Photo courtesy of the Wayne County Airport Authority.

Posted by Scott Bolthouse | The Huron Hub| July 6, 2020

The Yankee Air Museum said today they are canceling the 2020 Thunder Over Michigan Air Show that was planned for August 29-30 at Willow Run Airport, home to the Yankee Air Museum.

“In the current environment, we are unable to produce the world-renown Thunder Over Michigan Air Show event for which we are so well known,” said Kevin Walsh, event director.

According to air show organizers, they explored various socially responsible models but none of them fit the demands of a major air show.

“It is hard to take a proven model of 21 years and make it work responsibly in an era of global pandemic” Walsh said. “We take the health, safety and well-being of the seven hundred plus volunteers, the hundreds of aircrews and the tens of thousands of air show fans very seriously.”

Because the event “has a strict no refund policy,” according to organizers, 2020 ticket holders who bought tickets through the air show EventSprout ticketing system will receive a complimentary equivalent package for the 2021 Air Show, and also will receive an additional complimentary package for the 2022 Air Show.

“While a global pandemic is very much out of our control, we still want to give our current ticket holders a special consideration for being so loyal and dedicated,” Walsh said. “Our goal is to always exceed expectations.”

Organizers stated that they will be contacting individual general admission ticket holders to arrange the two-year complimentary package.

Plans are well underway for the 2021 show, which is slated for August 7-8, 2021.

“We built a reputation on being one of the top shows in the world and we look forward to keeping that place in the aviation community in 2021,” Walsh said.

The Thunder Over Michigan Air Show is a primary fundraiser for the Yankee Air Museum, a 501(c)3 charitable organization. To learn more visit YankeeAirMuseum.org.