Snowbirds coming to Kelowna for airport’s 75th anniversary in July

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will spend two days in Kelowna in July to celebrate the airport’s 75th anniversary.

The iconic airshow is scheduled for July 9 and 10, airport director Sam Samaddar told iNFOnews.ca.

The shows are part of a number of events throughout the year to celebrate the 1946 vote by residents to buy the Ellison Field for $20,000. The first official flight took off in 1947.

The civic leaders of the day had the foresight to find a location that had room to grow to what is now Kelowna International Airport which, pre-pandemic, saw more than two million passengers a year pass through.

READ MORE: Snowbirds to perform at 'biggest and best Peachfest ever': organizer

Other events will include the opening of the KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence.

The Snowbirds, according to their website, are also scheduled to be in Penticton on Aug. 3.

They last performed in Kelowna about eight years ago, Samaddar said.

The Snowbirds did stop in Kamloops last May in honour of Capt. Jennifer Casey who was killed there in the tragic crash of her Snowbirds jet in 2020.

READ MORE: Snowbirds stop in Kamloops for a bittersweet greeting

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