By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

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Red Deer Regional Air Show to dazzle and inspire July 29 & 30

Jul 22, 2023 | 4:00 PM

For the first time in a long time, Red Deer will host an air show next weekend, and it’s set to be quite the spectacle.

Red Deer first hosted an international air show in 1983, and it was a consistent fixture through 2003 until ceasing operations.

On July 29 and 30, that all changes with the new Red Deer Regional Air Show, hosted by the Red Deer Regional Airport.

Due to limited roadways and ongoing construction in the area, the event has limited capacity and advance tickets are required, warn organizers, who expect up to 3,000 carloads between the two days. Vehicles are permitted to bring in up to seven people each, with ticket information available here.

If you are lucky enough to make it to Springbrook, you will not be disappointed, organizers say.

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Scheduled are the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, as well as the SkyHawks parachute demonstration team, two CF-18 Hornets, three P-51 Mustangs and a vintage P-40 Kittyhawk, among others, some of which are yet to be revealed, organizers share. They say to watch social media for more details in the coming days.

That’s of course not to mention the Props & Pistons Show & Shine, plane tours, and autograph opportunities, to go along with face painting, food trucks, beer gardens, vendors, pylon racing demos, and the co main-event that is the Canadian International Air Racing Championships.

And also making a grand return to the airport will be a North American Harvard MK IV, the same type which stands outside Red Deer Regional Airport, as seen below.

(rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

“The Harvard outside Red Deer Regional is very significant to its history and CFB Penhold because it was, for a long time, a pilot training base. The yellow Harvard trained thousands of pilots out of CFB Penhold,” notes Nancy Paish, Director Business Development and Communications, Red Deer Regional Airport. “We thought it was really important to have that in the lineup because it tells that story of the history here.”

But the air show is also meant to inspire, says Paish.

“The aviation industry is experiencing a major skills shortage, and we see the effects of that with cancelled and delayed flights. It’s a pilot shortage, a technician shortage, and there’s lots of retirement,” Paish says.

“Aviation really needs to inspire more kids to follow their dreams and perhaps take an interest in an aviation career. At the airshow, they can see the airplanes up close, plus meet the pilots and technicians.”

For more information, visit reddeerregionalairshow.com.