DISCOVER • EXPLORE • EXPERIENCE
The theme of the this year’s Kentucky Derby Festival should have been “Wet and wonderful.” Two balloon races cancelled, a balloon glow postponed. Rain. Rain. Rain. Cold. Cold. Cold. Thurby – rained. Oaks – Rained and the Derby day forecast? Rain and Cold. But the forecast also had rain chances dropping about mid-day and an … Read more
The Kentucky Derby has run for 143 consecutive years and is by all accounts the most prestigious horse race. It’s for three-year old horses who will run 1.25 miles against the best other three-year old’s. But the day before, another race that has run for the same 143 consecutive years on the Friday before the … Read more
The Commonwealth of Kentucky has many things to do that are not tied to the Kentucky Derby, horses and a rather large festival. While you are visiting Kentucky, you should check out Mammoth Cave National Park. Mammoth Cave is large limestone cave system about 90 minutes south of Louisville near the appropriately named Cave City. … Read more
Dawn at the Downs is a chance to get up close to the Derby contenders and watch them work out. Churchill Downs hosts this event the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before the Kentucky Derby as a free event. Show up at Gate 10, walk in and up to the rail. Bring your coffee and breakfast … Read more
The Great Steamboat Race is more than a boat race. It’s about friendship.
One of the more interesting things raced during the Kentucky Derby Festival is beds. That’s right beds. Well sort of. These are more custom-made, four wheel carts with a push bar and optional steering that happens to hold a regular sized bed mattress. A team of five: a driver (frequently just a passenger) and four … Read more
It’s called “Downs after Dark” and it’s one of a hand full of night-racing sessions at Churchill Downs. This event kicks off the racing season and helps get the kinks out before hundreds of thousands of people descend on the track for the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. Eleven races pack the schedule between 6pm … Read more
As I sat at my computer this morning, planning out the day and getting our tickets for tonight’s opening session at Churchill Downs, I came across an email from the track and one of the articles in the newsletter was about My Old Kentucky Home and the tradition it’s played in the history of the … Read more
The 2017 edition of the Great Balloon Rush Hour race took off to cool temperatures and gray skies. The Rush Hour race is one of five balloon events scheduled for the Kentucky Derby Festival.
In the early days of the Kentucky Derby Festival, there was just the Great Balloon Race. Then it expanded to add the Great Balloon Glow. Today, we have the Great Balloon Fest, a three-day hot-air balloon event consisting of three morning “races” and two evening light shows. Thursday morning starts with the Great Balloon Charity … Read more