Duluth Airshow Sees Record Crowds, Announces 2022 Dates [PHOTO GALLERY]
Events have returned to the Northland in a big way. The second major event in the Twin Ports area for the 2021 summer season drew record crowds and escaped the threat of impending rainy weather for a successful weekend.
The combination of static aviation displays on the ground and a roster of high-flying excitement in the sky above the Duluth Airport drew crowds estimated to be over 50,000 people on Saturday and another round of crowds again on Sunday.
The 2021 Duluth Airshow featured stunt plane performances from Craig Gifford and Grant Nielsen, Red Bull's wingsuit, stunt plane, and helicopter performances, the Smoke-N-Thunder Jet Car, a B-25 and C-17 flyover, F-22 Raptor demo, and others; all headlined by the US Navy's Blue Angels.
Organizers said they planned for big crowds this year, but Duluth Airshow president Ryan Kern told FOX 21 that "you reach a certain point where this is more than we were anticipating." The record-setting crowd has organizers exploring how to accommodate crowds of this year's size if turnout continues in future years at this year's level.
In many years, there is a sizable path between spectators and the vendors lining the hangars. This year, that path for visitors and staff vehicles to navigate was full of people there to watch the show.
One of the suggestions Kern mentioned might be expanding their ramp area further to the east and west or looking at other configurations to create more space for larger crowds.
Organizers shared that planning for the 2022 Duluth Airshow is already well underway, sharing that it will happen July 16 and 17, 2022 and will be headlined by the US Air Force's Thunderbirds.
Take a peek at some of the sights at the 2021 Duluth Airshow below!