GE Appliances is teaming up with the Kentucky Derby Festival as title sponsor of the 2022 Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon set to return in 2022 on its traditional Saturday – April 30.

The premier race is one of the top 100 road races in the country, draws runners from 50 states, attracts tens of thousands of participants and is the flattest Boston Marathon qualifying race. 

The race is also unique because it takes runners through historic Louisville sites and neighborhoods and even crosses the Big Four Bridge into Indiana.

Runners can lace up next Tuesday, November 2 at 9 a.m. EDT, and register online at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com.

"The Derby Festival is planning for a return to live and in-person events in 2022, and we're looking forward to it as much as anyone," said Matt Gibson, KDF President & CEO. "The GE Appliances mini & Marathon is first out of the gate to open registration for one of our favorite Kentucky traditions and the state's largest day of road racing."

GE Appliances is a longtime friend of KDF and was a sponsor of the inaugural Festival in 1956. The company has partnered on various Festival events since then, most recently Thunder Over Louisville in 2020 and 2021.

Now, as the title sponsor of the mini & Marathon, GE Appliances is expanding its partnership with the Festival and aligning the business with an event that sees hundreds of its employees participate every year.

"We invent, design and build the world's best appliances here in Louisville, and we believe in building stronger and healthier communities." said Kevin Nolan, president & CEO of GE Appliances, a Haier company. "Louisville has been our home for almost 70 years, and our employees have a long history of participating in this race. We're honored to unite the tradition of our company and this event to bring back the in-person, one-day race and help Louisville emerge from its most recent challenges as a more equitable and more resilient community."

For the 2022 event, the Derby Festival is offering multiple options for participants including the miniMarathon (half marathon), the full Marathon, and a Marathon Relay; plus virtual races for both the half and full marathon.

The races will start simultaneously at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 30, on Main Street near Slugger Field and then finish on Adams Street, just outside the of Lynn Family Stadium, the Official Finish Line for the races.

"Our goal is to create a unique and memorable experience for all participants," said Chris Martini, KDF Race Director. "Next year, the course will again include the sights of beautiful downtown Louisville, historic Old Louisville, Churchill Downs, and parts of the scenic Olmsted parks system, along with other attractions."

Course details for both distances are still being finalized. The miniMarathon is expected to return to the course planned for the 2020 race, including Churchill Downs. 

The Marathon course will be a combination of the 2020 and 2021 courses, including Churchill Downs, as well as the Big Four Walking Bridge and Ohio River Greenway.

As part of the partnership, GE Appliances is offering a special incentive for participants to register early.

Everyone who registers within the first week (by midnight November 9th) will be entered to win a GE Appliance – a small appliance for mini registrants and a full-size appliance for marathon registrants. Details are available on the registration website.

The Race Expo will also return race week, as well as the free Norton Sports Health Training Program to help all levels of runners get ready for the spring races. 

The races in 2022 will mark the 49th annual miniMarathon and 21st annual Marathon. More information is available on the website, along with FAQs to help answer questions about the 2022 event.

Derby Festival events adhere to local, state and federal COVID-19 safety guidelines to ensure the safety of participants, attendees, volunteers and organizers.

The Festival continues to closely monitor developments with COVID-19 and update our policies and procedures as the guidance evolves. More specific guidelines for race participants will be shared in the months and weeks leading up to race weekend.

More details on the Festival's 2022 schedule of events will be released in the coming weeks and months.

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