When is Thunder Over Louisville in 2023? Your guide to the Kentucky Derby Festival event

The Kentucky Derby Festival has announced the theme for this year's fireworks and air show, which will be held on April 22 at Louisville's Waterfront Park. "Through the Decades" will be the theme of the 2023 Thunder Over Louisville, one of the largest annual fireworks shows and top airshows in North America.

"We have all become a little more nostalgic over the last few years because of those special events we have missed, and now we have an even greater appreciation for those traditions," Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival president and CEO, said. "We wanted the theme for this year's show to pay tribute to those favorite Thunder memories our Festival Fans have experienced across the decades."

Live 2023 Thunder Update: Everything you need to know from Saturday downtown

While fireworks have played a role in The Kentucky Derby Festival since the 1960s, the spark of the idea to create a pyrotechnics spectacular launched in 1991 when the first Thunder was held downtown over the Ohio River.

Here are the details you'll want to know when planning your Thunder Over Louisville experience.

When is Thunder Over Louisville 2023?

People will start to gather at Waterfront Park's North Great Lawn as early as 9 a.m., this year on Saturday, April 22. The Chow Wagon and more than 100 food and drink vendors and fun family activities kick off by 11 a.m. The massive airshow gets underway around 3 p.m. and will continue to delight fans until dusk. The firework show begins at 9:30 p.m. and lasts until 10 p.m.

Where is Thunder Over Louisville 2023?

Public viewing areas stretch from 8th Street to Clay Street north of Main Street in Kentucky, and along Riverside Drive from Ashland Park in Clarksville to Spring Street in Jeffersonville, Indiana, according to kdf.org. The Chow Wagon and Waterfront Park and North Great Lawn at Waterfront Park offer front-row seats to the show.

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What time are the fireworks for Thunder Over Louisville?

Once the sun sets, the artistry of Zambelli Fireworks and the production of Visual Presentations take over the sky above the Ohio River for a fireworks and music spectacular which runs from about 9:30-10 p.m.

"The secret with Thunder has been to pack as much firepower into 28 minutes as possible and produce a series of ‘finales,'" Wayne Hettinger, show producer and owner of Visual Presentations previously told the Courier Journal. Hettinger has it down to a science, working with the team from Zambelli to create a heart-stopping, eye-popping show.

What's the theme for Thunder Over Louisville 2023?

This year's theme is inspired by the early years of Thunder Over Louisville and how much the show has grown over the decades. Thunder draws thousands of fans spanning all ages and generations, who come together to celebrate on the Waterfront, and "Through the Decades" is meant to invoke feelings of nostalgia for this long-running Kentucky Derby Festival springtime tradition.

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Where is the best place to watch Thunder Over Louisville?

"People always ask 'where is the best seat at Thunder?'' said Hettinger. "I say it's anywhere that you can see the Second Street Bridge. The bridge is going to be very busy this year, with more bright and brilliant colors because Zambelli is now getting a lot of [its] fireworks from Spain and they produce fireworks with amazing colors."

What do I need to know about the Thunder Over Louisville Airshow?

The 2023 airshow beings at 3 p.m. on April 22 at Waterfront Park. The festival is planning another packed air show line-up this year featuring both military and civilian aircraft. Highlights include The Air Force F-35 Demo and Heritage Flight, Navy F-35 Demo and Growler Demo with Legacy Flight, U.S. Army Golden Knights, Matt Younkin’s "Magic by Moonlight" performance, as well as numerous warbirds taking to the skies, including the P-51 Mustang, F-86 Sabre, F4U Corsair and F8F Bearcat.

More details about the 2023 Thunder Air Show will be released closer to the event date.

Will there be a drone show at Thunder Over Louisville?

You bet there will be a drone show. The third annual Drone Show powered by LG&E is another highlight of the 2023 show and will light up the nighttime sky with a variety of unique designs just before the fireworks begin.

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Is there a new location for the Meijer Family Fun Zone?

This year, the Meijer Family Fun Zone returns to a new location at the Big Four Bridge, 1101 River Road, and offers a prime viewing space filled with family activities.

How do I get to Thunder Over Louisville?

As part of its partnership to make the Kentucky Derby Festival accessible to the entire community, Humana will once again be sponsoring free rides to Thunder Over Louisville in partnership with TARC. More information on the free-fare day will be released in the coming weeks.

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How can I watch or listen to Thunder Over Louisville at home?

Thunder Over Louisville's 2023 official broadcast partners are WAVE television and MIX 106.9 radio.

Who sponsors Thunder Over Louisville?

Caesars Southern Indiana, Humana, Humana, LG&E, Meijer and UPS are back again in 2023 as presenting sponsors of Thunder Over Louisville.

"We are especially grateful for the generosity of our sponsors who come back year after year to allow us to produce this one-of-a-kind event and bring our city together to kick off the Derby Festival season," Gibson said.

In addition to the Presenting Sponsors, AKIMA is the Military Zone Sponsor and the official hotel is the Galt House Hotel. TEN20 Craft Brewery is the official craft beer and High Noon is the official seltzer of Thunder Over Louisville.

Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Thunder Over Louisville in 2023: Everything to know about fireworks show