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It’s Derby week and that means people are racing things. Horses? Sure. Hot Air Balloons? A must. Rubber Duckies? Why not? But one of the more entertaining and unusual things to race are… beds! Dozens of teams spend weeks preparing their beds to race in this two-part competition. The first part is about the party. … Read more
The Pegasus Parade is one of the oldest events during the Kentucky Derby Festival. The mythical winged horse is the official mascot of the festival and the parade. In fact many people ooh and aww over the inflatable Pegasus as it rolls down Broadway For as long as I remember, the parade has been held, … Read more
In the pre-dawn hours of the Saturday morning a week before the Kentucky Derby, dozens of trucks and vans pulling trailers, and hundreds of cars lined up on Pee Wee Reese Drive in Louisville, Kentucky waiting to enter a back gate into a large field between Runway 6 and Runway 15 of Bowman Field. An … Read more
While Thunder Over Louisville is the official kickoff to the Kentucky Derby Festival, the main thrust to the festival starts on the Friday before the Kentucky Oaks with the L&N Federal Credit Union Great Balloon Fest. For 2023, this is a three-event mini-festival dedicated to racing Hot Air Balloons. Friday morning, the pilots take to … Read more
For 33 years, the Kentucky Derby Festival has had its formal kickoff with fireworks. Over the years Thunder has grown to include an air show. The free event draws upwards of 800,000 fans to the shores of the Ohio River to take in this afternoon and evening spectacle. For airshows, most of the action happens … Read more
The past six years have put a serious damper on our ability to travel and bring you great stories and photography from the Kentucky Derby Festival. Between cancer, rotator cuff surgery, and then a couple of years of COVID, it’s been a real challenge to “festival”. But we are back for the 2023 Kentucky Derby … Read more
After our successful return to North Carolina after spending two weeks in Louisville, it’s time to look back on the two weeks. While our normal adventure lasts 10 days (Friday thru Sunday spanning the week before the Kentucky Derby), this year, we drove up to Louisville two Friday’s before the Derby to take part in … 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
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.