Thunder Over Louisville draws hundreds of thousands of people to the shores of the Ohio River annually to watch the air show and the world-famous fireworks. But one secret about the kick-off to the Kentucky Derby Festival that many out-of-towners don’t know is that some of the best viewing spots are on the Indiana side of the river.
Louisville has a fantastic skyline, but you can’t appreciate it along with the festivities from the south side of the river – it’s behind you. That’s why many folks have started to migrate to Clarksville and Jeffersonville to watch the big shows. You not only get to see the air show and fireworks but you see them portrayed with the Louisville skyline as a backdrop!
The fireworks is particularly spectacular from the southern Indiana side of the river as you see the city lights and watch the reflections of the fireworks in the windows of some of the later buildings. Most people who have seen the shows from Indiana come back time after time.
Quite possibly the best venue in all of southern Indiana is Clarksville’s Ashland Park. You are right across from the city’s waterfront and the view is spectacular. The town’s floodwall serves as a set of earthen bleachers for tens of thousands as they arrive early for the air show and stay late for the fireworks. It’s also a family-friendly venue with no alcoholic beverages allowed.
Jeffersonville offers another option. With the string of riverfront restaurants, visitors have options of purchasing choice seating with a meal. What a deal! The restaurants also cater to people who might enjoy a libation while waiting and watching.
Watching the Thunder events from the southern Indiana side gives you a chance to enjoy a small town atmosphere while watching a big town extravaganza. And, parking is easier on the north side!
While visitors to the Great Lawn and Belvedere in Louisville face massive traffic issues when the fireworks let out – not to mention the challenges in finding parking before the show – exit times from the event area are typically much shorter in southern Indiana.
People traveling to the show in a motor home can find a spot to spend the night at the Cornerstone Group complex along Market Street at Missouri Avenue in Jeffersonville. Owners say they have been offering rented space year after year and have regular customers who wouldn’t go anywhere else because of their proximity to the river.
It’s becoming a tradition in southern Indiana for people who travel to the shows to stay overnight and travel to the Starlight area for a visit to the Huber Winery and Joe Huber Restaurant situated atop the rolling hills we call the Knobs. The combination of the Air Show, Thunder and a trip to the Starlight community makes for an unforgettable combination, repeat visitors say.
Those who don’t head to the Knobs often head to Clarksville’s shopping district which serves as home to the second-largest Bass Pro Shops in the country. The town’s Veterans Parkway corridor has become a huge attraction and Bass Pro Shops is one of the most popular stops. The store has seen visitors from every state in the union as well as from several foreign countries.
Plan ahead for Thunder weekend and consider a trip to what we lovingly call the “Sunny Side of Louisville.”
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