Final Preparations Being Make For Free Air Show Featuring Blue Angels

With a little over a week remaining before Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville opens its gates for the 2010 Wings Over South Texas air show, March 26-28, base officials are making final preparations for the event and double-checking everything to ensure the command is ready.

NAS Kingsville's Commanding Officer Capt. Philip L. Waddingham is predicting clear skies for the weekend, and is hoping for a crowd of about 100,000 – nearly double what the command drew two years ago.

 "We have a superb lineup of performers again this year," Waddingham said, "headlined by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the U.S. Air Force's Viper East, the U.S. Army Golden Knights, and world aerobatic champion Rob Holland. But we've also got some exciting new acts this year like the Commemorative Air Force's Tora, Tora, Tora, and aerobatic performer Jack Knutson, along with air show veterans Jan Collmer and Paul Fiala. We're really excited about the show and can't wait for the show to get underway."

Waddingham and his air show team also added some new events to this year's show that is sure to drive in its own share of the crowd. Country music Grammy-winning band Emerson Drive will host a free concert following the Saturday show, and the base is currently lineup a special guest for the Sunday show. Both acts will draw big crowds to the air station, along with thousands of aviation enthusiasts.

Air show weekend will actually kick off Friday morning, March 26, when school children from throughout South Texas will muster at Texas A&M University-Kingsville's Javelina Stadium for the air show pep rally, hosted by the college.  High school and middle school students will meet the Blue Angels and other performers from 0900-1000, while elementary school students will see aerobatic performances overhead and witness the Golden Knights jump into the stadium from 1000-1100.

The two-hour event will feature speakers from the Blue Angels, the Viper East team, and the Golden Knights talking about the importance of staying in school and getting an education.

Friday night, the City of Kingsville will host a "Meet the Performers" event at JK Northway Coliseum at Kleberg Park, open to the public free of charge. Nearly all of the performers – including the Blue Angels – will be on hand to mingle with the crowd, pose for photographs and sign autographs.

NAS Kingsville will open the gates for the weekend show at 1000 Saturday and Sunday, with the show starting at about 1145. Free admission and convenient parking make this a great event for families, and there will be something for everybody this year, including a KidZone for children, food, merchandise and souvenir booths, military recruiting simulators, and more than 30 static aircraft on display.

FMI: www.wingsoversouthtexas.org