By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Great Bend Airfest is right around the corner as city officials continue the planning to pull off a large production for flyers in the sky and patrons on the ground. The fifth Airfest, which started in 2012 and reoccurs every three years, is scheduled for September 20-22 at the Great Bend Municipal Airport.
No ticket prices have been set, but Airport Manager Martin Miller said getting a large crowd and sponsorships will be crucial for an event that usually aims to break even.
"The show is paying for a whole lot of Jet A fuel and 100 Low Lead gas," said Miller. "Making estimates on what it will cost depends on the fuel price. We're talking about thousands of gallons of fuel. We can base what I did three years ago, but we're probably going to have to add 20% or 30%. We all know what's going on here with inflation."
The last Airfest in 2021 had just over 9,000 spectators attend the three-day event. The Golden Belt Community Foundation provided a $7,500 grant to help cover the expense for school-aged children to enjoy the festivities on Friday, Sept. 20.
Along with a ghostwriter night show, hot streak jet truck, parachute performances, there will be rides and tours offered of the warbirds. Miller expects another big crowd for the Saturday airshows and said there is no worry about parking.
"Sunflower Diversified Services has agreed to do the shuttle service," said Miller. "When the parking gets too full, we have Fuller Industries' approval to use their parking lot. We'll have a park-and-ride, mostly on Saturday."
Individual or business sponsorships are available online, and the city will be looking for volunteers to help with the event. Find contact information at greatbendairfest.com.
"There are two factors here," added Martin. "How many people show up for the show versus how much it costs. We'll do the math. It's still going to be a better deal than any civilian airshow in the middle of the country. We don't want to outprice our customers either."