Kentucky Derby Festival
| Kentucky Derby Festival | |
|---|---|
Thunder Over Louisville | |
| Genre | Horse racing |
| Dates | The two weeks prior to the Kentucky Derby |
| Location(s) | Louisville, Kentucky, US |
| Years active | 1935–1937, 1956–2019, 2021–present |
| Website | kdf |
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. 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.