LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Even though it’s still 311 days away, it’s never too early to start planning for next year’s Kentucky Derby Festival.

The festival has announced next year’s dates and the new festival chair to lead its 75-member board. 

Longtime Louisville business leader Erin Rasinen is set to Chair the 2024 Kentucky Derby Festival. (Kentucky Derby Festival)

Festival fans should mark their calendars — March 4, 2024 is the first day that Pegasus Pins go on sale. The dates for many of the festival’s signature events have been set:

• The Block Party: Saturday April 13
• Tour de Lou: Sunday, April 14
• Thunder Over Louisville: Saturday, April 20
• Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront: Thursday, April 25 through Friday, May 3
• Great BalloonFest: Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 27
• miniMarathon and Marathon: Saturday, April 27
• Pegasus Parade: Sunday, April 28
• Great Steamboat Race: Wednesday, May 1

You can see a full listing of all the Kentucky Derby Festival events here.

The 2024 festival will be chaired by longtime Louisville business leader Erin Rasinen. The festival’s Board of Directors elected the Louisville native on June 14. Rasinen is the business development director of Messer Construction Co. She follows the leadership of Ken Selvaggi, who will continue serving as the immediate past char of the Derby Festival.

“For more than two weeks leading up to the first Saturday in May, our community unites around new and diverse programming, while also honoring signature events that have made the Festival so special for generations,” said Resinen.

Joining the 75-member Board as newly elected directors are: Crystal Anderson (Meijer); Mike Campbell (Jefferson County Public Schools); Derek Cowherd (University of Louisville Athletics Association); Lance George (The Galt House Hotel); Tim McGurk; Allison Gousha (Kroger); Ann Marie Maldini (PNC); Dwight Newton (Zoeller Company); John O’Brien (WAVE); Jason O’Daniel (Millennium Events and Floral, LLC); Donna Salas; Ryan Sienkowski (Caesars Southern Indiana); Corenza Townsend (Norton West Louisville Hospital, North Healthcare); Chad Waggoner; Justin Walker (Hornblower Group Inc.); Dan Wasserzug, who will serve as Chair of the 2024 Zoeller Pump Company Pegasus Parade; and Melanie Miller Kane, who is the 2024 President of the Fillies Inc.

The Kentucky Derby Festival is an annual celebration of food, culture and fun, culminating in the historic running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.