Fest-a-Ville will start closing earlier after weekend of teens fighting, causing issues
POSTED ALL NIGHT LONG. WE'LL SEND IT BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, JAY. WELL, THE WEATHER MOVING IN IS FORCING FESTIVAL TO CLOSE AT 630 TONIGHT. BUT THE DERBY FESTIVAL IS ALSO CHANGING HOURS THE REST OF THE WEEK AFTER FIGHTS INVOLVING TEENS FORCED EARLY CLOSURES BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. FESTIVAL WILL CLOSE AN HOUR EARLIER EACH NIGHT THIS WEEK AT TEN, WITH THE ENTRANCE GATE CLOSING AT NINE. ALL PEOPLE UNDER 18 MUST BE WITH SOMEONE 21 YEARS OR OLDER. EACH ADULT CAN ONLY CHAPERON THREE MINORS AT A TIME, AND THEY MUST STAY WITH THEM, AND IDS WILL BE CHECKED FOR PROOF OF AGE. IT'S THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW THE FESTIVAL HAS HAD TO MAKE SOME CHANGES LIKE THIS. ADDIE MEINERS JOINS US NOW LIVE AFTER SHE TALKED WITH DERBY FESTIVAL OFFICIALS ABOUT WHY THESE CHANGES ARE NECESSARY. ADDIE. THAT'S RIGHT, JENNIFER AND DERBY FESTIVAL OFFICIALS TELL ME IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SAFETY AND PROTECTING FESTIVAL GOERS AS THEY HEAD DOWN HERE TO THE WATERFRONT, NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS. TEENS DON'T SEEM TO CARE RIGHT NOW. I MEAN, IT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT CREATING THAT CHAOS. AND I WISH WE HAD THAT ANSWER TO WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT. BUT IT HAS BEEN DIFFERENT THIS YEAR. FESTIVAL LOOKED VERY DIFFERENT AT LUNCHTIME ON MONDAY COMPARED TO SATURDAY OR SUNDAY NIGHT. THAT'S WHEN MATT GIBSON, THE PRESIDENT OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL, SAYS HUNDREDS OF UNACCOMPANIED MINORS CAME TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL'S FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT ON THE WATERFRONT. IT CREATED A VERY UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT. THERE WAS A LOT OF WILDING, AS IT'S CALLED, WHERE THE KIDS WOULD ALMOST ON CUE, RUN AROUND THE VENUE. YOU'VE SEEN THE COVERAGE OF IT. THERE WERE SOME INCIDENTS, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF FIGHTS, AND THAT'S JUST NOT THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE PERPETUATING DOWN HERE. AND THE ISSUES DIDN'T STOP THERE. ACCORDING TO LMPD, FESTIVAL HIT CAPACITY, AND THAT'S WHEN LARGE GROUPS OF THE UNACCOMPANIED JUVENILES MOVED TO THE WALKING BRIDGE, WHERE MORE FIGHTS TOOK PLACE. FOUR PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED AS A RESULT, INCLUDING ONE ADULT. IT'S MORE GEOGRAPHY, NOT OUR PROGRAMING. THAT IS THE ISSUE AND THAT'S THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS NOW, GIBSON SAYS DERBY FESTIVAL IS TAKING ACTION TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THE FESTIVAL WILL CLOSE DOWN AN HOUR EARLY, 10 P.M. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENT, AND AN ADULT OVER 21 CAN ONLY HAVE THREE JUVENILES WITH THEM TO ENTER, AND THEY MUST STAY WITH THEM THE WHOLE TIME. IT'S NOT JUST GETTING IN HERE AND ALLOWING THE CHAOS TO HAPPEN. WE WILL BE TARGETING ANY UNACCOMPANIED MINORS AND GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECONNECT WITH THEIR CHAPERON. IF NOT, THEY WILL BE TRESPASSED. PEOPLE SHOW UP AND THEY THEY TRY TO HAVE FUN AND PART OF HAVING FUN WHEN YOU'RE A KID IS CAUSING TROUBLE. THAT'S JUST. UNFORTUNATELY, PART OF WHAT IT IS. DESPITE THE CHAOS FROM THE WEEKEND, PARENTS LIKE MORGAN JOHNSON AND TARA BETHEL SAY IT WOULDN'T KEEP THEM FROM BRINGING THEIR KIDS TO FESTIVAL. THIS FESTIVAL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE HAPPENING. THIS IS WHAT THIS IS THE BIG EVENT, RIGHT? DERBY OAKS, YOU KNOW, ENTERTAINMENT, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE, THE FOOD, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S NO FEAR NOW. SO LIKE YOU GUYS WERE SAYING EARLIER, THE GATES HERE AT FESTIVAL ARE GOING TO CLOSE HERE IN ABOUT 25 MINUTES. AT 530. AND THE VENUE WILL OFFICIALLY CLOSE AT 630 TODAY. THAT'S JUST BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER THAT'S COMING IN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. TH
Fest-a-Ville will start closing earlier after weekend of teens fighting, causing issues
Updated: 12:43 AM EDT Apr 28, 2026
Editorial Standards
After a weekend of “disturbances” at the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Fest-a-Ville, the popular event will close a little earlier.Festival organizers announced Monday that for the rest of the festival, hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the entrance gate closing at 9 p.m.That’s an hour earlier than before.Organizers said the decision was made due to the trouble both Saturday and Sunday, which included teens fighting and behaving “disorderly.”That led to early closures both nights, and that will continue.The minor policy also continues, which was enacted last year due to similar issues. All attendees under 18 must be accompanied by someone 21 or older.Organizers said a lot of unaccompanied teens were getting in by hopping the fence.And on Monday, the festival will close even earlier, at 6:30 p.m., in anticipation of possibly severe weather.Organizers said they will also be enforcing the city’s mask ordinance.Fest-a-Ville, on the waterfront, ends Friday.
After a weekend of “disturbances” at the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Fest-a-Ville, the popular event will close a little earlier.
Festival organizers announced Monday that for the rest of the festival, hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the entrance gate closing at 9 p.m.
That’s an hour earlier than before.
Organizers said the decision was made due to the trouble both Saturday and Sunday, which included teens fighting and behaving “disorderly.”
That led to early closures both nights, and that will continue.
The minor policy also continues, which was enacted last year due to similar issues. All attendees under 18 must be accompanied by someone 21 or older.
Organizers said a lot of unaccompanied teens were getting in by hopping the fence.
And on Monday, the festival will close even earlier, at 6:30 p.m., in anticipation of possibly severe weather.
Organizers said they will also be enforcing the city’s mask ordinance.
Fest-a-Ville, on the waterfront, ends Friday.
