THUNDER OVER LOUISVILLE TO CELEBRATE - ‘CENTENNIAL OF FLIGHT’
2003-03-03T15:47:57
The Kentucky Derby Festival is pleased to announce the theme of the 2003 Thunder Over Louisville show: "Centennial of Flight," which honors the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' historic airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. 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 4 p.m. and a 30-minute fireworks show at 9:30 p.m.
Because of the international situation, some changes for the Thunder Air Show are scheduled. Overseas military commitments have dictated that the lineup of military aircraft be somewhat more modest this year. To ensure the full measure of airborne excitement Thunder spectators have come to anticipate, civilian planes and aerial acts will round out the entertainment. As in years past, all scheduled military aircraft is subject to deployment.
New this year, the Air Show commentary and fireworks soundtrack will be broadcast by the official radio station group of Radio One, providing the PA address over one of their stations and the fireworks music over all Radio One stations. The public is encouraged to bring personal radios to the event or participate in the fun and the spectacular view at either of the Chow Wagons located at the Belvedere or Waterfront Park, where sound towers will be operational. Admission to the Chow Wagons is a $3 Pegasus Pin.
Said Derby Festival President and CEO Mike Berry: "The generosity of our sponsors and the ingenuity of our staff and vendors have 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."
"Once again, Zambelli Internationale is back providing the best fireworks in the business," said Wayne Hettinger, Thunder Over Louisville director. "For many years they have helped us engineer a show that we are confident will be magical for the entire family."
Other highlights of Thunder Over Louisville include:
* The Courier-Journal will once again produce a Thunder Program, complete with the entire Air Show schedule. Look for them on sale at the venue.
* 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. Official merchandise is also on sale now at www.derbyfestival.org and at the following retail outlets: Wal-Mart on Hurstbourne Parkway, Fashion Shop, Taste of Kentucky, Hawley-Cooke Booksellers and the Kentucky Derby Museum. More outlets are expected by April.
LINEUP FOR THUNDER AIR SHOW (subject to change)
Civilian Air Acts - confirmed
Aeroshell Planes
Quicksilver-Ultralight Wingwalker
Swift Magic Planes
Red Baron Planes
Brad Hood-Heritage Flight Plane
Bill Left-Night Show Plane
Invited Military Aircraft - all military aircraft are subject to deployment
A-10
F-15E
T-38
T-37
T-1
F-18
C-130
UH-60 Helicopters
OH-58 Helicopters
MC-130
T-45
F-16
F-15 Demo
F-18 Demo
F-117 Stealth
AV-8
B-1
F-16 Demo
E6B
B-52
C-5
C-17
C-141
AH-65
MH-53
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 $90 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.
