Apr. 20—SOUTHERN INDIANA — Local residents and businesses are preparing for two of the biggest events in the region, Thunder Over Louisville and The Kentucky Derby. The two events make it one of the busiest times for Southern Indiana with people coming from out of town to join the community in celebrating the events. For businesses, ensuring there's enough staff, planning special features for patrons and stocking up on supplies are some of the primary challenges of Derby season. Upland Brewing Co., 707 West Riverside Drive, Jeffersonville, will feature a beer garden for Saturday's Thunder Over Louisville. The restaurant also sells tickets for their patio tables and for a private party. "We get close to 1,000 people, if not 1,000," said Mike O'Donnell, general manager for Upland Brewing Co. "We bring people from other locations, people who have done work for us will come just for the day." O'Donnell added that some years they have seen 1,200 people come to the restaurant just to see Thunder Over Louisville from their restaurant's riverside deck and parking lot. Some weekends Upland will see a similar amount of people coming to the restaurant, but the main difference is that on a normal weekend the patrons are spread out throughout the entire day or weekend. For Thunder Over Louisville, they have that many people present for the whole day.

The restaurant, like many in Southern Indiana, experiences an increase of customers leading up to the Derby, but it does not hit the numbers that Thunder Over Louisville brings. "Once the actual weekend itself hits, everything is kind of condensed over to the Louisville side," O'Donnell said of Derby. "I don't feel the traffic like I did a couple days beforehand. So, we kind of have normal business for Derby unfortunately." Thunder Over Louisville and the Derby is the kickoff for busy season for Cluckers, said Brenden Roland, Clucker's general manager. Cluckers is located at 100 West Riverside Drive in Jeffersonville. "It's something we look forward too, we have a lot of our regulars down... it's a great time," Roland said. Much like Upland, Cluckers will be having a buffet for those who want to celebrate Thunder with the restaurant. Table seats will be $80 and individual bar seats will be $50, doors will open at 3 p.m. and the buffet will be open from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Call Cluckers at (812) 590-3662 to reserve a seat. During Thunder Over Louisville, Cluckers expects to have a couple hundred people celebrate the event with them. The Derby does not bring much more business than usual to the restaurant. "We're trying to be staffed up," Roland said. "A lot of these places (restaurants) out here are having issues with that. That's the main thing really, just trying to find help." Jeffersonville and Clarksville have taken precautions in preparation for Thunder Over Louisville to keep attendants safe and have fun during the event. Jeffersonville Police also announced the following road closures and no parking zones that will be in effect from 8 a.m. to around midnight on Saturday. On Saturday at 5 p.m. road blocks in the downtown Jeffersonville area will shut down vehicular access to everyone but residents and emergency vehicles at: —Riverside Drive from Jeff Boat, west to Clarksville —Market Street from Spring Street, west to Clarksville —Missouri Avenue from Market Street, north to South Clark Boulevard —Southern Indiana Avenue —River Pointe Plaza, North Shore Drive, Clark Street and Fort Street —Parking under the Kennedy Bridge —The 100 blocks of Spring, Wall, Walnut and Locust streets —Mulberry Street from West Maple Street to Riverside Drive —West Court Avenue at Broadway Street west to Missouri Avenue —All alleyways along the floodwall from Jeffboat, west to the city limits —West Maple Street west of Mulberry Street Thunder Over Louisville and The Kentucky Derby have a significant impact on the economy of Southern Indiana, especially on the hotels. The hotels that are within walking distance of the riverfront see the most impact from Thunder Over Louisville. "Derby is a whole other story," said Jim Epperson, SoIN Tourism's executive director. "There has been a lot of new hotel development on our side of the river... It does not see to have watered down the supply. We're not over supplied for the Derby, yet." Epperson added that if someone was to try to make reservations for the Derby weekend, they will see high rates and have a three night minimum to get a hotel for the event. SoIN Tourism found that the average occupancy rate for hotels in Clark and Floyd County for last year's Thunder Over Louisville weekend, Thursday through Saturday, was up 9% from 2019. The number of rooms booked in 2022 was up 14% from 2019. Room supply in 2022 was up 4.8% from 2019. For Kentucky Derby weekend, tourism officials found that the average occupancy rate for hotels in Clark and Floyd County in 2022 was virtually the same as 2019. The demand for rooms in 2022, the number of rooms booked, was up 9% from 2019. Room supply in 2022 was up 9% from 2019. Other businesses that benefit from the two events are restaurants and retail stores. Southern Indiana businesses capitalize with more marketing and self promotion, Epperson said. "That's a really easy case to make with Thunder because some of the best viewing is on our side of the river," Epperson said. "Businesses can also do some crafty online marketing to draw the attention of people who are coming in from out of town and don't really know what they're looking for and where to go." Road closures will be going into effect for Thunder, with some already underway. Interstate 65 south will be closed at Interstate 265 at 7 p.m. on Saturday. All I-65 south traffic will be diverted onto I-265 and once the fireworks are over and the interstate is cleared the highway will reopen. Other road information: —The Second Street Bridge closed Thursday and will reopen on Sunday around 2 p.m. —Friday: There will be a 5 p.m. soft closure of Riverside Drive in Jeffersonville —Saturday: The Big Four Bridge closes at 8 a.m. and will re-open around 10 p.m. —All residents should have parking passes on their vehicles and guest vehicles by 8 a.m. People can pick up parking passes for themselves and their guests through Friday evening at the Jeffersonville Police Department. Jeffersonville Police also announced the following road closures and no parking zones that will be in effect from 8 a.m. to around midnight on Saturday. On Saturday at 5 p.m. road blocks in the downtown Jeffersonville area will shut down vehicular access to everyone but residents and emergency vehicles at: —Riverside Drive from Jeff Boat, west to Clarksville —Market Street from Spring Street, west to Clarksville —Missouri Avenue from Market Street, north to South Clark Boulevard —Southern Indiana Avenue —River Pointe Plaza, North Shore Drive, Clark Street and Fort Street —Parking under the Kennedy Bridge —The 100 blocks of Spring, Wall, Walnut and Locust streets —Mulberry Street from West Maple Street to Riverside Drive —West Court Avenue at Broadway Street west to Missouri Avenue —All alleyways along the floodwall from Jeffboat, west to the city limits —West Maple Street west of Mulberry Street

