Thunder Over Louisville

It is a great time a nice air show and at night the most amazing fireworks display most people will ever see. I lived in Louisville for a few years and really enjoyed this event ever year. The only problem is on the Louisville side of the Ohio river the downtown area is really busy and can be a bear to move around. So I prefer the Jeffersonville side of the Ohio river you still have a great view of the firework and its not as busy. If you can get there go to Jimmies on the River for some good buys on drinks.

If you haven’t been to Thunder at least once in your life, it’s definitely worth going too! But I’d leave the kids (and pets!) at home. Especially if you’re going to experience Thunder the right way—on the waterfront. It’s one big drinking party.

The air show is at 3 pm and is okay. It breaks up the afternoon at least. Because if you’re going to Thunder, you need to arrive at least by 11 am. And the fireworks don’t start until 9:30ish. So….it’s a WHOLE day thing.

I’ve gone the last couple years in a row. I think I’ve got it out of my system for now. We probably won’t go back next year. It’s worth doing at least once, but not something you need to see every single year.

This is an annual event, marking the beginning of two weeks of activities for The Kentucky Derby. Thunder Over Louisville is a full day of fun. Starting in the afternoon with an air show that last past dark and til the beginning of the largest fireworks show in the United States set to music! Folks from all over the world come to experience the events. There are food booths, a beer garden, soveniers, and plenty of space to call your own for the viewing along the banks of the Ohio River. The fireworks display is so big that they close the highway before the show. It takes 3 barges, a bridge, and a big sky to perform the entire firework display. The show is broadcast over the local television channel and you can watch the festivities from your lawn chair over your portable tv, if you have one as well. You can tell about all the sites but there is absolutely no way to explain the fireworks set to music and being there under the stars. The booming and awesome colors are breath taking and the music can make it an emotional roller coaster. You just have to be there to feel it. Come April pack your car, camper, or fly to Jeffersonville, IN or Louisville, KY. They say that the sites are better from Jeffersonville. I don’t know because I have always watched from the Indiana side anyway. One important thing is that you get there before noon. This is a huge traffic and people magnet! We always go for the entire weekend and stay in one of the near by hotels. Hotels and campgrounds are expensive so shop wisely and book early! It’s worth it…go for it! ENJOY! See you there.

When I went one year, my cousins and I decided to sell glowsticks on one of the main fairways where tons of people would walk by and see us. One of the venders came over to us and asked if we had a vending license. We said “No we’re just kids” and he took our box of glowsticks from us. My aunt was furious so we told her where he was, she went right into his tent, behind his table, and stole them back. We continued selling them and it was a blast. As it is every year! My uncle flies in the airshow sometimes too.

I grew up in Louisville, KY, and Thunder has alway been (and always will be) one of the biggest events in Kentucky. EVERYONE either goes to the riverfront to watch, or they watch it at home on TV. This year there was over 100,000 people just on the KY side of the river. People camp out on both the KY and Indiana sides just to get good seating. It is a huge deal there. If you go once, you’ll want to go again.