Each year, thousands of tourists flock to Louisville to watch the Pegasus Parade. Held in the week before the Kentucky Derby, the parade has been ongoing for decades. Although some years are sparse, most of the time you can expect to see a celebrity leading the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Pegasus Parade as the Grand Marshal. For example, comedic pop singer Cyndi Lauper have more than a few funny moments when she led in 2012.
Sadly, it is not easy to find great Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Parade videos. However, our staff took the time to compile 10 of the best Pegasus Parade videos that show all of the best dancing, horses, marching bands, celebrities and excitement found that this event.
1. Muhammad Ali in the crowd
As a Louisville native, Mohammed Ali has maintained presence in the city in several ways. However, what is interesting is that you can often find this celebrity in the most unlikely places. A good example is this 2008 footage of Ali signing autographs before the Pegasus Parade.
2. Prince Charming at 2012 Pegasus Parade
Josh Dallas is a current TV heartthrob in his role as Prince Charming in ABC’s “Once Upon a Time.” He also had a funny interview during the 2012 Pegasus Parade with an over-excited journalist that you will not want to miss.
3. The 2nd Marine Division Band
One of the best live acts in America, a performance by the 2nd Marine Division Band is considered a real treat. These musicians make regular appearances at the Pegasus Parade, and there are several excellent videos online that prove this point.
4. An entire Pegasus Parade in a nutshell
Strangely, a roundup of all the major parts of a single Pegasus Parade is difficult to find. One exception is a great video of the 2010 Pegasus Parade. If you are looking for a way to show someone what this parade is all about and why they should go, this is the video you will want to show them.
5. Horses at the Kentucky Derby Pegasus Parade
One of the best parts about watching the Pegasus Parade is seeing mini-horses, working horses, and winning Thoroughbreds. As an official horse-oriented event, there are also other equine-based demonstrations during the Pegasus Parades that cannot be found anywhere else.
6. Vintage 1990s Pegasus Parade footage
Are you curious about what the Pegasus Parade looked like years ago? Footage of the Grayson County Middle School Band and the South Oldham High School Band from the early 1990s gives you a chance to take a trip down memory lane. Along with the bands, there are also shots of the crowd.
7. Downright silly whimsical music acts
Often called one of the greatest shows on Earth, the eccentric multi-person marching band called Mucca Pazza made an appearance at the 2008 Pegasus Parade. Although their performance was toned down compared to their usual gigs, it was still in the spirit of weirdness that Louisville is known for.
8. Extraordinary marching band performances
If you enjoy live music performances in the style of marching bands, the annual Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus parade is one that you will not want to miss. This footage was recorded by an attendant and has some of the best sound quality for Pegasus Parade marching band footage online.
9. The Derby City Rollers
Louisville, Kentucky absolutely adores the annual demonstration by the Derby City Rollers at the Pegasus Parade. There are many fans that have produced brief clips of their acts, but few are as clean or lengthy as this one from the 2011 parade.
10. Willard Scott’s 1992 Pegasus Parade coverage
NBC has a history of covering the Kentucky Derby and other related events. While most are of high quality, few are as a funny as Willard Scott’s appearance as a commentator at the Pegasus Parade in 1992. Perhaps Willard had a few too many mint juleps? Judge for yourself in this video.