Muskegon Air Fair May Return With New Airport Management Group
The Muskegon County Airport is under new private management, and they are looking into bring back the Muskegon Air Fair. It was a fun event to attend, and it enjoyed a 23 year run before ending in 2006. Now F3 Airport, the new managers since January are taking steps to return the air show.
Their target date for the first show would be in 2023. F3 has a five year contract, which if in the first year they are able to get an independent nonprofit group to make a commitment to “formulate funding and organization” of an air show, would earn them a $10,000 incentive payment. This group also has run the Northern Illinois Airshow, which used to be known as Wings over Waukegan, Skip Goss the director of F3’s airport division, is also general manager of the Waukegan National Airport.
The Muskegon Air Fair started back in 1984, and brought in tens of thousands of fans yearly, in 2001 they had a record year with a total of 121,771 in attendance. Then after years of financial losses, it ended. In it’s prime years the Muskegon Air Fair treated fans to high flying stunt performers, the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels, the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights Parachute Team, and even the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Snowbirds. I remember World War 2 fighter planes, that you could actually climb into and check out. As with any fair there was also food, drink and entertainment.
Muskegon County Administrator Mark Eisenbarth said during talks about having F3 manage the airport, county officials mentioned the old air fair. That piqued the interest of F3, which had the idea of including the return of the air show as a goal in the management contract, Eisenbarth said. He said there’s potential for the air fair to be held every other year, but stressed that an independent nonprofit organization will have to be responsible for hosting it.
The Muskegon Air fair was always a fun event to attend. After the past year, we certainly need more events to keep us entertained. This one would be a worthwhile return.