SOUTHERN INDIANA — Local residents and businesses are preparing for two of the biggest events in the region, Thunder Over Louisville and The Kentucky Derby.

The two events make it one of the busiest times for Southern Indiana with people coming from out of town to join the community in celebrating the events.

For businesses, ensuring there's enough staff, planning special features for patrons and stocking up on supplies are some of the primary challenges of Derby season.

Upland Brewing Co., 707 West Riverside Drive, Jeffersonville, will feature a beer garden for Saturday's Thunder Over Louisville. The restaurant also sells tickets for their patio tables and for a private party.

"We get close to 1,000 people, if not 1,000," said Mike O'Donnell, general manager for Upland Brewing Co. "We bring people from other locations, people who have done work for us will come just for the day."

O'Donnell added that some years they have seen 1,200 people come to the restaurant just to see Thunder Over Louisville from their restaurant's riverside deck and parking lot.

Some weekends Upland will see a similar amount of people coming to the restaurant, but the main difference is that on a normal weekend the patrons are spread out throughout the entire day or weekend. For Thunder Over Louisville, they have that many people present for the whole day.

The restaurant, like many in Southern Indiana, experiences an increase of customers leading up to the Derby, but it does not hit the numbers that Thunder Over Louisville brings.

"Once the actual weekend itself hits, everything is kind of condensed over to the Louisville side," O'Donnell said of Derby. "I don't feel the traffic like I did a couple days beforehand. So, we kind of have normal business for Derby unfortunately."

Thunder Over Louisville and the Derby is the kickoff for busy season for Cluckers, said Brenden Roland, Clucker's general manager. Cluckers is located at 100 West Riverside Drive in Jeffersonville.

"It's something we look forward too, we have a lot of our regulars down... it's a great time," Roland said.

Much like Upland, Cluckers will be having a buffet for those who want to celebrate Thunder with the restaurant. Table seats will be $80 and individual bar seats will be $50, doors will open at 3 p.m. and the buffet will be open from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Call Cluckers at (812) 590-3662 to reserve a seat.

During Thunder Over Louisville, Cluckers expects to have a couple hundred people celebrate the event with them. The Derby does not bring much more business than usual to the restaurant.

