Red Deer Regional Airshow to return in 2026

Red Deer Regional Airshow will take to the skies again in 2026.

After a long break, an airshow returned to Red Deer Regional Airport in 2023 and was a big success, drawing more than 25,000 spectators July 29 and 30.

Despite the popularity of the event, the show was put on hold this year, partly because construction on a new north access road is underway.

Another factor was celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force meant some of the biggest crowd-pleasing acts, such as the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, would not be available this summer.

The Alberta International Airshow at Edmonton’s Villeneuve Airport was cancelled this year for similar reasons. Both the Snowbirds and the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows demonstration team had been expected but were redirected to other venues.

A 2025 Red Deer show was considered but organizers opted to hold off until 2026 when construction will be complete on the extension of Airport Drive to Township Road 374 and on to C&E Trail.

“The construction is going to take place until the spring 2026,” said airport CEO Nancy Paish on Monday. “We felt we really wanted to have that access to the site.”

The addition of another route into the airport is expected to help eliminate the traffic snarls that saw vehicles backed up for kilometres on Highway 2A in both directions during the 2023 show.

Paish said when the show returns, both the east and north access roads will be used to reduce congestion.

“That is definitely the plan,” she said.

Airshow organizers are also planning to use their lead time to nail down the big acts, such as the Snowbirds. Paish said the airport will point to its long history with the RCAF going back to its role as a flight training base during the Second World War. What military acts can be expected will be announced in December 2025 at the annual International Council of Air Shows event in Las Vegas.

Red Deer’s 2023 event had a loaded lineup of new and old aircraft. A CH-149 Cyclone helicopter, which made the trip from CFB Esquimalt and was open for tours, was among the modern aircraft on display.

A pair of P-51 Mustangs, P-40 Kittyhawk, F4U Corsair and RCAF Harvards also did flybys.

In the last few years, the airport has been undergoing a $34-million expansion, including lengthened and widened runway, upgraded taxiway and a $3.5-million terminal expansion was officially opened in September.

Stay up to date with air show plans at reddeerregionalairshow.com

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