The Great Georgia Air Show, Oct. 11 - 12

By Nancy Price, Executive Director Peachtree City CVB

If you’ve never been to The Great Georgia Air Show, make 2014 the year to go! Named a Top 20 event by the Southeastern Tourism Association, the air show takes place October 11-12 at Peachtree City’s Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field. 

Gates open Saturday and Sunday at 9am with performances until 4pm. This year's performers include Redline Airshows, Vertigo Air Shows, and Indy Boys Jet School Bus. The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Dixie Wing will have its fleet of restored World War II-era aircraft, while the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation will provide Vietnam War-era helicopters. Delta Air Lines’ Pink 767 will do a flyby.

The GGAS takes to the skies this Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, at 5 pm, the gates will reopen for the night show. Aeroshell Aerobatic Team, Dan Buchanan Airshows, Otto the Helicopter, and Julie Clark’s Juice Plus T-34 are some of the performers who will take to the nighttime sky followed by a spectacular fireworks display. 

You'll find a wide range of activities, including a KidsZone, flight simulators, rides in warbirds, monster trucks, helicopters, a zip line, mechanical bull riding, and food and souvenir vendors. 

The Peachtree City Convention and Visitors Bureau is proud to be a sponsor of this year’s event, which benefits more than 40 area school and civic groups, as well as non-profit organizations and is organized, managed and staffed entirely this year by 300 unpaid volunteers. 

For a schedule of events and information on tickets and parking, see the event’s website at thegreatgeorgiaairshow.com or call the CVB Visitors Center at 678-216-0282. 

11th Annual WWII Heritage Days Honors The Women of the Greatest Generation

By Nancy Price, Executive Director Peachtree City CVB

This year’s WWII Heritage Days, April 26-27, includes all the happenings that visitors have come to expect at this terrific annual event in Peachtree City. Hosted by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Dixie Wing and located in the Historical Airport Facility at Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field, the event will delight visitors with its historic aircraft, antique cars, and vintage military vehicles. There will be guest speakers, educational displays, and the always popular battle demonstrations by re-enactors portraying Allied and Axis troops. There are plenty of activities for school age kids as well as a 1940’s big band hangar dance for adults. 

Women Air Force Service Pilots and B-17 Flying Fortress

As is traditional, the opening ceremony will recognize local WWII veterans. This year, however, special tribute is being paid to the Women of the Greatest Generation. From defense industry factory workers, known as Rosie the Riveters, to the nearly 400,000 women who served in or with the armed forces, American women did not hesitate to jump into the fray and made significant contributions to the total war effort. 

When the United States entered WWII in 1941, 12 million women were working outside the home. Four years later when the war ended, the number was up to 18 million (one third of the workforce), including 3 million women who worked in war plants.

Numerous women served as secretaries and clerks to generals in the field. About 74,000 women served in the American Army and Navy Nurse Corps, many as nurses in battle zones. More than 1,000 women served as pilots associated with the US Air Force in the WASP (Women Air Force Service Pilots). They were considered civil service workers and were not recognized for their military service until the 1970s. 

Key note speaker for the Saturday, 9:30am, opening program is Lt. Col. Nancy Dakin, pilot and Commander of the 116th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 116th Air Control Wing, Robins Air Force Base. Saturday at noon, visitors can meet Betty Bishop, who helped assemble Bell P-63 King Cobras, and Gisela Titman and Myrtle Faye Edwards, who both volunteered in the Women’s Army Corps. 

For numerous reasons, this two-day event in Peachtree City is well worth the suggested donation of $5. Active duty military in uniform and Children 5 and under are free. “WWII Heritage Days” will be held rain or shine. No pets please. Advance tickets for the Saturday night hangar dance, “Keep ‘em Flying,” are $50, $60 at the door. Reserved tables and group discounts are available. All ticket sales are final. For tickets, call 678-654-2464.  

For more information about the weekend, please visit www.wwiidays.org or call 678-364-1110. You can find a map to the event on the Peachtree City CVB’s website.

WWII Heritage Days April 24 - 25, 2010

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Dixie Wing has announced that they will be hosting the seventh edition of "WWII Heritage Days" on April 24-25, 2010 in Peachtree City, GA. Highlights for the 2010 event include:

• Opening Ceremony honoring The Greatest Generation.
• Vintage aircraft, including a p-51 Mustang, SBD Dauntless, and Japanese Zero and Kate.
• Military vehicles, canteen shows, and educational displays and demonstrations.
• "Keep 'em Flying" WWII-theme hangar dance, complete with 21-piece band, singers, and BBQ dinner.

WWII Heritage Days is an annual program that promotes historic preservation, education and citizenship through a celebration for the entire family. Last years event included living history displays and demonstrations, vintage aircraft, and vehicles. Reenactors came from all over the southeast to create mock battles set in Europe and the the Pacific. Pictures from the 2009 WWII Heritage Days can be seen at the following link, http://http://pwoodellis.zenfolio.com/p1033771695. Also, for more details on the 2009 event, please visit www.wwiidays.org.

The Commemorative Air Force is a non-profit organization dedicated to flying and restoring World War II Aircraft. www.commemorativeairforce.org.

Stay Tuned for more information as we get closer to the event.