Fraser Valley – MAY 7 2021 UPDATE – History has repeated itself for the Chilliwack Flight Fest. The management at Firkus Aircraft, the showrunners, confirmed to FVN that even the possibility of a virtual or static display just would not work .
However, even with the pandemic, as people are not traveling (again) for holidays, the number of pre-purchase aircraft inspections through Firkus has actually increased.
There, a silver lining.
Like other cancelled events, the hope is the show is in the air for 2021.
OCTOBER 10 2020 UPDATE – You have to give credit to the organizers of the Chilliwack Flight Fest. Firkus Aircraft looked at every way imaginable to get the show going. For some time, the 2020 Chilliwack Flight Fest was still on the books.
COVID provided the shutdown as a live show with crowds would be impossible. Social distancing, concessions, portable washrooms, traffic and parking control were the obvious factors.
It didn’t look promising.
The idea of a virtual show was a faint hope.
Time started to run out.
Did we mention COVID?
Now that the weather has turned, and autumn rains are here, the dream has died.
The Flight Fest, the last remaining free air show in Canada will have to wait for Spring 2021.
…and there are a lot of “ifs” for that to happen.
The Flight Fest has had a rough few years. Lack of sponsors and volunteers grounded the 2018 show. The 2019 return saw a scaled back program.
Now it’s time to look to the skies in 2021.
We hope…
JULY 13 UPDATE – Usually the Chilliwack Flight Fest, Chilliwack Airport and Firkus Aircraft are organizing the next Flight Fest. Ray Firkus told FVN/chillTV that with the state of the pandemic, and gatherings of no more that 50 people for the foreseeable future, Furkus says the organizers have not even gathered to talk about a 2020 show.
So what about staying in your car and social distancing that way? Firkus says that still poses problems for first responders having access to the airport. There is also the sanitation concerns because porta-potties would have to be brought in as a basic courtesy. A virtual show similar to Abbotsford is not in the cards. The Flight Fest budget, let alone sponsors, simply are not there to make that happen.
So for now, Flight Fest remains, grounded.
MAY 4 ORIGINAL STORY – With the 2020 Abbotsford Air Show now grounded, attention for aircraft enthusiasts turns to the Chilliwack Flight Fest.
While not on the same grand scale as the neighbours down the highway, that actually works in favour of the Flight Fest at Chilliwack Airport.
Firkus Aircraft are the main sponsors of the annual event that has had its share to challenges over the years.
The 2018 show was grounded due to lack of funds and sponsors. The 2019 was airborne.
Welcome to 2020 and COVID-19.
In a statement to FVN, there is hope:
Nothing much has changed since our last update with you, we are still waiting to see how the summer will look. We are still aiming to have some sort of an event, however we are unsure of what that will look like as of now.
Because we are a free event and don’t rely on a gate admission, we are able to hold off longer before we call the event if it does come to that.
We will update you once we know either way but know that we are working hard and looking at other options to provide Chilliwack with something.
