The Rocky Mountain House Airshow committee has announced it will cease planning for future shows. (Rocky Mountain House Airshow/Jerry Pratt)

By Jordan Rein

Last show in 2018

Rocky Airshow to cease operations

Jan 27, 2026 | 12:47 PM

After years of thrilling aerial performances, community engagement and a shared love of aviation, the Rocky Mountain House Airshow Society has announced a “difficult decision” to cease operations and begin the process of dissolving the organization.

The show, which drew crowds of thousands, ran for more than 20 years at the Rocky Mountain House Airport.

The decision to wind down follows careful consideration of a number of evolving challenges that officials say have increasingly affected the society’s ability to deliver the airshow the community has come to expect.

Among those challenges is the rising cost of hosting an event of this scale, says Jerry Pratt, communications coordinator for the Rocky Mountain House Airshow committee.

Along with funding and sponsorship pressures, Pratt pointed to regulatory changes affecting jet teams — including the Canadian Forces Snowbirds — that now require runway lengths and infrastructure beyond the current capacity of the Rocky Mountain House Airport.

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The Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds at the 2018 Rocky Mountain House Airshow. (Rocky Mountain House Airshow/Jerry Pratt)

The final show in Rocky was held in 2018 and included an appearance and landing by the Snowbirds.

“They were a major attraction for our show,” says Pratt, who recalled families getting a thrill from mingling with the pilots on the runway after the event.

That experience is now in the past, he says, as new legal obligations and increasingly complex safety standards would no longer allow for the close-up interactions once offered.

An additional challenge came as the Snowbirds gradually began to decrease the amount of shows they appeared at every year. “Rocky Mountain House dropped further and further down that list,” says Pratt.

Jerry Pratt speaks to changing conditions that make organizing the airshow more difficult

Attendees near the runway at the 2018 Rocky Airshow. (Rocky Mountain House Airshow/Jerry Pratt)

Following the 2018 show, the committee planned another event for August 2020, which was later cancelled due to COVID-19 health restrictions.

When the committee reconvened several years later to explore the possibility of a 2026 show, Pratt says it was determined to be too difficult and costly to proceed.

He also notes the organization continues to mourn the deaths of the society’s former president and performer, as well as its military liaison and performer in 2020 — losses that had a significant impact on the group’s ability to host airshows and attract talent.

A loss for the community

The airshow held a special place in the hearts of attendees, says Pratt.

He says it inspired people of all ages, with the spectacle encouraging some young people to pursue careers in aviation.

“Our families loved it — kids loved it — it was always a very big event,” says Pratt, adding he often invited family and friends from outside the region to attend.

The community’s passion for the airshow, he says, helped create memories that will be cherished for years to come.

A loss for the local economy

Pratt says more than 50 per cent of ticket buyers for the 2018 show came from outside Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County.

Visitors, he says, stayed in local hotels and campgrounds, dined at area restaurants and visited attractions such as the Rocky Museum.

“The show was midweek, which meant campgrounds were full on weekdays rather than just weekends,” he says. “We filled them for an extra three days.”

In a statement, the society extended its gratitude to residents of Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County for their continued enthusiasm and support.

It also thanked the airshow’s sponsors for their contributions.

“Your generosity and commitment were the foundation of the event’s success, helping bring the excitement of flight to life and inspiring generations of aviation enthusiasts and aspiring pilots.”

Jerry Pratt speaking about the airshow’s impact on the local economy

Canadian Forces Snowbirds landing at the Rocky Airport in 2018. (Rocky Mountain House Airshow/Jerry Pratt)