great Steamboat Race, featuring the Belle of Louisville and the Pegasus Parade.

  1. ^ "What is the Derby Festival®? – Our Story". Kentucky Derby Festival. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024. The Festival blasts off each year with the Opening Ceremonies – Thunder Over Louisville, one of the nation's largest annual fireworks extravaganzas! The ensuing two weeks of excitement and entertainment promise something for everyone.