PRIME VIEWING SEATS FOR THUNDER STILL AVAILABLE

The McDonald’s Thunder Funder Program to help raise money for Thunder Over Louisville – the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies on April 21 – gained momentum yesterday as the Festival began sales of Five-Star Viewing Level seats and other packages during a “Gear Up For Thunder” campaign held at Bowman Field. Thunder supporters turned out at the Central American Airways Flying Service hangar to purchase packages, meet Thunder Over Louisville personnel and view several Thunder aircraft on display. Derby Festival staffers, board members and volunteers manned phones throughout the day to receive pledges from both business and individual supporters.

Sponsorship packages – which range from the $20 Igniter Level to the $150 Five-Star Viewing Level – are still available, and may be purchased by visiting www.mcdonaldsthunderfunder.com or calling (502) 582-BOOM. Also ongoing is the Thunder Funder promotion sponsored by McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana. From April 2 to May 13, 93 participating McDonald’s restaurants will donate 10 cents from the sale of every 32-ounce drink in a commemorative cup to help support Thunder Over Louisville. To date, the 2007 McDonald’s Thunder Funder Program has netted more than $150,000 from corporate contributions (both cash and in-kind), as well as more than $6,500 in individual pledges.

“We’re just getting started and there are several ways for the public to show their support of Thunder Over Louisville,” said Mike Berry, President and CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival. “Corporate packages are available at four different levels and contributions can be made over the phone or on the website. Five-Star packages are a great value and they are still available for purchase. The McDonald’s cup promotion is being held closer to Derby time than it was last year, so we’re optimistic that this busy time of year will help spur even more sales than before. We’re very grateful to all the businesses and individuals who are helping the Derby Festival keep Thunder Over Louisville free to the public. We’re excited about putting on another great day of aerial acts and a pyrotechnic spectacle.”

Thunder Over Louisville is one of more than 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The 2007 show is scheduled for Saturday, April 21, and will be the 18th annual production. The show is sponsored by Caesars Indiana, E.ON U.S., Meijer and UPS.

The Derby Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation.  It entertains more than 1.5 million people annually. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.