We stretched the famous “two minutes” into a month-long legendary party. The Kentucky Derby Festival remains the largest and most extravagant community celebration of its kind, and a proud winner of the International Festivals & Events Association award for Best Overall Festival seven times. It brings fun, excitement, international recognition and a spirit that is unparalleled to Louisville and the Commonwealth. What started with a single parade in 1956, the not-for-profit Derby Festival has grown in 65 years to become a whirlwind of over 70 special events. More than just entertainment, the Kentucky Derby Festival generates in excess of $127 million annually for the local economy. Events on the Festival’s schedule also help to raise more $500,000 for local charities each year. When 1.5 million people gather every year at Festival events, they celebrate the warmth of spring and the unique vitality of their community, and the focus is solely on fun.