With the 2024 Great Bend Airport Airfest only five weeks away, sponsors of the triennial airshow hosted Thursday’s Great Bend Chamber Coffee at the airport.
Christina Hayes with the Convention and Visitors Bureau said tickets are on sale online for the Airfest at greatbendairfest.com and the last day for early bird pricing is Tuesday, Aug. 20. Tickets are $20 for Friday and Sunday which each feature one airshow, and $30 for Saturday, when three airshows are scheduled. There are discounts for veterans and senior citizens. Tickets for children 6-12 years old are $5, and will stay at that price after the early bird deadline. Children under 5 will be admitted for free. All ticket prices (except children’s tickets) go up $5 after Tuesday. There is a 3% booking fee added at the online checkout to help offset credit card fees.
Hayes said volunteers are needed for Friday, Sept. 20, when more than 1,000 school-age children from the area will attend. Anyone interested can send her an email at chayes@greatbendks.net.
Numerous sponsors have helped offset the cost of this $375,000 event, Hayes added. The Golden Belt Community Foundation is helping with the cost of tickets for the children attending with their schools and the Barton County Commission has contributed $25,000. Sponsorship information is available on the website.
Airport Manager Martin Miller talked about some featured attractions, including performers, rides and tours, and static displays. The final day will include a ceremony honoring veterans.
“This is a big event for Great Bend,” Miller said, noting between 40,000 and 60,000 people are expected to attend.
During the Airfest, airspace up to 13,000 feet in a 5-mile radius will be restricted.
Thursday’s program began on a solemn note with a moment of silence in respect for the Tuesday morning accidental electrocution at the main hangar, where one man died and another was seriously injured.
Freaking Delicious Cheesecake ribbon cutting
After the coffee, Chamber Ambassadors headed back to the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce office for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the expansion of Freaking Delicious Cheesecake Company with their cheesecake trailer. Owner Allie Cartwright treated everyone to free samples. For more information visit www.freakingdeliciouscheesecake.com or call 620-303-0350.
Chamber announcements
• Join the Animal Safari Party from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, at the First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 2123 Forest Ave., to learn all of the possibilities Girl Scouts can offer. Bring a friend and your favorite stuffed animal. Parents and caregivers must attend. There is a $40 annual fee for Girl Scouts; financial assistance is available. Learn more at kansasgirlscouts.org.
• Support the Pilot Club of Great Bend with an all-day fundraiser on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Applebee’s, 3209 10th St. You must tell them you want to support Pilot Club in order for the club to receive a percentage of the meal price.
• Friday, Aug. 30, is the last day to receive the early bird ticket price for the Sunflower Diversified Services Charity Gala, set for Sept. 28 at the Columbus Club in Great Bend.
• The next Great Bend Chamber Coffee and ribbon cutting will be hosted by Stueder Contractors Inc., 3410 10th St. Doors open at 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, with the program at 9:30. That will also be the last chance to register for a spa that will be given away at the Aug. 30 Final Fridays on Forest.
• Final Friday takes place from 5-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, in the 2100 block of Forest Ave. That’s the block between Main Street and Williams Street. It will be Retro Night, celebrating three decades with sponsor anniversaries: Eagle Country started in 1994, Stueder Contractors started in 1984 and Credit Union of America opened a Great Bend branch in 1974.
