Press: TV Commentary and Sponsor Contributions

2007 Republic Bank Kentucky Derby Festival

Pegasus Parade

Television Commentary Form

Sponsoring Company / Organization: Sustainable Louisville

Location and Purpose of Organization: Louisville; Community Sustainability
Education

How many years have you participated in the Pegasus Parade? Any previous awards and when received? This is the first year.

Theme of Unit: Green Magic! “Green Magic” evokes the power of nature and the promise of a green future for our community.
Our entry to this years Pegasus parade includes alternative fuel vehicles, nature themes and colors, and the mythology of green magic drawn from the many cultures of Louisville and the world.

Approximate number of individuals and hours involved in the preparation of your unit: 100 people and 2600 person / hours

List five major points of interest about your unit:

* Surrounded by clowns and characters from the world myths of nature, Green Magic celebrates the magic of nature, our community’s sustainable future and the wonder of our environment.

* Artist Noah Church envisioned the float as a living woodland for clowns and tricksters and magicians and ordinary folks to celebrate, riding the back of Quetzalcoatl, the winged serpent dragon of the Americas, presided over by the smiling sun and dreaming moon. Music by Mobile Feast Utopia, and other local performers keeps the clowns and tricksters and the crowd dancing....

* "Green Magic! celebrates community and ecology in many ways: The float depicts the solar energy age with the image of the laughing sun. It is built largely of recycled and reused materials from Acme Lupine and Co., Aberco Interiors, Architectural Glass Art, and Blake Lowery, with non-toxic, eco-friendly paint from Porter Paints. The float platform and living green native bamboo are donations from Designer Builders. The pull vehicle is a Ford F-150 diesel "grease truck" donated by Kaviar Forge and converted to run on environmentally friendly 100% vegetable oil by the Good Oil Boys, accompanied by pedicabs from NKY River Rats and bike units educational support from Bike Couriers.. The float was built by community artist volunteers Funding and other support came from Sypris Solutions, Communicas, ESP Audio, Adena Institute and Sustainable Louisville and other sponsors (see More about Green Magic! Pegasus Parade Sponsors and Friends at http://tinyurl.com/38ux8r )

* The Parade unit provides education and inspiration on a range of Green initiatives in Louisville - From solar energy to bio-fuels, alternative bicycles to recycling: From native plant species to native wisdom; From sustainable agriculture to sustainable technology, you’re invited to a community celebration of nature; The float embodies many of the next steps in our community's green future.

* www.Sustainablelouisville.net, the sponsor of the float, is an ad hoc coalition of businesses, community groups and citizens who are helping to green Louisville. If you would like to learn what you or your neighborhood can do to move towards a greener, more sustainable future, please go to www.sustainablelouisville.net or call 502 410 2786. Go for the Green Magic!

The three most exciting and entertaining features of our 2006 Pegasus parade unit are:

* The Green Magic unit consists of a caravan of dazzlingly decorated green-power vehicles, an entourage of green magicians and a float with magical animals, wizards, woods and wonders, all presided over once again by the warmth of the smiling Sun and the power of the Imagination, in the figure of the beloved galapalooza Pegasus icon, “Imagine.”

* Green Magic! reminds us that are creating a sustainable city which balances the needs of the environment, economy, creativity and social justice by "acting locally and thinking globally" -- and we can have fun along the way!

* The float is a fun and artistic expression of "Louisville Going Green:" From natures' magic to solar energy, from recycled materials to vegetable oil powered vehicles, from the myths of the past to our visions of the future, the time for Green Magic! is now.