It’s time to start planning for the 2019 Kentucky Derby Festival! We have compiled a list of upcoming family-friendly events, including the start of it all - Thunder Over Louisville!
Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Pins are now available at over 1,000 locations. They can be found at grocery stores, gas stations, banks, and other retail outlets across Louisville and Southern Indiana. You can also purchase pins online at www.PegasusPins.com. Pins are $6 each at retail locations and $7 each at event entrance.
THUNDER OVER LOUISVILLE |
Saturday, April 13, 2019 / 11:00 am - 11:00 pm / Water Front Park, Louisville
Venue opens at 11:00 am. Air Shows begin at 3:00 PM. Fireworks begin at 9:00 PM
Thunder Viewing Locations:
- North Great Lawn (9:00 am)
- Chow Wagon (11:00 am)
- Meijer Family Fun Zone (11:00 am)
- Big 4 Lawn (11:00 am)
Each location offers FREE admission with a 2019 Pegasus Pin.
Thunder Food Fest: More than 115 vendors will be available at the Chow Wagon, Great Lawn, Big 4 Lawn, West Belvedere, and along Witherspoon.
Meijer Family Fun Zone: Located at the West Belvedere Beer Garden. Activities include bounce houses, face painting, crafts, photo opps, and more. No tents, stakes, tape, or pets permitted.
Military Interactive Display Area on the South Great:
- U.S. Army Exhibit featuring the Army Adventure Trailer, Dog Tag Machine, Physcial Fitness Challenge, and a Blackhawk Helicopter
- U.S. Navy Experience including fitness challenges, photo booth, and a 4D virtual reality rescue mission challenge
- U.S. Airforce recruiting service
- Kentucky National Guard's static display of military vehicles, recruiting trailer, obstacle course, and push up / pull up challenge
- U.S. Marine Corps and much more!
South Lawn Interactive Displays and Kid Activities:
- Ford Motor Company X-perience
- Active Heroes
- Alien Abduction
- Drop & Twist
- Great Big Idaho Potato
- Lil Wheel
- Ninja Jump
- Ships Ahoy
- and much more!
Be sure to pick up the Official Thunder Program in The Courier-Journal on Saturday, April 13th for a full Thunder map and airshow schedule!
HORSESHOE FOUNDATION FAMFEST |
Friday, April 19, 2019 / 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm / Downtown New Albany (next to YMCA)
Family-friendly event with a special preview of the 2019 Festival, featuring a hot air balloon, inflatables, mini golf and bed races, face painting and more! First 1,000 attendees receive a custom Pegasus Pin.
BB&T GREAT BALLOONFEST |
Great Balloon Glimmer/ Thursday, April 25, 2019 / 8:30 pm / Waterfront Park, Louisville
The annual BB&T Great Balloon Glimmer is a “mini-glow,” which kicks-off a weekend full of ballooning events. Balloons will light up on the Great Lawn of Waterfront Park for opening night of Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville. Admission is free with your 2019 Pegasus Pin.
Great Balloon Rush-Hour Race / Friday, April 26, 2019 / 7:00 am / Bowman Field, Louisville
This is a Hare & Hound Race. This type of race is when all the balloons launch from the same site, One balloon takes off first and is the Hare balloon. The other balloons are called the Hounds, and they will launch at a predetermined time after the Hare. The Hare lands at a suitable site and lays out a large fabric X, usually about 50 feet in diameter. The Hound balloons attempt to drop their markers as close to the center of the X as possible. The closest marker achieves the highest score.
Great Balloon Glow / Friday, April 26, 2019 / 9:00 pm (gates open at 6:00 pm) / Kentucky Exposition Center, Loiusville
Watch as the balloons glow against the blackness of the night sky, synchronized to a special musical score. You are invited to walk around the field and talk to the pilots. Admission is free with your 2019 Pegasus Pin. Parking is $10.
Great Balloon Race / Saturday, April 27, 2019 / 7:00 am / Bowan Field, Louisville
This is a Hare & Hound Race. This type of race is when all the balloons launch from the same site, One balloon takes off first and is the Hare balloon. The other balloons are called the Hounds, and they will launch at a predetermined time after the Hare. The Hare lands at a suitable site and lays out a large fabric X, usually about 50 feet in diameter. The Hound balloons attempt to drop their markers as close to the center of the X as possible. The closest marker achieves the highest score.
KROGER'S FEST-A-VILLE |
Thursday, April 25 - Friday, May 3, 2019 / Waterfront Park, Louisville
Daily Hours: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Sunday Hours: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront returns for its twelfth year in 2019. Sponsored by Kroger, the party starts on the Great Lawn on Thursday, April 25 and runs through Derby Eve, Friday May 3. It promises to have something for everyone - and admission is free with a 2019 Pegasus Pin.
The 900,000-square-foot venue will host several Festival events including the BB&T Great Balloon Glimmer, Battle of the Bounce, Chow Wagon, Fitness Jam, Ohio Valley Wrestling Run for the Ropes, HappyTail Hour, Ken-Ducky Derby, YMCA Healthy Kids Day (featuring the miniFun Run), BeerFest Presented by Liberty Financial, Neigh-Maste on the Waterfront, and the awards presentation for the Great Steamboat Race.
Fest-a-Ville also offers a wide variety of activities for children, featuring a expanded midway-area and attractions at Pegasus Play-Ville including merry-go-round, ships ahoy, a giant slide and much more. Helicopter rides return this year for $40 (April 26 – May 3).
Click HERE for daily schedule.
HEALTH FAIR |
Thursday, April 25, 2019 / 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm / Fourth Street Live, Louisville
The 12th annual Kentucky Derby Festival Health Fair Presented by WellCare Health Plans features health related exhibits, activities and screenings that families with children will find educational and entertaining. The event will take place on Thursday, April 25th at Fourth Street Live! from 4pm-8pm. Magic Show at 5 pm and 7pm. Admission is free with a 2019 Pegasus Pin. Parking is free.
| PEGASUS PARADE |
Thursday, May 2, 2019 / 5:00 pm / West on Broadway from Campbell to 9th Street, Louisville
This family-friendly annual event showcases some of the nation’s finest marching bands and equestrian units, along with inflatable characters and colorful floats. Led by the “Peggy Bank” inflatable Pegasus balloon, the parade marches west on Broadway for 17 blocks and lasts approximately two hours. Thanks to the sponsorship of Republic Bank, more than 90% of the parade route offers free public viewing. Bleacher tickets are available for $10 and chair seating $12. VIP seating $30. Call (502) 584-FEST for more information.
For a complete schedule for the Kentucky Derby Festival, visit https://discover.kdf.org/.
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