Time: 04-20-2012 15:56 User: jshill PubDate: 04-21-2012 Zone: KY Edition: 1 Page Name: A9 Color: CyanMagentaYellowBlack KY THE COURIER-JOURNAL | SATURDAY,APRIL 21, 2012 | A9 ASTAR-SPANGLEDB3ast! Welcome to Thunder Over Louisville –the biggest single- Gates to the North Great Lawn will open at 9a.m. TheMeijer dayevent in the Southeastern United States. It’sour great Family Fun Zone on the West Belvedere will feature avariety pleasure to bring youone of the largest annual fireworks shows of family-oriented activities. (A Meijer wristband is required for in North America, and one of the top Air Shows in the nation. entry). Some attractions require a2012Pegasus Pin admission, Hundreds of thousands ofspectators will be treated to world- but some are completely free. Most are open from 11 a.m. until class entertainment along the banks of the scenic Ohio River; the fireworks showbegins at 9:30 p.m. thousands more will traveltoLouisville from all overthe country Thunder OverLouisville and the nearly 70other Kentucky to enjoythemanyfree activities during the run of the 2012 DerbyFestival events would not be possible without the Kentucky DerbyFestival. enthusiastic support of our communityand more than 4,000 Thunder Over Louisville –the Kentucky DerbyFestival’s volunteers who work tirelessly to help produce the events. It’s Opening Ceremonies –kicks offtwo weeks of family-oriented their hard work and dedication that has made the Kentucky fun. Thunder,whichcelebrates its 23rd birthdaythis year,is DerbyFestival one of the most recognized civic celebrations the DerbyFestival’smost spectacular event. In the weeks that in the world. follow, there are nearly 70 other events on tap–the Kentucky Wendy Jacob Michael E. Berry Thunder itself could not happen without the generous DerbyFestival provides something foreveryone! Today’sshow 2012 DerbyFestival Chair President and CEO support of our corporate sponsors –Horseshoe Southern promises to beasheart-pounding asever. In keeping with Thunder’s 2012 theme –“AStar-Spangled Blast” –the fireworks Indiana, LG&E, Meijer and UPS.These companies recognize soundtrackwill feature patriotic and familiar songs from the war remaining models of their kind still in existence. the importance of this event to the communityand are vital years in U.S. history. Ford’sThunder on the Ground activities will offerall-day to keeping the showfree forthe public. They join manyofyou This year’s Thunder Air Showwill include awide variety entertainment. From the Thunder FoodFest to the Interactive who contributed directly to the McDonald’sThunder Funder of militaryand civilian aerial acts, including aHarrier jet DisplayArea to the Kid’sPlayAreas on the South Great Lawn, program in recent weeks at ninety-sevenarea McDonald’s demo and several unique aircraftfrom the private Collings there’s refreshments and fun galore to found all overthe venue. restaurants and at www.mcdonaldsthunderfunder.org.Our Foundation collection. This year’s Thunder is one of three air TheMeijer Mobile Virtual Playground will giveyoungsters an entire communitythanks youfor helping to support the show. shows around the countryselected to help celebrate the interactiveexperience throughout the day. There will also be On behalf of our board of directors, staffand volunteers, we 100th anniversaryof Marine aviation. Facilitated by the Marine displays and demonstrations from branches of the U.S. military, wish youaverysafeandpleasurable Thunder Day.This is just Corps Coordinating Council of Kentucky, some of the Marine including astatic Apache helicopter and abooth manned by the beginning of afun-filled DerbyFestival. Grab afriend and a aircraftdate backtothe start of World WarIIand are the only members of the Noel F. Parrish Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen. Pegasus Pin and enjoyall the attractions ahead! 23RD ANNUAL Thunde/ 1ver Louisivlle SPONSORED BY: THUNDER OVER LOUISVILLE PRODUCTION CREDITS Kentucky State Police Thunder is the largest single-dayevent production in the Southeast. To produce the Opening Ceremonies, the Festival coordinates with nearly every public agency on both sides of the Ohio River and relies on the efforts Louisville Fire and Rescue of nearly 2,000 volunteers and the professional services of hundreds of vendors. With the financial support Louisville International Airport of generous sponsors, the stage forthis enormous production (without adress rehearsal) is set. Louisville Metro EMS Show Producer Air Traffic Controller Marine Safety Operations Louisville Metro Police Wayne Hettinger Jerry Wise US Coast Guard Louisville Metro Police Dive Show Director Bridge Operations LTMC Adam Keeling Team TimCreed Alex Freeman LTJG Bradford Clark Louisville Metro Police Traffic Director of Fireworks Crowd Services Media &Public Information TheFestival does not receive