history

Freedom Festival History

The Freedom Festival Foundation By-Laws were written in August of 1971. Thus starting an event to be held on or about the 4th day of July each year for the benefit of all citizens in recognition and appreciation of their liberties, rights and freedoms; for rededication to the ideals of freedom, justice and equality for all men; and to assist in preserving and strengthening the basic rights, freedoms and equalities of all men upon which these United States were founded in 1776.

The foundation was housed in the Old National Bank building. The original board of directors consisted of Donald Elliott, Geo Gossard, John Thorne, Fred Newman, James Fields, Thomas Smith, Paul Bonham, William Casteel, John Kirwer Jr., Raymond Brown, Jacquas Caldwell and Charles Simpson, all from Evansville.

The local event was upgraded in 1977 from food and fun to a venue for a professional sport: hydroplane boat racing.

After Owensboro, Kentucky held its last Unlimited Hydroplane Race in 1977, Evansville Mayor Russell Lloyd was approached by officials of Atlas Van Lines regarding Evansville’s interest in becoming a race site. In the fall of 1978, O.H. Frisbie, Bob Miller and Bill Muncey of Atlas and Bill Brooks, President of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, were invited by Mayor Lloyd to a meeting in his office to explore the possibility of hosting a THUNDERBOAT race. Brooks was appointed chairman of a committee to raise funds and produce the race in June of 1979.

In an editorial for the Sunday Courier and Press announcing the effort, Editor Bill Sorrels wrote, “Will there be THUNDER ON THE OHIO,” unknowingly coining the race title.

The inaugural “Thunder On the Ohio” was held June 22, 23 and 24, 1979.

Hydroplane boat pit tours were initiated in 1980 at the request of the viewing public. The Budweiser Clydesdales made their first appearance at the Freedom Festival in 1981. That same year, cofounder of “Thunder On the Ohio” Bill Muncey was killed as he drove Miss Atlas Van Lines in Acapulco, Mexico. Earlier in ’81, he had piloted the Miss Atlas Van Lines-Blue Blaster to victory in Thunder III.

In 1982, ESPN put Thunder IV on television. 1991 was the inaugural history-making flag start of the hydroplane race, replacing the traditional clock start.

The Evansville Freedom Festival introduced an exciting new event with Thunder Air in 2000. Action above the water brought new fans to the riverfront. A balloon glow at Evansville Dress Regional airport followed by a balloon race gave a new dimension to racing at Thunder.

And as history has it, the Evansville Freedom Festival continues to be a great pleasure for crowds of all ages with Thunder on the Ohio, Thunder in the Air, superb entertainment, food and many other crowd pleasing events on the Riverfront.

June 28 - July 1 & July 4, 2007

Evansville Freedom Festival Parade

Button Information

Thunder on the Ohio

Thunder Air

Event Schedule