Kentucky Derby Festival

Name

Kentucky Derby Festival

Legal name

Kentucky Derby Festival

Website

https://kdf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Festival and Event Management

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Spectator Sports (71121), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Parades, Carnivals & Street Fairs (MPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Racecourse Hospitality, Sponsorship & On-Track Experiences (MPAEADAM)

Keywords

• Community festival events
• Charity fundraising events
• Marathon road race
• Community celebration services
• Air show events

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Pegasus Pin Sales: The festival sells official Pegasus Pins that provide admission to events and experiences. Pins are available in limited editions and special formats including gold-filled versions for VIP packages.
2. Sponsorship Revenue: Pinnacle Sponsors and Official Product partners provide financial and in-kind support. Includes title sponsors like Humana for the Marathon and Stock Yards Bank for the Hole-In-One contest.
3. Golden Ticket Raffle: Charitable raffle with tickets at $50 (1 ticket), $75 (2 tickets), $100 (3 tickets). Proceeds benefit the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation. Limited to 1,500 tickets.
4. Race Registration Fees: Marathon and miniMarathon registration fees. In 2019: miniMarathon $95, Marathon $105.
5. Event Ticket Sales: WineFest general admission $50, designated driver $10. Various events require Pegasus Pin for admission.
6. Merchandise Sales: Official Kentucky Derby Festival merchandise including posters, apparel, and event-specific gear sold through the KDF shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Kentucky Derby Festival is a nonprofit community organization that produces a month-long series of events in the weeks preceding the Kentucky Derby. Its offerings include the Thunder Over Louisville air show, the Marathon and miniMarathon, the Pegasus Parade, WineFest, the Great Bed Races, the Great Steamboat Race, and a $1 Million Hole-In-One Golf Contest. Revenue is generated through Pegasus Pin sales (which serve as event admission), event ticket sales, race registration fees, official merchandise, sponsorship activations, and a charitable Golden Ticket Raffle that benefits the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation.

Product overview

The Kentucky Derby Festival is a monthlong celebration preceding the Kentucky Derby, offering a diverse portfolio of events and products. Core offerings include collectible Pegasus Pins serving as event admission, the flagship Thunder Over Louisville air show with drone performances, the Marathon/MiniMarathon road race series, and the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade. Additional events include WineFest, Great Bed Races, the Great Steamboat Race, and the $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest. The Festival operates an e-commerce merchandise platform and virtual Festival at Home programming. The Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation manages charitable initiatives including Thorobred VIP, JusticeFest, and RoboRumble. The Festival's annual charitable impact is nearly $250,000, supported by Pinnacle Sponsors and Official Product Partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Thunder Over Louisville: Annual air show featuring military aircraft demonstrations and drone shows, one of the largest annual events in the festival
• Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon
• Pegasus Pins
• Pegasus Parade
• Great Bed Races

Products and services

• Pegasus Pins Official collectible pins that serve as admission credentials to most Kentucky Derby Festival events, available in standard, limited edition, and gold-filled VIP formats.
• Thunder Over Louisville Annual air show and fireworks event featuring military aircraft demonstrations, drone shows, and pyrotechnics over the Ohio River in Louisville.
• Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon Annual road race featuring a full marathon, miniMarathon, 5K, marathon relay, and virtual race options that pass through Churchill Downs racetrack.
• Republic Bank Pegasus Parade Annual parade marching down Broadway in Louisville featuring floats, horses, and celebrity appearances, held since 1956.
• WineFest Wine tasting event featuring wineries from Kentucky and Indiana with sampling, cooking demonstrations, and a Kentucky Proud market.
• Great Bed Races Annual bed racing competition at Broadbent Arena where teams race beds on wheels around a figure-eight course with themed decorations.
• Golden Ticket Raffle Annual charity raffle with prizes including Kentucky Derby and Oaks tickets, VIP experiences, and gold-filled Pegasus Pins, benefiting the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation.
• Great Steamboat Race Competition between historic steamboats on the Ohio River culminating with the Belle of Louisville leading the fleet, with associated practice cruises and brunch events.
• Stock Yards Bank $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest Golf competition where contestants attempt a hole-in-one from 150 yards for a chance at a $1 million prize, with daily qualifying rounds and finals.
• Official Kentucky Derby Festival Merchandise Official merchandise including apparel, accessories, collectibles, event-specific items, and annual official posters available online and at festival locations.
• Foundation Charitable Programs Charitable initiatives of the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation including the Thorobred VIP Program, JusticeFest, RoboRumble robotics competition, and Fillies Derby Ball.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.5 million+ attendees annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Khalil's CateringcoreOthers · 16 February 2026New concessionaire for the Kentucky Derby Festival starting 2026, ending the previous provider's run since 2010. First change in food service provider in over a decade.
• HumanacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 April 2019Title Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon. Provides significant funding and brand presence for the largest day of road racing in Kentucky.
• Stock Yards BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the $1 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Contest. Primary brand association with the annual golf event.
• Kentucky ProudmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the annual WineFest event, promoting Kentucky farm wineries and vineyards during Derby Week.
• Churchill DownscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue and key partner for Kentucky Derby Week. Partnership includes Sunday Funday events and Derby Week programming. Churchill Downs provides venue access and coordinates with KDF for community engagement.
• KrogercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, the main entertainment venue during Derby Week featuring concerts, family fun, and midway rides.
• Ford Motor CompanymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPinnacle Sponsor with automotive presence during festival events.
• AT&TmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPinnacle Sponsor providing telecommunications partnership for the festival.
• Brown-FormanmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPinnacle Sponsor and parent company of bourbon brands featured at festival events.
• Kern's Kitchen DERBY-PIE®majorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Product partner providing the signature Derby Pie for festival events and merchandise.
• Shae Goodlett (University of Kentucky)minorOthersGraphic design lecturer selected to design the official 2026 Kentucky Derby Festival poster, unveiled February 6, 2026.
• Republic BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade, one of the signature events of Derby Week.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/kyderbyfestival
• YouTubeyoutube.com/kyderbyfestival
• Xx.com/KyDerbyFestival
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kentucky-derby-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kentucky Derby Festival