Thunder Over Louisville
thunder louisville annual airshow firework display louisville kentucky serving kickoff event kentucky derby festival held saturday april preceding kentucky derby first saturday may usually two week time largest annual firework display north america day event remains one largest thunder began part opening ceremony event daytime firework brought first nighttime firework event officially began current location along ohio river firework air show added thunder generally start afternoon air show followed firework show starting pm along synchronized soundtrack pa radio average people attended year since lining bank ohio river louisville across river jeffersonville clarksville indiana also watch river boat docked position auctioned charity eight foot barge launch firework provided zambelli firework internationale side george rogers clark memorial bridge firework launched bridge st century estimated attendance thunder usually approximately five time main attraction kentucky derby thunder louisville began concept kentucky derby festival workshop summer decision made opening ceremony first time first opening ceremony held chow wagon river broadcast live theyre luncheon crowd galt house east organized multimedia producer wayne hettinger owner visual presentation featured live stage show introduce festival theme song release multicolored balloons—followed daytime firework attendance estimated first nighttime firework show old cardinal stadium kentucky exposition center people attended derby festival opening ceremony concert janie fricke shell firework show following soldout louisville redbird baseball game firework used derby festivity since positive impact firework concert—particularly echoing sound—led firework show name held following year ohio river event moved waterfront park zambelli firework internationale master pyrotechnician raymond loffredo began handling firework air show began featured notable aircraft harrier b stealth bomber f stealth fighter well apache attack helicopter event expanded rapidly scale attendance shell exploded first minute entire show air force designated thunder louisville one event th anniversary celebration military aircraft performed year making time largest combined firework air show u event relies heavily corporate donation kroger pulled year sponsorship kentucky derby festival left scrambling money announced thunder funder program individual make small donation mcdonalds announced would title sponsor thunder funder donate cent sale every ounce drink commemorative cup derby festival promotion continued restaurant chain pledged event firework show grown size scope every year shell used firework show usually last minute traditionally minute finale organizer call name gargantuan usually preceded short break firework audio score colonel bogey march whistled movie bridge river kwai often catching first time spectator believe show ended surprise event record crowd whose size estimated event producer count include thousand people watch area rooftop thunder party held individual proximity advantaged address downtown old louisville portland butchertown neighborhood immediately upriver downtown well river adjacent neighborhood indiana community clarksville jeffersonville computer glitch second show prerecorded minute long audio countdown firework caused minute delay problem troubleshooted thunder louisville canceled first time history due covid pandemic kentucky derby postponed september took place spectator following year firework launched throughout city reduce crowd size due covid precaution show televised locally inperson spectator discouraged gathering year boat accident occurred ohio river near greenwood boat dock large amount spectator attempted view firework river one barge collided boat killing three people four people rescued ohio river barge operator due complexity event including road closure police presence technical requirement rain date thunder event never canceled due weather official would cancel severe weather lightning imminent firework could delayed heavy rain wind occurring time show unseasonably cold weather brought temperature pm hour firework brief downpour heavy sleet cleared estimated spectator riverfront firework time temperature caused much lower attendance usual ohio river flooding concern event organizer let high water cancel festivity make traditional viewing area inaccessible additional safety precaution taken make show possible warmest thunder louisville record happened louisville hit high degree thunder louisville televised locally since first year show first broadcast entirely hdtv previously two three hdtv camera supplemented broadcast tv coverage firework received record rating due cold temperature made many people choose watch show home kentucky derby festival started rotating broadcast right year major louisville network affiliate wavetv wdrb wlky airing coverage exclusively whastv chose participate rotation several year agreement made since entered rotation show traditionally rebroadcast th july u military american force network list attraction event louisville metropolitan area great steamboat race official website kentucky derby festival official site