Hundreds of Redmond residents headed north Friday and Saturday, making the 30 minute journey to the Air Show of The Cascades in Madras.

If you’ve never been to an air show you might reconsider for next year, it’s 23rd annual event.

“What folks need to think of is not a textbook air show but a festival,” said Joe Krenowicz, who heads the Madras Chamber of Commerce. “If planes don’t interest you, then bring the family for the fireworks, live music, a sunrise breakfast, a fish ‘n chips dinner or car show,” he said.

And record crowds did.

Friday night saw three times as many patrons as 2021 and Saturday, a picture perfect day in the mid 70s, took acres of parking to accommodate spectators who hailed from a dozen states, some as far flung as New York.

Krenowicz knew by Thursday that it was going to be a busy weekend. Advance ticket sales set off alarm bells as organizers scrambled to find 10 more portable toilets only to realize they’d need yet another 10 as sales kept ringing.

Naturally, aircraft were the centerpiece of the two-day affair. A large cadre of airplanes were on ground and in the air. Pilots from several nearby states flew in to kick things off.

Their planes were a mixture of vintage models, the kinds made famous in movies like ”Out of Africa” with open air cockpits to high performance stunt planes.

Add in war planes including the Mustang P-51 and B-17 Sentimental Journey originally manufactured and delivered to the U.S. Army Air Forces for war service in 1944 where she flew missions in the Pacific Theater. After the war she flew for training, testing and at-sea rescue missions and was eventually sold for surplus and used as a fire bomber.

In 1978 the aircraft was purchased by a Commemorative Air Force (CAF) member and donated to the newly formed Arizona unit of the world-famous CAF.

The Spokesman had a bird’s eye view of the event as an onboard guest of the crowd favorite, Golden Knights, one of only three Department of Defense-sanctioned aerial demonstration teams. The precision unit made three jumps to the thrill of the onlookers gazing into a crystal blue sky.

For adrenaline buffs, the air show had you covered. But many needed to cover their ears.

The Navy aircraft, the F-18 Growler, is a prominent aircraft in the recently released “Top Gun-Maverick” movie and was in this year’s line-up both days. The Growler performed at speeds short of exceeding the sound barrier as a pair started their routine at 600 mph, 100 just feet over the runway.

The car show has always been affiliated with this airshow since the 1970s when friends and family members began flying and driving to the Ochs family farm. Entries have been returning for years in addition to newcomers who are registering for the first time. The Car Show was an exciting and free activity for attendees to enjoy as part of their Airshow experience.

Chuck and Rachel Feriend of Redmond took their little ones Jaxon, 5, and CJ, 2, to the show. They were one of dozens of Redmond families taking advantage of the exceptional weather and vast array of planes, cars, food and games.

“The kids are really into the planes,” Rachel said.

Chuck was impressed by the intimacy of the event.

“You can sit in some of the planes, walk right up and touch them all. This is fun stuff,” he enthused.

The Denmores of Redmond were at their 11th show.

“It gets better every year,” Lon Denmore said while his wife, Brenda was thrilled with the range of planes. “This is such a quality display, equal to some of the biggest air shows in America,” she estimated.

They’ve been to air shows in Wisconsin, Florida, Texas and Arizona and just last week at the show in Hillsboro near Portland, the only other air show in Oregon.

Renny Price is a larger than life character who is beloved throughout the airshow world as much for his one-of-a-kind personality as he is for his aggressive aerobatic routines. Flying the legendary Russian Sukhoi-29, Renny Price is known as one of the world’s greatest aerobatic pilots, in addition to his fearless skills as an aviator. His maneuvers had the audience gasping.

Many wandered for hours at the permanent Erickson Aircraft Collection displaying a vintage aircraft assemblage. The portfolio features more than 20 rare aircraft, most of which are still in flying condition. The Collection features rare aircraft such as the P-38 Lightning, P-51 Mustang, Ki43 Hayabusa, F4U Corsair, SBD Dauntless, Grumman Duck and B-17 Flying Fortress.

The Erickson Aircraft Collection is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Monday.

The collection is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter Sunday.