rmiracle

Author: rmiracle

It’s a parade, mostly about horses

Posted on May 4, 2023June 2, 2023 by rmiracle

The Pegasus Parade is one of the oldest events during the Kentucky Derby Festival. The mythical winged horse is the official mascot of the festival and the parade. In fact many people ooh and aww over the inflatable Pegasus as it rolls down Broadway See all the photos The UofL Marching Band performs during the 2023 Pegasus Parade. For as...Read More

The 2023 Great Balloon Race takes to the sky

Posted on May 2, 2023June 2, 2023 by rmiracle

In the pre-dawn hours of the Saturday morning a week before the Kentucky Derby, dozens of trucks and vans pulling trailers, and hundreds of cars lined up on Pee Wee Reese Drive in Louisville, Kentucky waiting to enter a back gate into a large field between Runway 6 and Runway 15 of Bowman Field. An orange sun was starting to...Read More

The Great Balloon Glow brings excitement to the riverfront

Posted on April 29, 2023June 2, 2023 by rmiracle

While Thunder Over Louisville is the official kickoff to the Kentucky Derby Festival, the main thrust to the festival starts on the Friday before the Kentucky Oaks with the L&N Federal Credit Union Great Balloon Fest. For 2023, this is a three-event mini-festival dedicated to racing Hot Air Balloons. Friday morning, the pilots take to the sky in the Rush...Read More

Thunderstruck!

Posted on April 26, 2023June 2, 2023 by rmiracle

For 33 years, the Kentucky Derby Festival has had its formal kickoff with fireworks. Over the years Thunder has grown to include an air show. The free event draws upwards of 800,000 fans to the shores of the Ohio River to take in this afternoon and evening spectacle. See all the photos The Twin Beech Aerobatics Demo For airshows, most...Read More

Great news! We’re back

Posted on February 24, 2023June 2, 2023 by rmiracle

The past six years have put a serious damper on our ability to travel and bring you great stories and photography from the Kentucky Derby Festival. Between cancer, rotator cuff surgery, and then a couple of years of COVID, it's been a real challenge to "festival". But we are back for the 2023 Kentucky Derby Festival and we plan to...Read More

And it’s a wrap on the 2017 Derby Festival

Posted on May 9, 2017May 9, 2017 by rmiracle

After our successful return to North Carolina after spending two weeks in Louisville, it's time to look back on the two weeks. While our normal adventure lasts 10 days (Friday thru Sunday spanning the week before the Kentucky Derby), this year, we drove up to Louisville two Friday's before the Derby to take part in Thunder over Louisville and the...Read More

It was a muddy but sunny Kentucky Derby

Posted on May 7, 2017 by rmiracle

[caption id="attachment_978" align="alignnone" width="768"] Mudboni's resurfaced the track during breaks between racing at Churchill Downs prior to the 143rd Kentucky Derby.[/caption] The theme of the this year's Kentucky Derby Festival should have been "Wet and wonderful." Two balloon races cancelled, a balloon glow postponed. Rain. Rain. Rain. Cold. Cold. Cold. Thurby - rained. Oaks - Rained and the Derby day...Read More

Abel Tasman wins a wet Kentucky Oaks

Posted on May 7, 2017 by rmiracle

[caption id="attachment_970" align="alignnone" width="768"] Paradise Woods leads the field around the first turn of the 143rd running of the Kentucky Oaks.[/caption] The Kentucky Derby has run for 143 consecutive years and is by all accounts the most prestigious horse race. It's for three-year old horses who will run 1.25 miles against the best other three-year old's. But the day before,...Read More

Things to do: Mammoth Cave

Posted on May 7, 2017 by rmiracle

The Commonwealth of Kentucky has many things to do that are not tied to the Kentucky Derby, horses and a rather large festival. While you are visiting Kentucky, you should check out Mammoth Cave National Park. Mammoth Cave is large limestone cave system about 90 minutes south of Louisville near the appropriately named Cave City. The park manged by the...Read More

Dawn at the Downs and the Derby Museum

Posted on May 7, 2017May 7, 2017 by rmiracle

[caption id="attachment_951" align="alignnone" width="768"] Abel Tasman works out at Dawn at the Downs. She would go on to win the 2017 Kentucky Oaks.[/caption] Dawn at the Downs is a chance to get up close to the Derby contenders and watch them work out. Churchill Downs hosts this event the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before the Kentucky Derby as a free...Read More