Kentucky Derby Festival
A Louisville Tradition Since 1956!!
When: August 1 – September 3, 2020
Where: Venues across Louisville, KY
The annual Kentucky Derby Festival has been held since 1956, leading up to the Kentucky Derby Race. The festival and race have been postponed this year, but starting on August 1, a selection of the 70 events are rescheduled, including many of the favorites. The festival attracts over 1.5 million people before the horse races even begin!!!
FYI: Thunder Over Louisville is a bucket list air show and fireworks presentation that you must see at least once in your lifetime. We bet if you see it once, you will see it again!!
First Virtual Kentucky Derby Fundraiser (televised) – May 2, 2020
146th Longines Kentucky Oaks – Sept. 4, 2020
146th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve – Sept. 5, 2020
Festival Highlights
- The Fillies Derby Ball
- BourbonVille Event
- 64th Annual They’re Off! Luncheon
- Thunder Over Louisville
- $1 Million Dollar Hole-in-One Golf Contest
- Spring Fashion Show
- Derby Festival miniMarathon
- Hot Air Balloon – Glimmer, Glow & Races
- Waterfront Jam Series
- Tour de Lou
- The Great Steamboat Race
Check the website for the revised schedule of activities and additional information.
Plan Your Trip
Louisville is one of our favorite southern cities and no two visits are the same. If you plan on visiting during the Kentucky Derby Festival or the Kentucky Derby race, start planning up to a year in advance. Here are some recommendations from the travel desk at Check-it-Off Travel to consider while planning a trip to the festival.
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About Check-it-Off Travel
We are a Stamford, Connecticut-based travel advisory service focused on assisting individuals and business professionals with travel ideas and curated itineraries for US travel. Our database is organized exactly the same as our online travel guide and consists of over 100,000 items to consider on your next trip. We can also share with you over 10,000 major annual events that take place in over 2,500 cities and small towns across the country. Our goal is to match your travel style, interests, and budget to an amazing US travel experience.
