First Flight Fest soars to a start Saturday
A small aircraft is parked outside the Skyward Aviation building at the Washington County Airport. Along with games and bounce houses, more than 40 vendors and food trucks will be set up in this area for the first Flight Fest this Saturday.
Courtesy of Brianna Elliott
Skyward Aviation’s Freedom Fighter jet will be on display during the first Flight Fest Saturday. The jet’s patriotic paint job was designed by Brianna Elliott, vice president of Skyward Aviation, host of the festival.
An airplane lifts off from the Washington County Airport. Because the venue is an operating airport, Flight Festgoers will have the opportunity to watch planes take off and land during the festival.
After a long day in the skies, an aircraft rests on the jetway at the Washington County Airport. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to see smaller aircraft up close during the Flight Fest Saturday.
The first Flight Fest soars to a start Saturday at Washington County Airport.
Admission is free for the event that runs from 12 to 7 p.m., but festivalgoers may want to have cash on hand for the more than 40 vendors and food trucks that will set up street-fair style near the Skyward Aviation building.
Among those vendors are Flight Fest’s host Skyward Aviation, JD Wine Cellars, North Franklin Fire Department and Sarris Candies.
“This is (Flight Fest)’s inaugural year,” said Brianna Elliott, vice president of Skyward Aviation. “With COVID hopefully behind us, we just felt like this would be a good year. We said, let’s make it happen.”
Planning began when coronavirus regulations were relaxed in June. Skyward Aviation, a family-owned and operated business founded by Elliott’s father Ronald Corrado in 1993, wanted to showcase Washington County Airport and provide a unique experience for the community.
“The airport is a very large economic generator that people don’t realize. There are a lot of businesses up here,” said Elliott, who noted the airport brings federal funding to the county.
Flight Fest co-sponsors are Aero National, Friend AirCare, Phillips 66 and Washington County Airport, which will shut down a section of the airport for the festival.
In addition to vendors, festival entertainment includes bounce houses, carnival games and an appearance by the Washington Wild Thing.
Kids will love the airplane tow, said Elliott, and attendees will delight in planes taking off and landing.
“The cool thing about this is it’s a working airport. Spectators will definitely be seeing jets coming and going,” said Elliott.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to spend 15 minutes flying high above Washington County.
Airplane rides are $20 and all proceeds benefit Ronald McDonald Charities of Pittsburgh and Morgantown.
“There’s a lot of people who maybe have flown on a commercial airliner but don’t know a lot about (smaller aircraft),” said Elliott. “We love doing things for charity and we’re just really excited for the airport to be open to the public and to showcase what an awesome airport we have.”