Thunder Over Louisville: Cold temps, fast planes and a ton of explosives

Thunder Over Louisville, the Kentucky Derby Festival's largest event returned for its 34th year Saturday and even weather fit for February − not April − did not keep thousands away from the waterfront.

"Through the Decades" was the theme of the 2023 Thunder Over Louisville, one of the largest annual fireworks shows and top airshows in North America.

"We have all become a little more nostalgic over the last few years because of those special events we have missed, and now we have an even greater appreciation for those traditions," Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival president and CEO, said previously. "We wanted the theme for this year's show to pay tribute to those favorite Thunder memories our Festival Fans have experienced across the decades."

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While fireworks have played a role in The Kentucky Derby Festival since the 1960s, the spark of the idea to create a pyrotechnics spectacular launched in 1991 when the first Thunder was held downtown over the Ohio River.

Did you miss Thunder or do you just want to relive the day? Check out our live blog and hundreds of photos from Thunder Over Louisville.

10 p.m.: And just like that, it's over

That's it. The fireworks are over and 2023 Thunder Over Louisville is officially finished.

Roger and Adele M. got married in Louisville 21 years ago. They came to Thunder five years ago when their son was 1 years old.

They came back from Maryland to celebrate their anniversary and watch the show.

And now they join thousands of others in the race to get home, to a hotel or an Airbnb.

9:30 p.m.: Finally time for fireworks -- then a "false start"

Viewers of the WAVE3 broadcast of the Thunder Over Louisville fireworks saw something people downtown might not have noticed: a false start.

The soundtrack for the program started, but no fireworks were exploding.

"The soundtrack came on and we heard a couple of the fireworks which appeared to be off the 2nd Street Bridge explode or ignite but none of the barges," WAVE hosts said. "They’re checking all their conditions now.”

That was followed by a live shot from inside the control room of people looking frantic as they appeared to be diagnosing the problem.

The fireworks started a few seconds later and the soundtrack was reset.

The Thunder Over Louisville fireworks finally started.

And while people downtown might not have noticed, Twitter did. Of course:

Kim Broyles and her daughters Presley and Lincoln enjoyed the festivities by running between outside and their room inside the Galt House, so they weren't about to miss the fireworks, even if Presley’s bare feet were cold inside her Crocs.

She hoped to see a heart-shaped firework. Kim had brought gloves for the girls. They sat on a bench as police car lights illuminated their faces. Kim said a few fireworks that had gone off throughout the day had made her pause to check if it was the sound of fireworks or gunfire.“Your reaction is still fresh,” she said.

9:00 p.m.: Mystery tour lands couple in Louisville

Don and Linda Pickering had no idea they were coming to Louisville. They showed up yesterday being told only that where they were going was between 50-70 degrees. But they decided to brave the cold anyways because they heard so much about the Thunder Over Louisville fireworks show.

They watched the air show and then went in search of sweatshirts. Linda convinced Don to stand outside for nearly 30 minutes before the show, despite him wearing shorts.They are on Huck’s mystery tour, run by Darrell Huckaby of Athens, Georgia. The tour route is a mystery and this is the sixth time the couple has had an amazing adventure.

They were at Churchill Downs yesterday.

“We have loved everything so far,” Don said. “Except we’re from Georgia. It’s not this cold.”

8:45 p.m.: Spectacle vs. cold

Norma Torres and Rafael Torres moved to Indiana from Mexico four years ago and it's their third year coming to Thunder Over Louisville.

The pair have stayed for the fireworks the last two years, but this year they are leaving early because of the cold.

“The spectacle is really beautiful, but we want to go back because of the cold,” Norma Torres said.

They said this is a great place to be with family and Norma Torres was thankful for the security and said the event was really organized.

It seems all big events end up with a popular accessory: ponchos, sunscreen, hats, etc. But this year at Thunder the must-have accessory is a blanket.

