2011 THUNDER SPONSORS ANNOUNCED
2011-02-08The Derby Festival is pleased to announce the presenting sponsors of Thunder Over Louisville, the Derby Festival's Opening Ceremonies, to be held April 16 on the Louisville waterfront. Sponsoring the 2011 Thunder show will be Horseshoe Southern Indiana, LG&E, Meijer and UPS. In addition to the four presenting sponsors, McDonald's Restaurants of Kentuckiana will return as title sponsor of the McDonald's Thunder Funder Program.
"This is the fifth consecutive year that the four presenting sponsors of Thunder Over Louisville have returned to help us produce one of the most highly anticipated events in this part of the country," said Mike Berry, President and CEO of the Derby Festival. "We're very grateful for generous support of these four sponsors - along with the McDonald's Thunder Program - that will allow us to once again put on an entire day of entertainment for the whole community. We simply wouldn't be able to stage the show without their support."
This is the 21st consecutive year that UPS has been a presenting sponsor of Thunder Over Louisville. Horseshoe Southern Indiana has been a Thunder presenting sponsor for 12 consecutive years; LG&E and Meijer have both been Thunder sponsors for the past five years in a row.
This is the sixth consecutive year that McDonald's Restaurants of Kentuckiana has returned as title sponsor of the Thunder Funder Program, which will help raise funds for the 2011 Thunder Over Louisville show. Ninety-seven area McDonald's restaurants will donate a portion of their 32-ounce soft drink sales revenue to help support Thunder. The promotion coincides with their $1.00 drink campaign and will run from March 22 through April 18. The 32-ounce drinks come in a commemorative Thunder cup.
In addition, the 2011 McDonald's Thunder Funder Preview Party will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, at Bowman Field. The event gives attendees a sneak peek at the Thunder show and will feature a McDonald's playground area, elements of the Thunder Air Show and a pilot "meet and greet." Admission is free with a 2011 Pegasus Pin or McDonald's Thunder Funder cup. Over the past four years, the McDonald's Thunder Funder program helped to raise nearly half a million dollars -for Thunder Over Louisville.
Thunder Over Louisville's 2011 Official Broadcast Partners are WLKY TV and Cox Radio's Lite 106.9 WVEZ.
Thunder Over Louisville - the Derby Festival's Opening Ceremonies - is one of the more than 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The 2011 Thunder Over Louisville, themed "Thunder Power," is set for Saturday, April 16, and will be the will be the 22nd annual production. The show is sponsored by Horseshoe Southern Indiana, LG&E, Meijer and UPS.
