LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Aleece Passman of Springville, Tennessee, is the “Festival Fanatic” for the 2025 Kentucky Derby Festival. She won the opportunity through a Fast Play W!N ticket second-chance promotion, sponsored by the Kentucky Lottery.

What You Need To Know

  • Aleece Passman is the “Festival Fanatic” for the 2025 Kentucky Derby Festival 

  • She will serve as the “Thundernator” for the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies: Thunder Over Louisville

  • Passman won the opportunity through a Fast Play W!N ticket second-chance promotion

  • Thunder Over Louisville is on April 12

Passman said she didn’t believe it when she received the call from the Kentucky Lottery.

“I was so shocked. I almost forgot that the drawing was coming up,” Passman said. “I thought, ‘is this a prank? Is somebody pranking me? Oh wow, this is real!’”

Passman lives on the Kentucky and Tennessee border and attended Murray State University. She entered several tickets for a shot at being the 2025 “Thundernator” and it paid off.

“The Kentucky Lottery has helped us pick the Festival Fanatic for more than a decade, and each year is like giving away the Kentucky Derby Festival jackpot,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “Being the 2025 Thundernator isn’t just a role, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the magic of Thunder like never before.”

She is kicking off her first-ever Thunder Over Louisville with a bang. Passman will have the unique opportunity to provide the Thunder countdown and “zero” ignition to activate the launch system sequence in the Command Center at The Galt House Hotel. Her “Festival Fanatic” prize package also includes many one-of-a-kind Derby Festival-themed experiences and $500 in spending money from the Kentucky Lottery.

The prize package includes:

  • Tickets to several Derby Festival events
  • A private tour of Kern’s Kitchen DERBY-PIE factory
  • A Kentucky Derby Museum Tour
  • Official 2025 Kentucky Derby Festival merchandise
  • Overnight accommodations at The Galt House Hotel for Thunder Over Louisville

Thunder Over Louisville is set for Saturday, April 12. The show will consist of the air show, a drone show and then the fireworks. It entertains more than 1.5 million people annually and, according to KDF, is one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

To stay informed about everything KDF, Kentucky Oaks or Kentucky Derby, check out Spectrum News 1’s special section.

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Laya Gilpin - Digital Producer

Laya Gilpin is a digital producer for Spectrum News 1 in Louisville, Kentucky. She joined Spectrum News as a television producer in 2021 and was promoted to digital producer in 2025. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree, Communication Arts and Media from Concord University in West Virginia in 2020.