Wings Over North Georgia to be drive-in event
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline Georgia’s Premier Tailgate Party at the eighth annual Wings Over North Georgia Air Show on Oct. 24-25 in Rome. To provide a safe environment for air show attendees, the 2020 event will utilize a drivein format for the air show, offering spectators a mix of social distancing while watching some of the top military and civilian aviation performers.
“Many events and most air shows have been forced to cancel during the pandemic,” said John Cowman, president of JLC AirShow Management and organizer of WONG 2020. “We transitioned to a drive-in air show model that fully satisfies the wide range of safety concerns while allowing us to bring exciting entertainment at a family-style venue to the residents of the tri-state area. We believe this is the ‘shot in the arm’ our community needs right now, especially during the fall, one of the most beautiful times of the year in our area.”
Russell Regional Airport will be transformed to a giant drive-in style parking lot for the two-day event. There will be a limited number of tickets that must be purchased in advance. Tickets will not be sold onsite during show days. General airfield parking tickets will be sold for $130 per vehicle with a limited number of front row airfield parking tickets for $300 per car. There will be no restrictions on the number of people admitted per car as long as there are as many installed seat belts as passengers.
Each car will be parked in order of arrival and assigned a 10’ x 20’ space for the vehicle with an adjacent 10’ x 20’ private space for tailgating. The single front row spots will have an additional 100 square feet of space. Guests are allowed to bring their own chairs, tables, non-alcoholic beverages and food. Beverages and food will also be available for sale on site.
The U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds will serve as the headlining and final performers on Saturday and Sunday in their six signature red, white and blue F-16 Falcons.
Opening ceremonies will begin each day with the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. The elite group of skydivers will launch the start of aerial performances during the national anthem and will later return for a full demonstration highlighting the skill and expertise of the world’s top military parachutists.
The A-10 Thunderbolt Demonstration Team served as coheadliners for the 2018 WONG Air Show. The aircraft offers a number of unique capabilities such as rapid roll rates, low and high-speed maneuverability, and short takeoffs and landings, making it an invaluable close-air support asset.
Airport parking lots will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. There will be pre-show aerial demonstrations for those arriving early. Opening ceremonies will kick-off each day around 12:30 p.m.