May 2014- Cities large and small often have an event once a year that draws regional or even national attention. Cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are such icons that visitors trek to their environs whether there is anything special going on or not. And then there are a few cities, mostly medium-sized, which have an annual event that brings international notoriety: cities such as New Orleans, Indianapolis, Daytona and Louisville, Ky.
Mention Louisville and what immediately comes to mind is the first Saturday in May when, for two minutes or so, specially bred horses called Thoroughbreds chase each other around an oval track at the world-famous Churchill Downs in a quest for eternal fame as the winner of the Kentucky Derby.
To be in Louisville for the derby is something that cannot be fully appreciated via television. It’s an emotional event where even the most jaded notice dampness in their eyes when the band strikes up “My Old Kentucky Home” and thousands upon thousands of attendees—from Millionaires Row to the infamous infield crowd—sing along.
But you have to come and visit during the Kentucky Derby Festival—an event that goes on for nearly three weeks prior to the race—to really immerse yourself in the hospitality and good times that are part and parcel of the total experience.
The Kentucky Derby Festival
It’s a party that begins in mid-April, doesn’t end until the Sunday after the derby, and there is nothing like it anywhere else. The symbol of the festival is the winged horse Pegasus.
There’s a parade in his honor and it’s definitely not a small town-event. The parade, which began in 1956 with a budget of just $640, is now the Kentucky Derby Festival’s oldest event. It’s also one of the largest parades in the country, channeling an estimated $22 million into the local economy. The 2014 Pegasus Parade down Broadway (theme: “Call of the Wild”) will feature the some of the nation’s finest marching bands, equestrian units, inflatable characters and colorful floats on May 1.
There’s also a balloon race that rivals Albuquerque’s famous festival. There’s an airshow held over the Ohio River and there isn’t a bad seat to be found. The Kentucky Derby Festival is also host to Thunder over Louisville, one of the biggest fireworks shows in North America. Its name pretty well describes the noise; but visually, well, you just have to see it.
There’s top-quality entertainment and there’s food. (Oh my, is there ever food!) In addition, there’s a marathon and mini-marathon, bed races and a winefest. You can even say (truthfully), “There’s an app for that!” The iTunes Store offers a Kentucky Derby Festival app for smartphones.
And then there’s the nightlife: from the entertainment hot spots on the Fourth Street mall, to the east side pubs, to the casino across the river in Indiana—if you’re looking for things to occupy your time after you’ve spent the day taking in the festival, you’re not going to be disappointed.
The other 49 weeks of the year
But what if it isn’t derby time? Is it still worth visiting Louisville? Yes. In fact, if you’re a laid-back person who tries to avoid the glitz, the other 49 weeks of the year are an even better time to visit.
All the charm is still there; the food is just as good; the pubs are still in business as well as the casino. And Churchill Downs features both spring and fall meets, so you can still experience the most famous horse racing track in the world sans the crowds.
In fact, there are so many things to do, you’ll need more than just a couple of days.
You can take a tour of the plant where the famous Louisville Slugger baseball bat is made. You can visit the Muhammad Ali Center, a monument to Louisville’s most famous son.
UPS World Port, the huge air freight operation, is located in Louisville, and just across the river lies the world’s largest exposed prehistoric fossil bed, The Falls of the Ohio, dating back millions of years to the Devonian era.
Thomas Edison lived and worked here and his house is open to tours. Lewis and Clark launched their expedition from here.
Actor’s Theater—a regional theater that has launched numerous playwrights and debuted several plays that went on to national success—is located near the river on Main Street.
The University of Louisville is here with its groundbreaking medical research facilities, as well as its backboard-rattling basketball team.
A mix of architecture—from the innovative, to Victorian and Antebellum, to avant-garde—is on display throughout the area.
Southeast of Louisville are the distilleries that produce Kentucky’s famous bourbon whiskey, and many of them feature tasting rooms. To the east is the Bluegrass Region with the Kentucky horse farms that have produced so many Derby and Triple Crown winners.
A few hours’ drive south and you are in Bowling Green, Ky., home of the Corvette automobile plant and the National Corvette Museum. This museum was recently in the news when a sinkhole opened under the facility on Feb. 12 and swallowed eight prized Corvettes. However, tours, deliveries and rentals still carry on as usual—with a new “viewing window” added to give visitors a glimpse of the sinkhole.
And to the southwest is Fort Knox with the Gen. George Patton Museum and the gold vault (which, unlike the distilleries, does not offer samples.)
Louisville bills itself is the Gateway to the South. It’s an amalgam of Midwest friendliness and Southern charm. It’s the place that Col. Harlan Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame called home. Football players Paul Hornung and Johnny Unitas as well as Baseball Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese all called this city home.
Louisville and its surrounding area offer both slow-paced and fast-paced experiences so you can personalize your trip accordingly. It’s a place that allows you to take in its abundant beauty in small installments or all at once. And if you come in April, if you become part of the special time that ends with the “most famous two minutes in racing,” you’ll go home with memories to last a lifetime.
Getting there
There are three airports that serve Louisville: Louisville International (KSDF), Bowman Field (KLOU), and Clark Regional (KJVY) in Clark County, Ind.
Of the three, the best place to land is KJVY. It has less expensive Avgas, an ILS, wide-open approaches without houses abutting the airport fence, and it’s only 10 minutes from downtown Louisville.
There are two fixed wing FBOs at KJVY: Honaker Aviation and Aircraft Specialists. Tiedowns are generally available—even on Derby weekend—but call ahead. Transient hangar space is at a premium at all Louisville airports for Derby weekend and will definitely require advance coordination.
Remember to check with Flight Service for TFRs and to learn if there are any flow control procedures in place, particularly on Derby day itself.
If you do decide to come for the derby, there are often IFR delays due to the huge number of business jets that flock to the area beginning the Friday before race, so plan accordingly. Hotels require a package purchase for a three-night stay during Derby weekend (with associated rate increases), and reservations are strongly recommended at all non-fast-food restaurants.
Louisville is obviously a special place for me because I was born here. I’m biased and admit it—but I think if you visit, you’ll fall in love with the place. And I predict your first visit will not be your last.
John Loughmiller is a 4,600-hour commercial pilot and CFII MEI-A. He lives in Kentucky with Donna, his wife of 39 years, and often commits random acts of aviation. Send questions or comments to editor@www.piperflyer.com.
RESOURCES
Aircraft Specialists, Inc.
(800) 356-3723, ext. 801 and 802
800projets.com
Clark Regional Airport (KJVY)
clarkregionalairport.com
Honaker Aviation
(812) 246-7456
honakeraviation.com
Kentucky Derby Festival
kdf.org
Louisville, Ky. visitors’ information
louisvilleky.gov/visitors
