LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Thunder Over Louisville has been canceled due to flooding and severe weather, announced by the Kentucky Derby Festival on Saturday.
Thunder Over Louisville, a full day spectacle of planes, fireworks and drones was scheduled for Saturday, April 12 this year. The annual event serves as the kickoff for the Kentucky Derby Festival.
“This weather event is like nothing we’ve seen during our operational period for the Kentucky Derby Festival or Thunder Over Louisville,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “At this time it’s very logistically impossible to do what we would do and and do it safely.”
It was decided that due to how large of an event Thunder is, that it’s unable to be postponed or rescheduled to another date.
“Unfortunately Thunder is such a large-scale event and a massive logistical undertaking with federal, state and local partners, that rescheduling and postponing is not an option,” Gibson said.
The water won’t recede in time for preparations for the event. It’s only the second time Thunder Over Louisville has been canceled, the first coming in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year would have been the 36th iteration of springtime event.
Gibson said there will still be Kentucky Derby Festival events. There are still more than 70 events scheduled leading up to the Kentucky Derby.
A state of emergency was already declared in Louisville Thursday after tornado damage and anticipation of the severe flooding that’s on the way. City officials said Friday that it could be a top-10 flooding event in the city’s history.
The Ohio River is expected to crest Wednesday at 35.6 feet in the upper pool. That includes the area of the downtown Louisville side of the McAlpine Lock, around 23 feet above typical river levels.
“It would mean that over 99% of the waterfront is under water and exceeds all the way back to Mellwood Avenue,” Gibson said.
Typically Thunder Over Louisville draws more than half a million people, lining the banks of the Ohio River in Louisville and southern Indiana.
The cancellation has a substantial impact on revenue around the city during Derby season.
“Thunder alone through a recent economic impact study makes up $126 million of our $200 million economic impact, that is a huge income generator for our community and the state as a whole,” Gibson said.
Van Harden and Clay Calvert were walking around Waterfront Park Saturday after the decision to cancel Thunder Over Louisville was announced.
“It’s one of the best things Louisville has to offer,” Harden said.
“When I saw that Thunder was canceled, I was like ‘nooo,’” Calvert said.
Cameron Harper, who was also walking around the riverfront Saturday, was disappointed that the springtime event was canceled.
“This is something we all look forward to leading us up to Derby,” Harper said. “I do understand where the city is coming from with it being a safety precaution.”
To view closings and cancellations due to severe weather and flooding this weekend, click here.
