The NJ Airshow is an event that people come together to enjoy and celebrate. Located in West Milford at Greenwood Lake Airport, it melds history and aviation together. The Greenwood Lake Airport has a strong meaning to veterans and establishes its icon status as a popular NJ Airshow. The airport was built during World War II and serves as a point for aviation lovers to meet and enjoy a slice of history. The first airshow at Greenwood Lake was in 2009. From there, this event has been held close to many hearts and always brings together communities. Many volunteers participate to help run the airshow and aid in the pre-show. Tim Wagner is the event organizer and has been since the start in 2009, saying that it has drawn in over 35,000 spectators.
Airshow Growth
The NJ Airshow has changed with the times while still offering plenty of nostalgia. The Airshow boasts a unique twist by having their Titan Aerobatics team use the World War II T-6 Texans.
One of the modern takes that the show will be taking is its “light up the sky” performance that will have 200 pounds of pyrotechnics, including 4,000 LED lights designed by Nathan Hammond Hammond is notable in the air show world, specifically his skywriting and his flight skills when it comes to doing loops. His fun tricks and innate ability to put on a show will make for quite the watch. . To get a glimpse behind the scenes meet Kelly Hammond who is in charge of laying down the groundwork for the about 200 pounds of pyrotechnics. Featuring many more performances. Which can be found at their website as well as ticket purchase information.
This year’s air show will be celebrating its 15th anniversary. It is one of the only airshow that is available in North New Jersey. This is exactly what makes Greenwood Lakes air show so special. This year, the show will only further grow its award-winning icon status by having some of the worlds best airshow performers in the lineup. Speaking with Tim Wagner, the event organizer he states “It has been a staple for local communities and North NJ and Surrounding NYC areas. We have been the pioneer in the night show for the air performances. As a Friday night teaser in 2016 that was when we did our first night show. It has been a hit ever since, and has evolved from Friday evening to much longer. This is the first year we will be having all of the scheduled events with the night shows.”
The NJ Airshow has had three wins in the award of the International Council of Airshow but speaking with Wagner, he expressed how one of the most rewarding feelings from each event is the reaction and emotion from the crowds. He stated, “It’s the wow factor from our airshow. You can go to an event or another airshow, but here, people leave with an ecstatic feeling and the expression on kids’ and parents’ faces makes the efforts that go into this worth it. Seeing shirts back from 2009 is rewarding and generations of families have come through this event year after year.”
This year’s event will be taking place June 14 to June 16 On Friday, the event kicks off at p.m., with the show taking place at 7 p.m. going into the night show that ends around 9:30 p.m. As for the weekend dates, the show’s gates open at 2 p.m., the performances at 5:30 p.m. ending around 9:30 p.m. There will be a multitude of food options and it is suggested to bring chairs or blankets to enjoy the show.
The plans for this airshow are for it to only grow further. Next year, Wagner shared an inside scoop that they plan to expand to other states like Connecticut. Last year, there were 37,000 in attendance, and this year, Wagner says they expect a whopping 50,000 spectators.
To purchase tickets for the NJ Airshow at Greenwood Airport and to find out more, click here.