8 p.m.: Dan Wilson finally made it to Thunder

Dan Wilson always wanted to come to Thunder, but every time, he missed it. This year, the man from Northern Indiana finally made it.

And he made sure to bring binoculars to see the show.

“Most air shows, it's one after the other, after the other, after the other… it's more fast-paced. But this is more of a social event," Wilson said. "And it's kind of neat that it's different than the air shows just stretched over time so you can hang out., have fun, talk.

He used to fly planes and wanted to join the Air Force, but was taller than the limit.

He isn't sure if he, his youngest son and his daughter’s boyfriend — who made the trip with him — will stay until the fireworks. His son wants to, “but we're freezing.”

7:35 p.m.: 'Love it, love it'

“Love it, love it,” said 71-year-old Opal Lynch Burkhart from Jeffersonville about the loud noise from the airplanes passing. Every time a F53 plane passed by, her smile grew.

Burkhart has been to Thunder Over Louisville for more than 10 years and says “I love Thunder, I love those aircrafts.”

Jessica Davis lives in Louisville, but came to Indiana to watch the show with her husband and two children since she thought the Kentucky side was really crowded. Even though she was born in Indiana, this is her first Thunder Over Louisville.

About the airshow, she said “I thought it was really cool, actually.” And they are staying until the fireworks, despite the notice of cold weather head — but they came prepared and brought blankets and quilts.

7:15 p.m.: Weather forces some to leave Waterfront Park early

A group of three people were leaving Waterfront Park ahead of sunset and the fireworks show.

When asked why, a man bundled in a hoodie said, "It's cold."

"They need to do this in the summertime," another added as they kept walking, hands tucked in their pockets and shoulders shrugged to their ears.

Travis Hall, his wife and two daughters were done fighting the cold as well.

“It’s just miserable,” Hall said. “The wind sucks.”

His oldest daughter raised her tiny bare hands and complained that they were hurting due to the cold. Her little sister shivered and nodded in agreement as the family walked away from the waterfront.

7:00 p.m.: Thunder Over Louisville enters fourth hour

Crowds continue to grow — a vast difference from earlier Saturday — but there is still space along the sidewalks for people to watch the airshow and set up ahead of the fireworks. Under the I-64 bridge it is becoming packed with people. Food trucks are parked nearby still serving at a reasonable pace.

Brian, Amanda and Briana May come over every year to the Kentucky side of the river because they love the airshow and fireworks — even if it means wearing three shirts, jackets and hoodies, a comforter and braving the wind.“We’ve stayed for worse weather,” Amanda said. “Remember that year it was cold and raining? We stayed.”

6:15 p.m.: The silent part of downtown, honoring Louisville mass shooting victims

The bouquets of flowers lay dry across the steps of Old National Bank. The corner of Preston and East Main was the quietest part of downtown, as groups of people grew silent while walking past the site of a mass shooting that happened 12 days ago. No one seemed to walk by without glancing at the steps. A woman wearing jockey silks earrings wiped at her eyes. A girl with braids tapped her boyfriend and pointed at the crosses. One man grabbed his wife and pulled her close. Many bowed their heads. At the edge of the building, a woman stood against the marble with her eyes squeezed shut as tears steamed down her face.

Diana Garcia also paused to pay respect. Garcia works at a law firm and often comes downtown with her bosses. Her cousin called her from Texas in a panic on April 10. Buried in work, she didn't hear the news at the time.

Carol Brueggemeyer and Gretchen Wrolstad heard about the shooting from news stations and social media in Cincinnati. They came down to visit family for the Thunder Over Louisville event.

“I was scared to death,” Brueggemeyer said about waiting for a text from her son to know he was OK.Wrolstad said, “And I thought, 'Oh my God, another one.'”

5:00 p.m.: 'Nowhere near as loud as it use to be'

Richard and Fred Fuchs have sat through snow, sleet and rain to watch Thunder Over Louisville for at least the last 20 years. However, this year has been a disappointment for them.

