Planning to attend Thunder Over Louisville? One of the first things you’ll want to know, beyond the excitement of the air show and fireworks, is what time it is in Louisville, KY to properly schedule your day. Louisville, Kentucky, observes Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) during April, so make sure your watch is set accordingly as you prepare for this spectacular event! To help you make the most of Thunder Over Louisville, we’ve compiled a detailed schedule of events for 2024, ensuring you don’t miss a single moment of the action.
The festivities kick off early, with the North Great Lawn opening at 9 AM EDT for Pegasus Pin holders, featuring the exclusive UPS Flight Deck Viewing Area. Simultaneously, the AKIMA Military Zone and South Great Lawn welcome guests, offering interactive displays and activities for all ages.
As 11 AM EDT rolls around, even more attractions become available. The Thunder Chow Wagon in Waterfront Park, Belvedere, and Big Four Bridge Lawn all open their gates to Pegasus Pin holders. For those looking to grab souvenirs, ThunderWear merchandise booths pop up in 9 locations around the venue. “Thunder on the Ground,” featuring interactive experiences, also begins at 11 AM EDT, offering fun for everyone before the aerial displays commence.
The pre-show entertainment starts at noon EDT, with MIX 106.9 and WDRB providing music and build-up to the main events until 2:30 PM and 3:00 PM EDT respectively. Pegasus Pin Street Teams and Booths also become active around the venue from 12 PM to 8 PM EDT. Families looking for dedicated fun can head to the Meijer Family Fun Zone at the Big Four Bridge, also opening at noon EDT and running until 8 PM EDT. Keep an eye out for banner tows starting at 12:30 PM EDT on both sides of the river, adding to the pre-show atmosphere until 2:30 PM EDT.
Music lovers can enjoy live performances at the Miller Lite Music Stage in the Thunder Chow Wagon, starting at 2:30 PM EDT with Lampus from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM EDT, followed by Soul Circus from 6 PM to 9 PM EDT.
Air Show Schedule – Starting 3:00 PM EDT (Official Thunder Broadcast on WDRB and MIX 106.9)
At 3:00 PM EDT, the skies above Louisville will come alive as the Air Show officially begins! Remember, all times are in EDT, so knowing what time it is in Louisville, KY is crucial to catching your favorite acts. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the airshow schedule:
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3:00 PM EDT: F-16 Viper Four Ship (180th Fighter Wing OH ANG, Toledo, OH)
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3:10 PM EDT: UPS Airlines Boeing 747-800 (Louisville IAP, KY) – A hometown highlight!
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3:22 PM EDT: Navy EA-18 Growler Demo Team (Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, WA)
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3:37 PM EDT: Navy Legacy Flight – A tribute to naval aviation history.
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3:47 PM EDT: 123rd Special Tactics Squadron Parachute Team, KY ANG (Louisville KY) – Local heroes taking to the skies.
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3:57 PM EDT: C-130J “Super Hercules” Four Ship (123rd Airlift Wing, KY ANG, Louisville KY)
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4:00 PM EDT: Navy MH-53 Helicopter (HM-15 Norfolk NAS, Norfolk VA)
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4:10 PM EDT: UH-60 Helocast (Bravo Co. 2-147 Air Assault, Frankfort) and (123rd Special Tactics Squadron, KY ANG, Louisville, KY)
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4:24 PM EDT: USAF KC-135 Stratotanker (97th Airlift Wing, Altus AFB, OK)
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4:39 PM EDT: USAF C-17 Globemaster III (97th Airlift Wing, Altus AFB, OK)
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4:54 PM EDT: Matt Younkin Twin Beech Aerobatics Demo (Day Show) – Prepare for some classic aerobatics!
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5:06 PM EDT: USCG MH-65 Dolphin
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5:16 PM EDT: USAF “Wings of Blue” Parachute Team – Precision parachuting at its finest.
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5:36 PM EDT: Clipped-Wing TaylorCraft (Nick Coleman, Bowman Field, Louisville KY)
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5:44 PM EDT: Navy E-2C Hawkeye Two Ship (VAW-120, Norfolk NAS, Norfolk VASN)
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5:47 PM EDT: Britt Lincoln Extra 300 (MT)
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6:01 PM EDT: USAF B-52 (307th Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, LA) – A powerful presence in the sky.
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6:16 PM EDT: Wild Blue RV-8 Aerobatics (Day Show)
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6:24 PM EDT: Yak 52 (Bowman Field, Louisville KY)
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6:32 PM EDT: USAF F-16 Viper DEMO (20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, SC) – A second chance to see the F-16 Viper!
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6:52 PM EDT: USAF Heritage Flight – Celebrating Air Force history.
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7:08 PM EDT: USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” (924th Fighter Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ) – The iconic Warthog makes an appearance.
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7:16 PM EDT: USAF C-17 (445th Airlift Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH)
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7:22 PM EDT: A-400M Atlas (Lufttransportgeschwader (Air Transport Group) 62, Wunstorf AB, Hannover, Germany) – International flavor in the air show!
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7:30 PM EDT: USAF T-1A Jayhawk (14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, MS)
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7:39 PM EDT: “Mister Mulligan” Howard DGA-6 (Mason City, IA) – A vintage aircraft to admire.
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7:47 PM EDT: USMC UH-1Y and AH-1Z Helicopters (Squadron 773, Joint Base Mcguire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ)
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7:59 PM EDT: SMOKE ON! Aviation (Louisville, KY)
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8:07 PM EDT: Jeff Gordon Carbon Cub Float Plane (Bowman Field)
Evening and Fireworks Spectacular – Starting 8:52 PM EDT
As sunset approaches at 8:52 PM EDT, the evening portion of Thunder Over Louisville begins.
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8:52 PM EDT: Wild Blue RV-8 Aerobatics (Night Show) – Aerobatics under the twilight sky.
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9:00 PM EDT: Magic by Moonlight, Twin Beech Aerobatics Demo (Matt Younkin Airshows) – A nighttime twist on aerobatics.
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9:08 PM EDT: Meijer Moment (Thunder Fans Help Light Up the Waterfront) – Be part of the light show!
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9:12 PM EDT: Drone Show Powered by LG&E – A modern marvel of light and technology.
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9:30 PM EDT: Boom! Fireworks! – The grand finale! Make sure you know what time it is in Louisville, KY to be ready for this incredible fireworks display.
Post-Fireworks and Event Conclusion
- 10:00 PM EDT: Thunder FoodFest Continues at the Chow Wagon until 11 PM EDT.
- 11:00 PM EDT: Ohio River opens to normal traffic.
Important Notes:
- All times are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), reflecting what time it is in Louisville, KY during the event.
- This schedule is as of April 19th, 9 AM EDT and is subject to change. Always check official Thunder Over Louisville sources for the most up-to-date information on show day. Aircraft and times are subject to change.
- The Ohio River is closed to commercial traffic for the Air Show from 2:30 PM EDT to 11:00 PM EDT.
With this detailed schedule, and by keeping track of what time it is in Louisville, KY, you’re all set to have an amazing Thunder Over Louisville experience in 2024! Don’t miss out on any of the excitement!
