Cue the Van Halen!

Whether or not you have the means to fly this summer, you can still find enjoyment and feel awe in watching some thousand-pound aircrafts in flight at this year’s Chippewa Valley Air Show. The Air Show, which has been a regular event for Eau Claire since 1976, comprises aircraft displays, top military performers (including the United States Navy Blue Angels), and a variety of performers. Lonnie Kolar, one of the show’s co-chairs, has been a part of it since the very beginning. The event, which is made possible by volunteers from the Chippewa Valley, is being sponsored this year by the Boy Scouts. “They are our manpower to put everything together the week of the show,” Kolar said, adding that they “really take ownership of it and we’re really proud of them.” The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will be the highlight of the show, as in previous years. Of their 35 years of performing, Kolar said the Blue Angels named the Chippewa Valley Air Show the “Air Show of the Year” in 2008, and this year they’re coming back for more. The show starts at noon and the gates open at 8:30am, so there is plenty of time to check out the displays before takeoff!

Chippewa Valley Air Show • June 5-6 • Chippewa Valley Regional Airport, 3800 Starr Ave. • various times • $17 advance, $25 gate, 12 and under FREE • all ages • www.chippewavalleyairshow.com