Lake Of The Ozarks Airshow Honors Veterans And Offers High-Flying Entertainment For All

"The Lake of the Ozarks Air Show is an exciting event that will undoubtedly be an awesome experience for everyone who attends," says Tim Jacobsen, executive director of the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau. "We're really proud to offer this great air show that will delight audiences and honor our military heroes, too. The generosity of our sponsors ensures we can continue this fine tradition." Spectators will enjoy thrilling aviation acts, which include aerobatics by Jeff Shetterly's Radial Rumble, Franklin's Flying Circus' demon bi-plane, Dracula; stunt flying by Team Vortex, G&M Airshows; and performances by the KC Flight Formation Team. To add to the entertainment, Kenny Carroll will be racing aerobatic planes across the tarmac in his 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo and there will be multiple Ping-Pong ball drops and remote controlled airplanes as well, which are always a favorite among the children in attendance. On Friday, Sept. 11, free flights for veterans are once again being offered in a B-25J Mitchell WWII bomber.  Organizers say this is another way of thanking those who have served in the armed forces. On Saturday morning, from 7:30 until 9:30 am, there will be a pancake breakfast to honor local military members at Hangar D. The opening ceremonies for the event take place at 10 a.m., as the Zack Wheat American Legion Post 624 will present the colors followed by a performance by Main Street Opry and LOZ Dance Academy at 10:05 am. The national anthem will be performed at 10:30 a.m. by Melissa Carroll. Shortly thereafter, all the high-flying action really takes off and continues throughout the day until 3:30 p.m. when all flights at the airport resume. There will also be a meet and greet with the aerial performers from 6-10 p.m. at Captain Ron's Bar & Grill, 82 Aloha Lane in Sunrise Beach, to officially bring the action-packed day to a close. When the Lake of the Ozarks Air Show first started five years ago, there were only 4,000 people in attendance.  Since then, it has been breaking attendance records every year, with last year's show drawing crowds well above 14,000 spectators. "The Air Show gets better every year as the organizers add more and more cool acts to the lineup," Jacobsen elaborates. "People are always very impressed. They go away talking about how much fun they had, and because of that, it keeps growing in popularity." Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets. Local civic organizations will set up vendor booths to sell food and drinks during the show, therefore, no outside food or beverages will be allowed. Proceeds from the vendor booth sales will be reinvested into the air show and local community projects, making the show a benefit to the Camdenton community in many ways. Free parking will be available in parking lots at the Camdenton RIII schools. There will be a free shuttle running from 8 am to 5 pm to transport attendees to and from their vehicles. Parking also is available at the Camdenton Memorial Airport for a fee of $10. The event is made possible by collaboration among the City of Camdenton, the Camdenton Area Chamber of Commerce, the Camdenton Memorial Airport, the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau and many other local sponsors.  To learn more, go to www.LakeOfTheOzarksAirShow.com or call the Camdenton Memorial Airport at 573-346-0300. The Air Show is just one of many exciting summer and fall events at the Lake of the Ozarks. To keep tabs on all the fun and exciting events taking place at the "Best Recreational Lake in the Nation," visitors can download the "Fun Lake Events" app for iOS and Androids or check out an in-depth event calendar on the Convention & Visitor Bureau's website. To find out more about all the dining,  accommodations and attractions at the Lake, call the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau (CVB) at 800-FUN-LAKE, or visit our award-winning website at www.FunLake.com.

September 2013 Lake Event Photos

Two of our favorite post-summer season events have come and gone as 2013 draws near an end. Both Bikefest and the Lake of the Ozarks Air Show continue to grow with 2013 being the most successful year yet. 

The 7th Annual Bikefest was held September 12 – 15. We couldn't have wished for better weather over all four days of the event as not one drop of rain fell, making perfect riding conditions around the entire Lake area. A selection of photos highlighting the vendor, activity and concert areas can be viewed at our Flickr page here: http://bit.ly/17HGxHS

We were also blessed with another day of beautiful weather for the Lake of the Ozarks Air Show on September 21st. Sunny and cloudless blue skies provided a perfect backdrop for a tribute to our military veterans and aerobatic acts as they took to the sky over Camdenton Memorial Airport. You can view our selection of Air Show photos on our Flickr Page here: http://bit.ly/18VkU47


Both Bikefest and the Lake of the Ozarks Air Show are annual events and plans are already forming around the 2014 season. If you missed out on the action this year, make arrangements to visit us next September. Visit www.funlake.com for all of your lodging, dining, attractions needs and more!

Lake of the Ozarks Air Show 2013

All eyes will be turned skyward at the Lake of the Ozarks Air Show at the Camdenton Memorial Airport on Sept. 21. Now in its third year, the annual event began as a way to honor the commitment of active military and veterans, as well as add an autumn event for the Lake of the Ozarks community and visitors. 

  

Aviation acts for the 2013 show include the Commemorative Air Force - Missouri Wing's AC-47 "Spooky" Gunship, which saw action in Vietnam, the TBM-3E "Avenger," which was utilized during the Korean Conflict and the P-51 Gunfighter, which took its place in history in 1945. This year's lineup also features stunt flying by the Erik Edgren and Team Vortex air shows, as well as performances by the KC Flight Formation Team and Free-Fall Express Skydivers. The show's organizers note the event is enjoyed by people of all ages - from the Korean and WWII veterans who remember the roaring sound of the plane engines to children who wait for the event's Ping-Pong ball drop. For a full schedule of Air Show acts and events , visit www.lakeairshow.com. 

Attendance at the show has grown exponentially, from 4,000 the first year to more than 14,000 last year, making it the largest single-day event in Camden County. "You know you're doing something right when they (attendees) tell other people and those people come, too," Camdenton City Administrator Brenda Colter said.

  

The show's location at the Lake is part of its draw for visitors, according to Airport Manager Corey Leuwerke. "People come to the airshow and get to spend a weekend at the Lake," he said.  However, the event benefits the Camdenton community in many ways. Local civic organizations are vendors of food at the event, reinvesting the proceeds into the air show or their own community projects.

The event is made possible by collaboration among the City of Camdenton, the Camdenton Area Chamber of Commerce, the Camdenton Memorial Airport and the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau. Convention and Visitor Bureau Executive Director Tim Jacobsen also credits the local sponsors. "Without our sponsors, the air show simply would not be possible," he said.

With all it has to offer, the Lake of the Ozarks Air Show is an event for everyone. Camdenton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Trish Creach sums it up this way: "This is a top-notch, do-not-miss, must-attend air show at the Lake!"

To view photos from the 2012 Lake of the Ozarks Air Show, visit our Flickr gallery at http://bit.ly/1e9i4jZ. For lodging, dining and other Lake Area attractions, visit www.funlake.com.