Olympic Peninsula Air Affaire
When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 27-28
Where: Sequim Valley Airport, 468 Dorothy Hunt Lane, Sequim
Events:
• Balloon rides 7 a.m. daily, fees apply. Contact 360-601-2433 or e-mail airboss@nwplace.com
• 9 a.m. both days, remote control plane demonstrations, plane show and shine, food, music, bounce house balloon for charitible donation (10 a.m.-3 p.m.), helicopter rides, fees apply, safety fair, wing walker, smoke planes and more.
• Hot air balloon night glow (Saturday at dusk)
• 10 a.m. both days, Car Show & Shine, cars show up before 9 a.m., no fee. Call 417-0676 for more information
Cost: $5 per car load
For more: Visit olympicpeninsulaairaffaire.com or call 670-6294
Volunteers: Contact Kelly Jo Hill at olympicpeninsulaairaffaire@gmail.com or 461-3950.
All the fun you can have for five bucks. That’s one unofficial motto for the Olympic Peninsula Air Affaire going into its fourth year at the Sequim Valley Airport, 468 Dorothy Hunt Lane.
Since beginning in 2013 as a celebration for the City of Sequim’s centennial and Sequim Valley Airport’s 30th year, airplanes, balloons, cars and plenty more continue to fill the airport and Sequim’s skies Aug. 27-28.
Organizers have a few new activities for visitors including helicopter rides by Atomic Helicopters this year both days for an additional fee. The business offered similar rides during Sequim Lavender Weekend.
Saturday also will feature a safety fair with local first responders on scene including Clallam County Fire District 3.
There will be an array of flyers on scene, too, with new and antique planes, experimental planes, a paraglider and remote control planes.
“We never know who is going to show up,” co-organizer Kelly Jo Hill said.
“It’s a fly-in so there are always surprises,” co-organizer Emily Westcott said.
Captain Crystal Stout continues to offer hot air balloon rides at 7 a.m. through the event.
Depending on weather, she’ll turn one balloon on its side for a sock hop/bounce house from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. both days with donations going to the Dream Catcher Balloon Program, which offers flights for mentally and physically impaired people. Visitors can feel the wind soar, play beach ball and/or take in the sights from inside the balloon. She’ll also offer tethered rides for $10 for the program starting at 9 a.m. daily.
Visitors can return to the airport on Saturday at dusk to see hot air balloons rise up and light up the sky with a night glow. Visitors are encouraged to bring flashlights for nighttime parking. The event is weather-dependent.
Mike and Marilyn Mason of the West Coast Spin Doctors return in the afternoon both days demonstrating wing walking in their 1943 Stearman. They remain the only wing walking school in the world and people come from all over the world to learn the sport.
The Sequim RC Aeronauts and Port Angeles’ Olympic RC Modelers hold a fundraiser for Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County on Saturday on the northeast side of the airport, performing tricks and showing their flying skills. They’ll be joined by the Tri-Area R/C fliers out of Chimacum and other guests.
There will be children’s activities throughout the event including free wooden planes to the first 100 children and paper airplane racing.
The car show returns, too, with awards offered on Saturday and free entry on Sunday to the event for participating the day before.
Organizers hope the weather holds out unlike last year where power went out in some areas and high winds led to balloon rides and the night glow to be canceled on Saturday.
This year, Saturday looks clear but it might rain on Sunday. However, organizers said because of Sequim’s blue hole, pilots opted to come to Sequim because it was nicer than surrounding areas.
For more information on the event, visit http://olympicpeninsulaairaffaire.com.