“From the original time we saw it until now, it’s a 3 or 4 out of 10," Richard said. “There’s not any stealth fighters and bombers. It’s really quiet and nowhere near as loud as it used to be since there’s less jets.”

Lutitia Patterson said she usually watches Thunder Over Louisville from her television in her Newburgh home, but decided come out and watch from the riverfront with her son — who now lives out of town. “It doesn’t seem like a whole lot going on,” she said. “Maybe it’s because the edits on TV, but there are more breaks.”

Gavin Pigman, of Charlestown, Indiana, and Christian Chan came to watch the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron Parachute team because they had a friend on the team.

Since he was young, Chan has always watched Thunder Over Louisville, and while he's felt as though there aren't as many planes flying back to back this year, he said he can't imagine the coordination that takes place to schedule all the different entities of the airshow.

“The planes are cool though," Chan said. “And definitely the fireworks are the best I’ve ever seen.”

3:45 p.m.: 'We came down for the airshow'

Kali and Terence Bell and their two children were among the crowd in southern Indiana for Thunder Over Louisville. Kali told the Courier Journal it was her first time at the event as she just moved to the area.

"We came down for the airshow," she said. The family was filling up on fare from local food trucks, including sampling corn dogs, chicken tenders and funnel cake.

3:30 p.m.: Thunder Over Louisville airshow is underway

Saturday's Thunder Over Louisville airshow is underway. Some of the first airshow acts included The Golden Knights demonstration team and a parachutist who floated down toward the Ohio River.

3: p.m.: Last-minute tickets still available for spots in Indiana

Mike O'Donnell, general manager of Upland Brewing Co., on the riverfront in Jeffersonville said the brewery still has a few $100 tickets for a spot in its beer garden that includes food, music from DJ Tank, and a fire truck provided by the Bachman Brigade with a beer draft system, a TV and seats for tailgating.

People can bring chairs and blankets for the space, as well.

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2:45 p.m.: 'The best available' spot to what Thunder Over Louisville

William Rodriguez, who just moved to Indiana, said Saturday was his first time attending Thunder Over Louisville. He came to The Jefferson, 715 W Riverside Dr., with his wife to watch the show because it was "the best available" spot that offered live music, access to cash bars and food vendors, plus porta-potties, which can be at a premium at Thunder.Rodriguez said he was excited to see the airshow and fireworks.

1:50 p.m.: 'A Memory to take home'

Families sit for caricature drawings under the bridge at Thunder Over Louisville. As they tried to walk past the booth, the artists convinced them to stop and “get a memory to take home.”

1:15 p.m.: A chance to win some prizes

Grace Coleman, 14, and her family come to Thunder every year and bring their camper, parking it across the street from Waterfront Park.

Her favorite part of Thunder, she said, is the different armed forces stations. She took on the pull-up challenge at the U.S. Marine Corps station.

"Depending on the performance and how you do on stuff, you can win prizes," she said.

12:30 p.m.: Ready for the 'pretty' fireworks

Two young girls, Desi and Sophia Ghiloni, hang out with their mom, Amanda, at the "UPS Flight Deck" and play catch.Desi said she was excited about the fireworks because they’re "pretty" and her sister Sophia said she likes to watch the planes fly.The Ghiloni girls, who have been to Thunder Over Louisville before, could hardly stay still, bouncing around from doodling on the sidewalk with chalk to playing catch to just running around.

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12:15 p.m.: 'UPS Flight Deck' shares history of UPS, Kentucky Derby Festival

Over on the "UPS Flight Deck," the logistics employer has a tent set up that displays the history of UPS and Thunder Over Louisville. People can stop at the UPS tent to play corn hole, spin a wheel to win prizes and apply for jobs.

Lee Nelson, a talent acquisition specialist with UPS, said it was important for UPS to be out at an event like Thunder Over Louisville because "we impact the community so much. Not just jobs ... but we offer so much education to students," among other things.