Louisville Division ofFire Michael Richards taxdollars or monetaryfunding Derby Festival Event Manager Tricia Siegwald, Aimee Boyd, from local government, but the Metro Louisville Electrical Shanna H. Ward KDF Dir.OfEvent Production KDF VP Communications services of manypublic agencies Maintenance Department Derby Festival VP of Events Event Support Mark Shallcross, ensure that Thunder happens Metro Louisville Public Works KDF Communications Manager eachyear.You would not see the Metro Louisville Solid Waste Matt Gibson Ward Robinson showwithout their support. Derby Festival Chair Eric Maddox Robert Young Management Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Wendy Jacob Jackie Floyd KDF VP of Public Relations Padgett, Inc. Derby Festival President &CEO Military Air Operations American Red Cross Township of Clarksville Federal Aviation Administration Bowman Field Michael E. Berry Col. Greg Nelson US Coast Guard Derby Festival Executive Board Randall Sizemore City of Jeffersonville Captain Josh Ketterer Waterfront Development Co. Trish Osborn Matt Galica Clarksville Police Military Air Support Coordination National Weather Service Event Chairman Hospitality Lt. Josh Ketterer Coast Guard Auxiliary David Rush Mike Tully Suzie Kayrouz Pyro Tech Safety Officer Dismas Charities, Inc. Event Assistant Chairs Interactive Area Joe Codispoti EMA/METROSAFE Vendors donating some of Michael Sadofsky Trish Osborn Radio Communications Federal Bureau of their services to support Bill Lamb Jeanine Triplett Ty Cobb Investigation the show: Steve Karem Flight Standards FAALouisville LMPD Operations Show Announcer Cox Concessions Dan Young Frankfort Army National Guard Asst. Chief Kenton Buckner Gene Parham The Galt House Suzann Thompson Ft. Knox Army Jeanine Triplett Maj. James Smith Site Captains Ground Groomers Jim Bailey Indiana Department of Louis Waterman LMPD Traffic Transportation Cunningham Golf Carts Paul Carroll Command Center Operations Lt. Joe Seelye Indiana State Police Jeremy Curtis Marine Corps. Coordinating Treva Brockman LMPD Event Operations Indiana Water Patrol Council of Kentuckly Mitch Gibson Pamela Hettinger Lt. Lavita Chavous Inspections Permits & Professional Fence Company Jason Ketterer Dan Habel Lost Child Operations Licenses Radio Communication Mike Montgomery Ralph Henshaw Cindy Petrous Jefferson County Sheriff’s Systems Audio Engineering Mike Noland Office Rumpke Kelly Boswell Marine Barge Operations Josh Purvis Jeffersonville Police Mandie Clark McBride Fleet Sponsorship/Corp. Sales Kentucky Air National Guard Thrifty Truck Rental Air Boss Marine Operations Liaison Pat Armstrong, Kentucky Department of Tru-Service Landscaping Mike Riordan Larry Huber KDF Sr.VPofMarketing Transportation Aggreko Event Services THE OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERSOFTHUNDER McDONALD'S THUNDERFUNDERS It’sabout more than pyrotechnics and high-flying aerial acts. It’sabout BIG BANG LEVEL Louisville Magazine bringing the communitytogether in celebration of springtime and one of DuPont Louisville Science Center the most unique events in the world. It’sabout qualityentertainment forthe Napa River Grill entire family.It’sabout showcasing to the world what’ssospecial about Ford Motor Company our city. It’sabout fun. And it’sabout producing more than $56 million in Heartland Payment Systems Northwest Florida’sEmerald Coast economic activityonone single day. Humana PPG Porter Paints Where else can kids of all ages King Southern Bank Riverside Parking stand together and watchafree Michaels &Associates, Inc. The Wagner Group public showthat will makeone’s jaw Miller Lite Tumbleweed TexMex & drop? It takesthe funding of major Monty’sPlant Food Company,Inc. Margarita Bar corporate support and individuals to UPS ensure that Thunder continues to roll. Owsley Brown Frazier Thunder is made possible through PNC Broadway Across America WHITELEVEL the financial support of four major The Galt House Hotel &Suites sponsors –Horseshoe Southern Thrifty Car Rental BB&T Indiana, LG&E, Meijer and UPS –and TomDrexler Plumbing Buckhead Mountain Grill agrowing network of McDonald’s Zappos.com Citizens Union Bank Thunder Funders. Cox Media Group TheThunder Funder program, a REDLEVEL Impressions Inc. grassroots fundraising campaign, Chrysalis Ventures wasdeveloped in 2000 to involvecommunitymembers and all types of Nimlok Kentucky/Sign Crafters businesses that wanted to help support the show. Forthe seventh year in a Delta Services Rocky’sSub Pub row, McDonald’sRestaurants of Kentuckiana has joined the Kentucky Derby Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Xerox Festival as title sponsor of the Thunder Funder program. As part of their University sponsorship, 97 participating McDonald’srestaurants in Kentucky and Indiana Gatlinburg Tourism BLUE LEVEL will donate aportion