LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Pegasus Parade is a Kentucky Derby Festival tradition. Beautiful floats, balloons and horses charged down a fan-filled Broadway for an unforgettable afternoon in downtown Louisville. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Pegasus Parade started in 1956

  • The Mid America Cowgirls look forward to the Kentucky Derby Festival each year

  • The parade can be seen on Broadway from Campbell to 9th St

  • Over 100 floats and units showed out for this year's festival

Debbie Dunphy doesn’t miss a Pegasus Parade. She’s part of Mid America Cowgirls, a traveling rodeo drill team. 

“We get our horses all decked out in glitter… we try to look really nice and we want people to enjoy watching us and seeing us,” said Dunphy.

Mid America Cowgirl is just one of over 100 floats and units that came down Broadway for the annual Pegasus parade. 

“I just want people to get in the Derby spirit. That’s what we’re here for. We have a lot of exciting attractions,” said Kaeli Smit, an equestrian coach with the Kentucky Derby Festival. 

Other attractions included giant birthday cakes, marching bands and the brand new giant inflatable Pegasus. The Kentucky Derby Festival says the pegasus measures 30 feet tall and took over four months to craft. 

“It’s great for people to see this type of thing. We want other people to be happy like we are,” Dunphy said. 

The Mid America Cowgirls are looking forward to Kentucky Derby Festivals for years to come.

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