Fly High for Father's Day in the Olympia Region
The skies above Olympia will be abuzz on Father's Day Weekend June 17 - 18, for the 23rd annual Olympic Air Show, hosted by the Olympic Flight Museum.
The ideal treat for fathers, grandfathers and father figures alike, the two-day airshow features many recognized aerobatic performers and aircraft, as well as heritage aircraft from the museum’s collection. Find historically significant war birds from the World War II, Korean and Vietnam war eras.
According to Olympic Flight Museum Executive Director and pilot Ken Collins, there will be plenty of storied aircraft onsite including these unique offerings that will fly in the show:
- Goodyear FGU-1 Corsair, a World War II fighter, less than 20 of these aircrafts are flyable in the world.
- North American P-51D Mustang, another WWII fighter and rare find, less than 200 are flyable in the world.
- Replica Japanese Zero fighter from WWII. Approximately 16 were commissioned for the 1970, Oscar Winning film “Tora, Tora, Tora.”
- Bell UH-1H Huey helicopter that’s still painted in the same colors it wore in Vietnam in 1970.
- Bell TAH-1P Cobra gunship helicopter from the Vietnam era.
- Kaman HH-43D Huskie helicopter, one of only five such helicopters flyable in the world.
In addition to the airshow, the event will include classic festival fare– think BBQ, burgers and elephant ears, a beer garden and plenty of displays and activities for kids to enjoy.
Collins has been a performer in the airshow since 2011, sharing his “favorite memory was when I was told I flew the routine perfectly (this was about the third year!) Performing and flying in the Airshow is exhilarating! It is fun to see the crowd and know that we are presenting historically significant aircraft to fans that may have had fathers or grandfathers that flew the same aircraft so many years ago. It is not uncommon to have Vietnam veteran’s cry when they see and hear these aircraft fly again.”
Come make memories of your own, to purchase tickets visit olympicairshow.com. The Olympic Flight Museum was established in 1998 at the Olympia Regional Airport in Olympia, Washington and is open throughout the year. The Olympic Flight Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and flying of vintage aircraft. The museum was founded with the goal of bringing people together to relive, recollect and learn about aviation history.
Other Father's Day Delights
There are a variety of ways to wow dad for Father's Day so check out a few other suggestions! Start the day off on the right foot! The best meal of the day is brunch and Father's Day is another opportunity to grab dad make your way to a local brunch stop.
It's a proven fact that all dads love to golf. Around here, there are plenty of places to swing a golf club if you're still searching for that perfect green! Another classic father-daughter/father-son activity is batting cages. At Airport Golf & Batting Center, you can enjoy the cages or the state of the art driving range that includes a digital ball tracking system that will impress any dad.
If it's gifts that you need, dad's love something handmade. Procrastinate a bit and let the little ones handcraft a card and a gift at WET Science Center for dad or that special someone the day before Father's Day or spend some time together at the Hands on Children's Museum. The perfect way to incorporate activity and creativity into a gift this year!
Fly away on your next adventure, tag social posts #ExperienceOlympia and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter (@Experience_Oly) and Instagram (@ExperienceOly).
