FOUR COMPANIES RETURN TO SPONSOR THUNDER
2009-02-26Derby Festival's Opening Ceremonies Set for April 18
The Kentucky Derby Festival is pleased to announce the presenting sponsors of Thunder Over Louisville, the Derby Festival's Opening Ceremonies, to be held on April 18 on the Louisville waterfront. Sponsoring the 2009 Thunder show will be E.ON U.S., Horseshoe Casino and Hotel, 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.
"It's very gratifying that our Thunder sponsors believe in the importance of keeping the Thunder show affordable for the entire community and for visitors from around the world," said Mike Berry, President and CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival. "We can't say enough about the support once again being demonstrated by E.ON U.S., Horseshoe Casino and Hotel, Meijer and UPS. Without their sponsorship - along with McDonald's Thunder Funder Program - we simply wouldn't be able to produce the Thunder show that public has come to expect and anticipate."
The Kentucky Derby Festival is pleased to announce that McDonald's Restaurants of Kentuckiana will once again be title sponsor of the Thunder Funder Program, which will help raise funds for the 2009 Thunder Over Louisville event. Ninety-six area McDonald's restaurants will donate a portion of their 32-ounce drink sales revenue to help support Thunder through a promotion that runs from Feb. 17 to April 19. The 32 oz drinks come in a commemorative Thunder cup. (In 2006, the McDonald's Thunder Program raised $92,520 through in-store sales; in 2007, the program raised $71,856 and $90,000 in 2008.)
The 2009 McDonald's Thunder Preview Party will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on April 2 at Bowman Field. The event, which gives attendees at sneak peek at the Thunder show, will feature static aircraft displays, a family interactive area and a pilot "meet and greet." Admission is free with a 2009 Pegasus Pin or McDonald's Thunder Funder cup.
Thunder Over Louisville's 2009 Official Broadcast Partners are WHAS 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 2009 Thunder Over Louisville, themed "Thunder Road," is set for Saturday, April 18, and will be the will be the 20th annual production. The show is sponsored by E.ON U.S., Horseshoe Casino and Hotel, Meijer and UPS.
