FULL THUNDER AIR SHOW MOVES BACK TO 3 PM
2003-04-02T14:13:21
The air show that is a part of the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies: Thunder Over Louisville will move back to a 3 PM start time due to the addition of more air craft than originally anticipated. The 6 and ½ hour air show will lead up to the fireworks at 9:30 PM.
Because of the international situation and overseas military commitments, air show organizers had anticipated the lineup of military aircraft to be limited this year and moved the start time of the show to 4 PM. With recent commitments, the show will now be able to add back the additional hour to start at 3 PM. Civilian planes and aerial acts will round out the entertainment for the 2003 show “Centennial of Flight” – saluting the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ historic airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. As in years past, all scheduled military aircraft is subject to last-minute deployment.
Thanks to the generous support of Caesars Indiana, Ford Motor Company, UPS and Yum! Brands, Thunder will be held on Saturday, April 12, with the Air Show beginning at 3 PM and a 30-minute fireworks show at 9:30 PM.
New this year, the entire air show commentary and fireworks soundtrack will be broadcast by 102.3 The Max. The public is encouraged to bring personal radios to the event to hear the air show and fireworks soundtrack. The Chow Wagons (special outdoor food and beer gardens) located at the Belvedere or Waterfront Park will feature sound towers that will broadcast the entire commentary and fireworks music feed from the radio station. Admission to the Chow Wagons is a $3 Pegasus Pin and includes additional entertainment. Karen Kraft & the Kiks will perform 2 PM – 11 PM at the Belvedere and New Breed will take to the Budweiser True Music Stage at 2 PM at the Waterfront Park Chow Wagon.
Said Derby Festival President and CEO Mike Berry: “The generosity of our sponsors has enabled us to offer, once again, the premiere festival event of our region, with yet another spectacular day of free entertainment for the entire community.”
Other highlights of Thunder Over Louisville 2003 include:
· New this year: The Courier-Journal will offer 3-D Thunder glasses at the event for $1. Proceeds will benefit the show and the CJ’s Newspapers In Education program. The complete air show schedule will be available in Friday’s CJ Weekend Extra and in official Thunder Programs sold by the Courier at the event.
· “Interactive Lane” between the Orange and Purple Lots along River Road will feature free interactive displays including: US Air Force “Cross into the Blue with a real non-commissioned F-16 on display and simulators, US Army Experience with a tank simulator and Nascar Show Car, US Dept. of Agriculture, USMC with modified humvee, Air Force Space Command educational display and the Air Force Reserve.
· The Army National Guard will have a display of humvees, tanks, and multiple transports along Third Street.
· Adrenaline Force will present bounces and other inflatable children’s actives for a fee along Witherspoon and at the Great Lawn near the Green Lot.
· Thunder will be the site for a new program – Derby Festival Pin Trading. Pin enthusiasts can purchase a variety of Pegasus Pins at the venue to collect or trade. For the first time ever, there will be five 2003 Pegasus Pin designs, one of which features Thunder Over Louisville.
· The first-ever Official Thunder Poster will be on sale at the event, along with a line of Official Derby Festival merchandise. And also for the FIRST time, Thunder fans can purchase air show related toys, sunscreen and disposable cameras at Festival vending tents set up in the venue. Maps are located in the program.
LINEUP FOR THUNDER AIR SHOW (subject to change)
Civilian Air Acts - confirmed
Aeroshell T-6 Planes
Quicksilver-Ultralight Wingwalker
Swift Magic Planes
Red Baron Bi-wing team
Brad Hood-Heritage Flight in a P-51 Mustang
Lima Lima Flight Team
Bill Left-Night Show Plane
Red Bull MIG Jet
Jay Gordon in a L-39
Largest American Flag Helicopter Tow
Confirmed Military Aircraft – all military aircraft are subject to deployment
A-10
AH-64 – 4 Army Helicopters from Ft. Knox
B-1
C-13 Hercules
C-130
F-15 Demo
F15E – 4 planes
F-16
F-18 Demo
KC-135
MC-130 Hercules
MH-53 Marine helicopter
T-1 Jayhawk
T-37
T-38 – 4 planes
UH-60 - 4 Helicopters
US Coast Guard DEMO
NEW! The US Navy will participate in Thunder with a special DEMO of a Mark V Special Ops. Craft. This 82-foot combat ship is used to move Navy SEALS (combat divers) into and out of operations. The Mark V will be accompanied by the Navy’s Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats carrying crews of three.
Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of the more than seventy events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The Derby Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 325 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. It entertains more than 1.5 million people in a two- week period and has a local economic impact of more than $93 million. Thunder alone contributes $31 million of that estimate to both sides of the Ohio River. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
For full Thunder Information log onto: www.thunderoverlouisville.org
