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Abbotsford International Airshow attendance up considerably

Organizers credit perfect weather and popular twilight show for increase in crowds.
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The Snowbirds perform in front of Mount Baker at last weekend's Abbotsford International Airshow

A tremendous twilight show and perfect weather helped bring significantly larger crowds to the Abbotsford International Airshow this year, organizers say.

Final numbers are not yet available, but the airshow’s Jadene Mah said a rough estimate pegged the crowds at 25 per cent larger than last year’s event, with tens of thousands of people attending each day.

“Everyone is just so pleased with the success of this year’s show,” Mah said. “The many changes were reflected in the increased [attendance].”

The airshow had never before hosted a twilight show, but Friday’s evening event went off without a hitch and provided a new way of experiencing the festivities.

“The night show was incredibly inspiring, very unique and very different that none of the regular Abbotsford airshow goers had seen before, but something that also amazed the first-timers.”

That wasn’t the only highlight, though. The weather was “absolutely perfect,” and Mah said she saw and heard from many visitors who came in large part to see the airshow debut of one of only two flyable de Havilland Mosquitoes.

“It was a huge honour for us to be asked to have that aircraft on site,” she said.

Airshow president Jim Reith agreed.

“It has been very rewarding to see the emotional reactions to the aircraft, especially those of veterans who worked with the Mosquito in the Second World War,” he said.