Deke Slayton Airfest

Denny,

Todays airshows are all about making money for the promoters

And your basis for that statement is?

Have you worked on a local airshow, setting it up, getting waivers,
arranging for crowd control, portajohns, paying for performers, hoping
the weather cooperates...? Yeah, there are a few airshow promoters,
but they don't make money unless the local community wants to put on an
airshow. At the local level, what makes an airshow run are the unpaid
volunteers who show up and make the things successful.

That being said, setting up and running an airshow is not a part-time
job. The times I was asked to be involved, I very quickly learned that
to do it I'd have to quit my job. If you want to put on an airshow
where you do not charge some percentage of those attending, that's well
and good, but I'd be interested in seeing you explain why to those who
are fronting the money for the show itself. Those who put on airshows
have this funny desire to be paid for their time. If they can do it
and make a decent return on providing good entertainment, good for
them. I pay to go to a movie and the folks who promote them make money
because they do a good job and people enjoy what they see. Why should
it be any different for airshows?

I'd be curious as to which promoters you've dealt with and how much
money they make putting on airshows.

All the best,
Rick