Thursday, June 10th, 2021
Open house Saturday for Armstrong Airport terminal
By Sydney Albert
File Photo/The Daily Standard
The Neil Armstrong Airport terminal. There will be plenty of food and fun at the formal dedication of the Neil Armstrong Airport terminal on Saturday in New Knoxville. The airport is named for Wapakoneta-native Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon.
NEW KNOXVILLE - Saturday's dedication of the new Neil Armstrong Airport terminal will give some visitors a bird's eye view of the airport and surrounding county, with plane rides and drone demonstrations.
The open house for the new terminal is scheduled from 7:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. The day will feature biplane rides, live entertainment, food trucks and crafts. The day will conclude with fireworks after the nighttime Fly Me to the Moon 5K, which will take runners along the airport's taxiway and airstrip.
A pancake breakfast 7:30-9:30 a.m. will be available for early birds. A classic car drive-in will start at 7:30 a.m. in the northwest corner of the apron area, visible from State Route 219.
Open cockpit biplane rides will be available from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with tickets available the day of. It will cost $200 for a two-passenger ride, and each ride will last 10 and 12 minutes. Rides will be given on a first come, first served basis and will be dependent on weather conditions.
Food vendors including Buckland Acres Bistro, Derfers Concessions and Ranger Concessions will open at 10:30 a.m., and live music will start at noon. Drone demonstrations are planned, and some businesses and display areas will have promotional items as giveaways, said airport manager Ted Bergstrom.
First on the Moon, a group dedicated to promoting Wapakoneta as the home of Neil Armstrong, will have merchandise available. Auglaize Buzzard Baiters, a local radio-controlled aircraft and helicopter club, also will have a booth. Officials from Koenig Equipment, Apple Farm Service and the Ohio Farm Bureau also will be on hand. Roger Trump will be flying a crop duster and static aircraft displays will be set up, according to Bergstrum.
Entertainment for children also will be available. A walking balloon animal and comedy juggler named Mike Hemmelgarn is booked from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and the museum plans to have paper copter and straw glider activities.
At 1 p.m., the terminal dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony will be held.
From 9:30-10:30 p.m., the Fly Me to the Moon 5K will take place. Registration is capped at 500 runners, though as of Tuesday afternoon, open spots were available, Bergstrom said. People may check for registration information at runsignup.com/Race/OH/NewKnoxville/FlyMeToTheMoon. A fireworks display will conclude the race, and awards will be given at 11:30 p.m.
Parking is free and all remote, according to Bergstrom. Roadside signs will be set up to help direct visitors to parking areas. Free busing will be available to transport people to the airport.
People may park at the Crown Motor Plant, 7587 State Route 219, New Knoxville; the New Knoxville School, 345 S. Main St., New Knoxville; or the New Knoxville Village Water Plant parking lot located on Botkins Angle Road.
