How to go
What: Heritage of Flight Festival
Where: Main Street, New Carlisle
When: 2 to 11 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
Admission: Free
More info: www.heritageofflight.com
In most parades, cars, trucks or maybe tractors lead the way. The Heritage of Flight Festival in New Carlisle takes its parade to new heights.
Biplanes and Cessna aircraft head the parade of the ninth annual festival, beginning Friday and running through Sunday.
“Just to see a plane going down Main Street is something that sets us apart,” said committee president Mike Lowrey.
The planes and other vehicles will highlight the Parade of Planes and Community Parade at 11 a.m. Saturday. A new addition this year will be the Team Fastrax parachute jump to kick the parade off.
Live entertainment, carnival rides and games and concessions and vendors will be part of all three days, with other specials activities offered through the weekend.
While planes are what set Heritage of Flight apart, four-wheeled vehicles are important too, with one of the largest cruise-ins in the state according Lowrey, which is 4-10 p.m. Friday.
“If we get good weather we can get up to 850 cars show up,” he said.
Want to be part of a world record attempt? Show up at the main stage at 1:30 p.m. Saturday for the chance to break the record the largest group ever for the chicken dance.
Lowery said the committee tries to keep the festival cost effective with a number of free offerings for families such carriage rides, 3-6 p.m. Saturday; tethered air balloon rides, 4-6 p.m. Saturday; and P.T. Reptiles, with a variety of snakes, arachnids and other creatures, 2 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday.
Other activities will include a 5k run and walk, wing eating contest, chair races, Model A and Model T cruise-in, kiddie tractor pull and more. The full schedule of events is available at www.heritageofflight.com.
“We usually get a strong crowd and really think there will be something for everybody,” said Lowrey. “It’s thanks to the New Carlisle community that helps us pull this off.”
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