Final prep work before the 2023 Lethbridge International Airshow, happening July 29-30, is underway.
“It’s coming to fruition, but a long time coming. Lots of hard work,” said airshow president Dallas Harty.
Normally a biannual event, that schedule has been disrupted as of late.
The show returned to the sky last year after a five-year break and will now fly back-to-back years because of scheduling concerns in 2024, when celebrations are planned for the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
“We were afraid if we didn’t do it this year we would lose the airshow theme,” Harty said.
“It was hard to get going again after going through the pandemic and to try to have to go that long again, we didn’t think it was a great idea.”
That theme remains popular in southern Alberta.
Organizers estimate up to 20,000 people attended the airshow’s return in 2022 and it appears to be well-received again this year.
According to the Lethbridge Lodging Association, the event brings in a lot a people which creates a big bump in bookings.
“A third of the visitors are definitely Lethbridge residents, but then all the rest are from out of town, mainly from Calgary, down south and Medicine Hat,” said Shilpa Stocker, the association’s project manager.
The interest is shared by people appearing in the show.
“Most of us are aviation enthusiasts, so seeing what other aircraft are brought here, especially the other helicopters… that’s always fun,” said Jordan Clark, who’s piloting a UH1N helicopter from Great Falls, Mont.
With the added air traffic comes more travel on the roads as well.
Last year’s event included long waits to get into the airshow, which organizers believe will be improved the weekend.
Parking will be open earlier ahead of the noon start time, now at 8 a.m., and a shuttle is running between Lethbridge College and the airport.
“We recognize the problems we had with that last year and the mistakes that were made,” Harty said. “We’ve dealt with those and we’re confident we will not have the traffic issues we did.”
The city is also reminding people to expect loud noises and see aerial vehicles throughout Lethbridge and to drive carefully with patience at the event locations.
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