LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Thunder Over Louisville's 2023 theme is official: this year's fireworks spectacular will be known as "Through the Decades." The daylong event is slated for Saturday, April 22 along the banks of the Ohio River in Louisville.

Kentucky Derby Festival organizers revealed the annual event's theme at a press conference Thursday. They also detailed plans for the pre-fireworks air show.

This year's theme is meant to invoke feelings of nostalgia, inspired by "the early years of Thunder Over Louisville and how much the show has grown over the decades," organizers said.

“We have all become a little more nostalgic over the last few years because of those special events we have missed, and now we have an even greater appreciation for those traditions. We wanted the theme for this year’s show to pay tribute to those favorite Thunder memories our Festival Fans have experienced across the decades,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival president and CEO. 

The Drone Show will return for a third time this year, lighting up the night sky just before the fireworks begin.

Before that, the beloved air show will occupy the skies for much of the day with both military and civilian aircraft. Highlights include the Air Force F-35 Demo and Heritage Flight, Matt Younkin’s “Magic by Moonlight” performance, as well as numerous warbirds taking to the skies. More details about the 2023 Thunder Air Show will be released closer to the date, organizers said.

Thunder’s fireworks show is choreographed to an original soundtrack each year. On Thunder Day, the FoodFest and Thunder On the Ground open at 11 a.m., the air show starts at 3 p.m., and fireworks blast off at 9:30 p.m.

“This year’s soundtrack is a mix of current songs and oldies but goodies, and to play up this year’s theme, we’ve also included favorite songs from past Thunders. We’ve built the soundtrack as if we were designing a roller coaster with ups and downs, shifting turns and surprises,” said Wayne Hettinger, producer of Thunder Over Louisville.