‘Little Kentucky Derby Festival’ on UK campus had its personal enjoyable occasions

Louisville’s in style Kentucky Derby Festival as soon as had a “little” counterpart about 80 miles to the east in Lexington, the place University of Kentucky college students organized some enjoyable of their very own.

With a reputation just like the “Little Kentucky Derby Festival,” some may count on a tiny model of the bigger occasion, however the longtime UK custom was no small feat. Once billed because the “Greatest College Weekend in the South,” the competition usually featured a “Run for the Rodents” and a ceremonial drop of three,000 ping pong balls. Other marquee occasions included a balloon glow and bicycle race.

The Little Derby Festival was an annual custom from the late Nineteen Fifties till 1993, and once more for a couple of years beginning in 2005. Proceeds from every competition went towards funding UK scholarships.

Former Kentucky Governor Louie B. Nunn, comic Bob Hope and Louisville’s personal My Morning Jacket have been among the many “little” competition’s huge ticket names. Nunn and Hope made appearances on the 1968 version of the competition, whereas MMJ headlined in 2011 with a live performance inside Memorial Coliseum, in accordance with earlier Courier Journal studies.

Photos used on this column have been made potential by the Barry Bingham Jr. Photograph Collection, which is maintained by University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections workers.

Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@usatodayco.com or @leober2chee on X, previously often called Twitter