"We support Louisville a lot. Of course, UPS is not going anywhere and we always have jobs available, whether it's days, nights, or part-time," she said. "We're here to support Louisville in any way we can."

12 p.m.: An inside look at the Thunder Over Louisville Command Center

Courier Journal photographer Michael Clevenger sent in this behind-the-scenes video of the Thunder Over Louisville Command Center inside The Galt House Hotel downtown. Wayne Hettinger, who produces the Thunder show and is the owner of Visual Presentations, can be seen hard at work.

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11:50 a.m.: Happy Thunder!

Walking down Witherspoon Street, a young boy shouted "Grandpa I found the prize basket!" as they walk by a toy stand. Eventually, after a bit of begging, the grandpa caves and buys the child a small toy.

"Happy Thunder," the grandpa said as the two held hands and crossed the street.

11:30 a.m.: Food trucks set up at Waterfront Park for Thunder

Jessie McCoy, her sister, mom and dad all came to downtown Louisville for Thunder with the goal of helping her brother grow his new business.Recently, her brother bought a food truck, The Hangry Chicken, with hopes of going to events and selling food to hungry customers.This is The Hangry Chicken's first Thunder as a food vendor, and its second event ever."We're hoping to figure out how to be a food truck and sell really good food and engage with customers and be a really friendly business to the community," McCoy told the Courier Journal.

10:40 a.m.: Clear skies at Waterfront Park ahead of airshow

It's all clear skies at Waterfront Park and over the Ohio River in downtown Louisville this morning. The Kentucky Derby Festival took some time this morning to thank its sponsors, including UPS, which will fly its UPS Airlines Airbus 300 over Louisville right around 3:45 p.m. Check out the airshow lineup here.

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10 a.m.: Do you know where to park for Thunder Over Louisville?

Each year, Louisville and Indiana traffic officials pledge to get you home after one of the biggest fireworks shows in the country ... eventually.

If you're heading downtown, it's best to know where you can and can't go, which roads will be closed, and where you can park. We hope you've pre-planned your route according to the area you intend to travel to after the show.

Check out our handy parking guide before you head downtown so you can get in and out of Thunder with ease.

9:25 a.m.: How to keep your pets safe during Thunder

Thunder Over Louisville will be loud − thunder, after all, is part of the name. Saturday's spectacle is one of the largest firework show in America, which means animals may be frightened during the evening portion of the event, according to the Kentucky Humane Society, which means they can get stressed or run away during the show.

Read the tips above to keep your pets safe this year.

9 a.m.: Waterfront Park's North Great Lawn opens

If you're heading down to Waterfront Park's North Great Lawn today, which opens as early as 9 a.m., keep in mind that public viewing areas stretch from 8th Street to Clay Street north of Main Street in Kentucky, and along Riverside Drive from Ashland Park in Clarksville to Spring Street in Jeffersonville, Indiana, according to kdf.org. The Chow Wagon and more than 100 food and drink vendors and fun family activities kick off by 11 a.m.

The massive airshow gets underway around 3 p.m. and will continue to delight fans until dusk. The firework show begins at 9:30 p.m. and lasts until 10 p.m.

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Also, remember that phone service isn't always great when 500,000 of your closest friends are all packed into one space for Thunder Over Louisville. So we've created a printable/downloadable guide with everything you need to know about the event. You can download it here.

8:45 a.m.: A chilly start to Thunder morning

Louisvillians woke up to a frost advisory this morning and overcast skies. Temperatures are supposed to hit 60 degrees today, with only a 2% chance of rain. That means it will be slightly cool, but dry at Waterfront Park's North Great Lawn.

More Thunder Over Louisville coverage

• Airshow lineup: Check out who's coming in 2023

• Not going to the waterfront? How to watch or listen to Thunder Over Louisville

• Going to Thunder Over Louisville? What to know in advance about parking

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Thunder Over Louisville 2023: Live from Kentucky Derby Festival event