2014 Pegasus Parade 

Route Map and Street Closure Map

It’s time for the show piece of the Kentucky Derby Festival – the 2014 Pegasus Parade!  The Pegasus Parade will proceed down Broadway on Thursday, May 1 at 5:00 p.m.

The Pegasus Parade is the oldest event in the Kentucky Derby Festival. The Parade began in 1956 with a modest budget of $640.  It is now one of the largest parades in the country, attracting a wide variety of celebrity participants and thousands of spectators every year.  The parade lasts about two hours, spans seventeen blocks, and offers free public viewing for about 90% of the parade route.  It is estimated that the Pegasus Parade brings over $22 Million to the local economy – quite a long way from its humble origins!

This year’s parade theme is “Call of the Wild”, and appropriately features Jeff Corwin, of Animal Planet fame, as its theme marshal.  The Kentucky marshal is actor and Lexington native, Josh Hopkins of “Cougar Town” fame. 

The Pegasus Parade has a lengthy history of attracting a wide array of celebrities.  Some past Grand Marshals include local celebrities such as Muhammad Ali, Colonel Harland Sanders, and Diane Sawyer. It also has attracted musicians such as Loretta Lynn and Bill Monroe, actors including Williams Shatner and John Wayne, and the 2013 University of Louisville Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams.  The 2013 Teams took the National Championship and Runner-Up positions respectively and were greeted with great acclaim at the Parade.

In addition to the celebrity marshals, the parade is kicked off with the inflatable Pegasus Balloon, “Peggy Bank”, followed by some of the United States’ finest equestrian units, marching bands, inflatable characters, and dozens of colorful floats that reflect the “Call of the Wild” theme.  If past performance is any indication, the floats this year will be absolutely spectacular!

While there is ample free viewing, the Kentucky Derby Festival also offers paid seating in bleachers and chairs along the parade route, which stretches on Broadway from Campbell Street to 9^th Street West.  Tickets can be purchased here, and more information on the parade can be found at the Kentucky Derby Festival 2014 Pegasus Parade website.

Street Closures from Louisville.ky.gov see below:

The following streets will be closed at the times listed:

6 am - 8 pm

• Barret Avenue from Broadway to Baxter Avenue
• Lexington Road from Baxter Avenue to Barret Avenue 

1 pm - 8 pm

• Gray Street from Jackson Street to Hancock Street
• Broadway from Baxter Avenue to Barret Avenue
• Swan Street from Lampton Street to Vine Street
• Vine Street from Breckinridge Street to Brent Street
• Brent Street from Broadway to the dead end
• Lampton Street from Vine Street to DuPuy Court
• Stoneware Alley from Brent Street to Barret Avenue
• Rubel Avenue from Broadway to E. Breckinridge Street
• Saint Anthony Place from Mercy to Broadway
• Rubel Avenue from Broadway to alley just north of Broadway
• Finzer Street from Logan Street to Campbell Street
• Finzer Street from Preston Street to Hancock Street
• Campbell Street from Broadway to Finzer Street
• Hancock Street from Gray Street to Broadway
• Jackson Street from Gray Street to Broadway
• Gray Street from Preston Street to Jackson Street
• Preston Street from Gray Street to Broadway

4 pm - 4:30 pm

• Broadway from Floyd Street to Preston Street

4 pm - 9 pm

• Broadway from Barret Avenue to Campbell Street

4:30 pm - 8 pm (closed to thru traffic)

• Logan Street from Breckinridge Street to Broadway
• Shelby Street from Chestnut Street to Broadway
• Clay Street from Broadway to Breckinridge Street
• Hancock Street from Broadway to Breckinridge Street
• Jackson Street from Breckinridge Street to Jacob Street
• Preston Street from Gray Street to Broadway
• Floyd Street from Gray Street to Breckinridge Street
• Brook Street from Breckinridge Street to Broadway
• First Street from Gray Street to Broadway
• Second Street from Gray Street to Breckinridge Street
• Third Street from Chestnut Street to Broadway
• Fourth Street from Chestnut Street to Breckinridge Street
• Fifth Street from Breckinridge Street to Broadway
• Sixth Street from Chestnut Street to Broadway
• Seventh Street from Broadway to Breckinridge Street
• York Street from Seventh Street to Eighth Street
• Cawthon Street from Seventh Street to Ninth Street
• Breckinridge Street from Seventh Street to Ninth Street
• Eighth Street from Chestnut Street to Cawthon Street
• Roy Wilkins Boulevard from Chestnut Street to Kentucky Street

4:30 pm - 9 pm

• Broadway from Campbell Street to 12th Street
• Barret Avenue from Breckinridge Street to Broadway
• Preston Street from Springer Alley to Broadway
• Logan Street from Finzer Street to Broadway
• Exit ramp northbound Interstate 65 to Broadway
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