Every year, the Olympic Flight Museum has kicked-off the summer with their annual Olympic Air Show. Each Father’s Day weekend, this year June 16 and 17, is the event that’s sure to be fun for the whole family.
A great way to see unique, vintage aircrafts from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, the event takes place at the Olympia Regional Airport, and goes from 9:00 a.m. to about 5:00 p.m. The opening ceremonies begin at 12:00 p.m.
This year’s show will include some new aerobatic performances by Jim Bourke in his custom Extra 330SC, a Curtiss P-40C Tomahawk on Saturday Only courtesy of Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum, and Sky-Dancer Anna Serbinenko. Imagine a graceful, elegant ballet performance set to music, except instead of a person it’s a classic airplane twisting and twirling through the sky.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” says Sarah Hinman, Olympic Flight Museum executive director. “I’m looking forward to watching her and meeting her.” Guests can meet Anna and get autographs after the show.
Kids and adults alike will love watching the planes take over the sky. Kid-friendly activities include a paintball booth, and other fun provided by the Hands On Children’s Museum.
Guests have the unique opportunity to ride in the B-25D Liberator Bomber “Grumpy.” For this paid group experience, it’s suggested that passengers sign-up ahead of time for each ride. Those interested in signing up can do so by contacting the Olympic Flight Museum: 360.705.3925
Olympic Flight Museum neighbors at Glacier Aviation will also offer helicopter rides. Plus, a “Harleys and Hotrods” vintage car show is free with admission to the air show.
This is certainly an event you will want to spend the day whole day at, with so much to see and do for the whole family. There will also be plenty of delicious food vendors, including Big Daddies Concessions and BC Frozen Treats, a beer garden by Columbia Distributing, and music by the classic-rock band Backlash.
Don’t forget to check out the displays in the museum too. The Olympic Flight Museum is open to visitors year round, Tuesdays through Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They also offer facility rentals for private events.
While the Olympic Air Show is certainly the museum’s largest event, it is not their only one. In February, they also have a paper-airplane flight school for kids, as well as a twice-yearly military collectible sale. Vendors come to sell vintage military equipment, attire, and other artifacts.
If you haven’t been to the Olympic Air Show before, this year’s 20th anniversary event is not to miss. It is one of few other flying events in the state. The museum first hosted a “fly-in” event in 1998, as The Gathering of the Warbirds. Since 2001, when the museum received federal permission to use closed airspace, the Olympic Air Show was born and grew into a yearly celebration.
For tickets and other information, visit the Olympic Flight Museum website or call 360-705-3925.
Olympic Flight Museum
7637-A Old Hwy 99, SE Olympia
Tuesdays – Sundays: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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