KDF 'They're Off! Luncheon' kicks off Derby season in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The Kentucky Derby Festival is celebrating the start of the Derby season with its annual kick-off luncheon.

Friday, legendary boxer, Olympic Gold Medalist, and Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard was the featured speaker at the "They’re Off! Luncheon" held in the Grand Ballroom at the Galt House Hotel.

WDRB's Krystal Goodner served as the emcee.

KDF also announced the recipients of the Volunteer of the Year Award and the Silver Horseshoe Award for service to the community. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear even stopped by to help celebrate the big day.

More than 1,500 people were at the luncheon, first held in 1957, making it the second-oldest event on the KDF schedule. But not everyone was there to celebrate.

Pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the Galt House to show their support of ending the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict and to protest the luncheon's sponsor, BAE Systems.

According to a news release from the Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine, the group who led the protest, Louisville's BAE System produces weapons for fighter jets that are being supplied to Israel.

The group called for the end of BAE Systems, to stop supplying weapons to Israel, KDF to drop BAE Systems as a sponsor, and for Mayor Craig Greenberg to stop supporting Israel.