The folks in Louisville, Kentucky, have stretched the most famous two minutes in sports into a monthlong celebration. The Kentucky Derby, which occurs every first Saturday in May and is the first leg in the pursuit of the Triple Crown trophy, has become such a big hit with the locals, the city created an entire festival to honor the annual horse race.
With more than 70 events to choose from, the Kentucky Derby Festival kicks off two weeks before the race itself (April 18-May 1 for 2015) with the largest annual fireworks show in North America and ends with a massive Derby Eve party.
A Pegasus pin grants free entry to fest events, unless otherwise noted, and costs $5 (parking and participation fees not included). This doesn’t include the Derby, of course. General admission tickets to the famous few-minute horse race start at $55 and doors open to Churchill Downs at 8 a.m. May 2.
Whether you are a horse fanatic or just want to enjoy the revelry, these Kentucky Derby Fest events are the perfect precursor to the main event, but can also serve as the main event themselves.
Thunder Over Louisville, April 18
Photo courtesy of GoToLouisville.com
What started as an above average fireworks display has reached the pinnacle of pyrotechnics. In it’s 25th year, Thunder Over Louisville continues to draw millions to the banks of the Ohio River to watch the explosive show. Even though the show doesn’t start until 9:30 p.m., crowds flock to the riverbanks as early as 10 a.m. to claim their spots. We recommend getting there in the afternoon to see the Blue Angels take to the sky for a dazzling airshow before the fireworks are set off.
Waterfront Jam, April 23-May 1
Head to the Ohio Riverfront as Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville and The Chow Wagon roll into town to host the Waterfront Jam concert series. More than 30 local and regional bands and seven national acts will take the stage as festivalgoers nosh on fried-to-perfection funnel cakes washed down by lemon shake-ups. This year, Grammy-winning blues-rock band Blues Traveler will host a free concert April 25 at 9 p.m. Other notable performers include Rose Royce and the band formed at Kentucky State University, Midnight Star, who can be seen April 28 at 8 p.m.
U.S. Bank Great BalloonFest: Great Balloon Glow, April 24
Photo by Jamie Rhodes
The Great Balloon Glow attracts around 50,000 fans annually to see branded and colorfully decorated hot air balloons inflate fully without taking flight. It may not sound exciting, but trust us; the view of the grand balloons against the backdrop of the dark night sky might be better than watching them float away.
