Hangar 24 Set to Break Attendance Records

REDLANDS >> The planning for the biggest, and undoubtedly best, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery anniversary party is complete and now the preparation begins for the massive event to take place May 14 at the Redlands Municipal Airport. Part air show (for the fourth consecutive year) and part beer festival, the Hangar 24 AirFest and 8th Anniversary Celebration will contain an array of flying and musical talent, topped by the centerpiece of the event, a performance from the Patriots Jet Team. The largest civilian-owned aerobatic jet team in the world, based out of Byron, California, just outside of Stockton, operates under a three-word credo: “Dedicated. Precise. Dynamic.” Other air show acts performing under the watchful eye of veteran air show announcer Lt. Colonel Jon “Huggy” Huggins: Vicky Benzing Aerosports, the Smoke-n-Thunder JetCar, Just In Time Skydivers, Jon Melby and his Pitts S-1-11B Bi-Plane, and the Red Eagles Formation Team. A full day of musical acts will conclude with headliner Lights, a Journey tribute band, with Rudy Cardenas on lead vocals. Other acts include Redneck Rodeo and Minor Strut, a band out of Norco that doesn’t have a single member over the age of 10. And speaking of the youngsters, the eighth incarnation of the Hangar 24 Craft Brewery anniversary party will have the biggest and best AirFest Kids Zone ever. A constant stream of Kids Zone events from noon through the evening hours will include a dramatic arrival from Star Wars Storm Troopers, as well as magic shows, bounce houses, a K-9 demonstration from the Redlands Police Department, a rock-climbing wall, a workshop to build a toy helicopter, a flight simulator, and tons more. For the beer aficionado, there will be plenty to rejoice, including the much anticipated release of the 8th Anniversary Ale. The “surprise” offering, currently undergoing the final stages of fermentation, is sure to please a large majority of anniversary celebration attendees. While the identity of that offering will remain under wraps, for now, the Hangar 24 AirFest and 8th Anniversary Celebration will also highlight an eclectic lineup of the brewery’s beers from the first seven years of operation. Not only will current offerings be available, it will also be a trip down memory lane of sorts. Gates open for the event at noon on May 14, with the first pour also available at noon. Beer tickets are on sale until 8:30 p.m., with a last pour of 9 p.m. Doors close at 10 p.m. Tickets range in price from an $17 pre-sale fast pass to a $175 VIP ticket that includes covered seating along the flight line of the AirFest, unlimited Hangar 24 beer, lunch and dinner from on-hand food vendors, a commemorative, preferred viewing for live music, a meet-and-greet with all aviators, and a special entrance and parking all included. Ticket information, as well as all other AirFest details, is available at hangar24airfest.com. Volunteer information is also available at the same website, with all volunteers assigned 3-4 hour shifts that include a special 2016 AirFest volunteer T-shirt. While parking continues to be free, this year’s AirFest will be in partnership with Uber for the first time. Uber customers who sign up with the code AIRFEST will get a first ride free, up to $15. Other sponsorship partners this year include: CHC Consulting, Icon Vehicle Dynamics, International Paving Services, Inc., KCAL 96.7, Tom Bell Chevrolet, K-FROG, Country Inn & Suites, iEfficient.com, Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing, The Home Depot, Walter’s Automotive, the Anaheim Ducks, Joey Reger Photography, the City of Redlands, Redlands Truck & RV, and Funktion Photo.