THUNDER A BOOMING SUCCESS
2004-04-19T20:23:48
The Kentucky Derby Festival kicked off its two-week celebration with a crowd-pleasing Opening Ceremonies. Thunder Over Louisville, the Festival’s public start, attracted hundreds of thousands of sun-drenched fans to the waterfront on Saturday, April 17, to watch the six and ½ hour Air Show and the country’s largest annual fireworks display. Three presenting sponsors staged this year’s event themed “A Broadway Thunder”. Caesars Indiana, Ford Motor Company and UPS funded the majority of the day’s free entertainment with support from other businesses and individuals in the Thunder Funder program.
Under ideal weather conditions, those in attendance enjoyed the free show, with minimal problems reported. Louisville Metro Police spokesman Dwight Mitchell said there were few arrests despite the large crowd. The Festival’s President & CEO Mike Berry, said it was one of the thickest crowds they had seen and thinks it might have approached a record. “It’s absolutely impossible to have an accurate count, but we’re guessing it was upwards of 700,000 people. With the venue stretching from Campbell to Ninth on the Louisville side and people viewing from areas such as Cox’s Park and Lanham Park, it’s certainly the area’s largest event of the year.” Said Matt Gibson, KDF’s VP of Events, “We had ideal weather conditions and people started coming to the event earlier than ever. Waterfront Park was nearly at capacity by the time the air show began at 3. People began staking their claim with tents and blankets as early as 1 AM.”
“We could not have scripted a better day,” added Mike Berry. “The Louisville Metro Police once again did an outstanding job with security, crowd control and traffic. Getting three-quarters of a million people in and out of the venue is a monumental task. It was another spectacular day of free entertainment for the community and thousands of out-of-town visitors. What a wonderful way to kick off the next two weeks of Derby Festival.”
Some other indicators of record crowds were a sell-out of Pegasus Pins and Thunder t-shirts. “We think the public understands that it takes the entire community to put on events like Thunder,” said Bridget Sherrill, KDF VP of Merchandising. More than 25 percent of the non-profit Derby Festival’s funding comes from the individual support of the $3 Pegasus Pins. “The Festival is extremely appreciative of all the Thunder fans who were wearing their pins and looking for more on Saturday,” said Sherrill. Thunder t-shirts and posters were also in high demand.
Also nearly 80 tons of trash were removed by paid vendors and volunteer groups including the Boy Scouts, Junior League and Jeffersonville High School Marching Band. Viewing areas on both sides of the river including Ashland Park and Waterfront Park were finally clear by 8 AM Monday morning.
Saluting the “Great White Way”, a Broadway Thunder included tunes from more than 40 Broadway musicals. The amazingly colorful show opened softly with “The Lullaby of Broadway”, but pounded the pavement with nearly thirty minutes of pyrotechnic power. From “Okalahoma to the Music Man’s “Right Here in River City”, this year’s show proved that our river city was indeed the place to be. A beautiful rainbow effect encompassed the 2nd Street Bridge during My Fair Lady’s “Wouldn’t it be loverly” and the fireworks rocked to the music of “Grease”. Children delighted in the orange mane-like images during the Lion King’s “Hakuna Matata” and the show’s explosive grand finale appropriately included “Everything’s Coming up Roses”.
Before the Thunder rolled, one of top three air shows in the country took to the skies. Said show director, Wayne Hettinger, “Most top air shows are satisfied with one or two air demos, and we were thrilled to have five this year, including a thirty minute naval boat demo in the water.” The demo teams included the A-10, T-6, F-14 and the most popular, attention-demanding F-15’s and F-18’s. “When those jets come screaming in, there are few heads not turned to the sky,” said Hettinger. Perennial favorites, Bill Leff and Lima Lima performed both daytime acts and returned for sunset performances complete with fireworks off the back of their civilian aircraft. And spectacular jumps by the Aerial Allstars, many dressed in Broadway costumes, delighted fans that had set up camp on both sides of the river.
“It was just a wonderful day for our community,” said Carolle Jones Clay, 2004 Derby Festival Chairman. “Our sponsors enabled us to put on one of the most exciting and well-attended events in the world. This may have been the best-ever Thunder Over Louisville. And one of the closing songs said it best, ‘Let’s get on with the show’. So enjoy the next two weeks!”
