The Galt House Hotel becomes the home of the Command Center for Thunder Over Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Count on Thunder Over Louisville being a blast.

WDRB's Keith Kaiser visited the Thunder Command Center to see the preparations.

Thunder Over Louisville on Saturday, April 23rd kicks off the Kentucky Derby Festival season.

"The Legend Returns" with a salute to the 75th Anniversary of the United States Air Force during the day.

The Thunder Air Show is one of the nation’s top air shows featuring both military and civilian aircraft.

Scheduled performances include the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo, U.S. Air Force C-17 Demo, U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight, the Kentucky Air National Guard 123rd Airlift Wing with the new C-130J, and the Commemorative Air Force’s B-29, B-24, and B-25, as well as the U.S. Navy E/A-18 Growler Demo with a Legacy Flight, Younkin Airshows, and many more.

At night, Thunder Over Louisville fills the sky with a display of brilliant fireworks and big booms.

Through a special second chance promotion sponsored by the Kentucky Lottery, Louisville resident Lillie Ingram won the opportunity to be this year’s Derby City Fanatic for the 2022 Kentucky Derby Festival.

As part of her big win, Ingram will serve as the Thundernator for the Derby Festival Opening Ceremonies.

She will have the opportunity to provide the Thunder countdown and “zero” ignition to activate the launch system sequence in the Command Center at the Galt House Hotel.

This year will mark the 33rd production of Thunder Over Louisville.

It is one of the more than 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring.

It provides an estimated impact of $56 million to the area’s economy.

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