"We're trying to be staffed up," Roland said. "A lot of these places (restaurants) out here are having issues with that. That's the main thing really, just trying to find help."

Jeffersonville and Clarksville have taken precautions in preparation for Thunder Over Louisville to keep attendants safe and have fun during the event.

Jeffersonville Police also announced the following road closures and no parking zones that will be in effect from 8 a.m. to around midnight on Saturday.

On Saturday at 5 p.m. road blocks in the downtown Jeffersonville area will shut down vehicular access to everyone but residents and emergency vehicles at:

—Riverside Drive from Jeff Boat, west to Clarksville

—Market Street from Spring Street, west to Clarksville

—Missouri Avenue from Market Street, north to South Clark Boulevard

—Southern Indiana Avenue

—River Pointe Plaza, North Shore Drive, Clark Street and Fort Street

—Parking under the Kennedy Bridge

—The 100 blocks of Spring, Wall, Walnut and Locust streets

—Mulberry Street from West Maple Street to Riverside Drive

—West Court Avenue at Broadway Street west to Missouri Avenue

—All alleyways along the floodwall from Jeffboat, west to the city limits

—West Maple Street west of Mulberry Street

Thunder Over Louisville and The Kentucky Derby have a significant impact on the economy of Southern Indiana, especially on the hotels.

The hotels that are within walking distance of the riverfront see the most impact from Thunder Over Louisville.

"Derby is a whole other story," said Jim Epperson, SoIN Tourism's executive director. "There has been a lot of new hotel development on our side of the river... It does not see to have watered down the supply. We're not over supplied for the Derby, yet."

Epperson added that if someone was to try to make reservations for the Derby weekend, they will see high rates and have a three night minimum to get a hotel for the event.

SoIN Tourism found that the average occupancy rate for hotels in Clark and Floyd County for last year's Thunder Over Louisville weekend, Thursday through Saturday, was up 9% from 2019. The number of rooms booked in 2022 was up 14% from 2019. Room supply in 2022 was up 4.8% from 2019.

For Kentucky Derby weekend, tourism officials found that the average occupancy rate for hotels in Clark and Floyd County in 2022 was virtually the same as 2019. The demand for rooms in 2022, the number of rooms booked, was up 9% from 2019. Room supply in 2022 was up 9% from 2019.

Other businesses that benefit from the two events are restaurants and retail stores.

Southern Indiana businesses capitalize with more marketing and self promotion, Epperson said.

"That's a really easy case to make with Thunder because some of the best viewing is on our side of the river," Epperson said. "Businesses can also do some crafty online marketing to draw the attention of people who are coming in from out of town and don't really know what they're looking for and where to go."

Road closures will be going into effect for Thunder, with some already underway.

Interstate 65 south will be closed at Interstate 265 at 7 p.m. on Saturday. All I-65 south traffic will be diverted onto I-265 and once the fireworks are over and the interstate is cleared the highway will reopen.

Other road information:

—The Second Street Bridge closed Thursday and will reopen on Sunday around 2 p.m.

—Friday: There will be a 5 p.m. soft closure of Riverside Drive in Jeffersonville

—Saturday: The Big Four Bridge closes at 8 a.m. and will re-open around 10 p.m.

—All residents should have parking passes on their vehicles and guest vehicles by 8 a.m. People can pick up parking passes for themselves and their guests through Friday evening at the Jeffersonville Police Department.

Jeffersonville Police also announced the following road closures and no parking zones that will be in effect from 8 a.m. to around midnight on Saturday.

On Saturday at 5 p.m. road blocks in the downtown Jeffersonville area will shut down vehicular access to everyone but residents and emergency vehicles at:

—Riverside Drive from Jeff Boat, west to Clarksville

—Market Street from Spring Street, west to Clarksville

—Missouri Avenue from Market Street, north to South Clark Boulevard

—Southern Indiana Avenue

—River Pointe Plaza, North Shore Drive, Clark Street and Fort Street

—Parking under the Kennedy Bridge

—The 100 blocks of Spring, Wall, Walnut and Locust streets

—Mulberry Street from West Maple Street to Riverside Drive

—West Court Avenue at Broadway Street west to Missouri Avenue

—All alleyways along the floodwall from Jeffboat, west to the city limits

—West Maple Street west of Mulberry Street