GOLDSBORO, N.C. -- The City of Goldsboro announced that the Wings Over Wayne Air Show was crowned Event of the Year, the most prestigious award given by the North Carolina Association of Festivals & Events. The award was announced at the 2018 ShowFest Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jan. 28-29, 2018.
“Wings Over Wayne Air Show gives back to our community in ways that are hard to define. It’s become more than a recruitment tool or a feel-good event. It’s become part of our community’s legacy, and even that of our state’s, as it has grown to be the largest air show in North Carolina. We can measure the economic impact that the event has on our region, but it’s impossible to measure the countless hours given by the service men and women stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base who are a part of the planning and execution of the event. I’m thrilled that this award recognizes their extraordinary dedication that makes the air show a success,” said Ashlin Glatthar, Director of Travel & Tourism for Goldsboro-Wayne County.
When deciding the winner of this year’s top award for Event of the Year, the judges announced that Wings Over Wayne Air Show was “chosen for their community partnership and the survey of the attendees.”
Visit Goldsboro, also known as the Goldsboro-Wayne County Travel & Tourism Office, nominated Wings Over Wayne Air Show held May 20-21, 2017 for Event of the Year because of the extraordinary growth and impact this event has on local, regional, and state levels. The air show surpassed the status quos of past years setting new records for itself with the most funding raised, highest volunteer participation, and record-breaking attendance of 230,000 for the two-day event.
Wings Over Wayne Air Show is a biannual event scheduled in odd-numbered years. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will be headlining the next Wings Over Wayne Air Show scheduled for April 27-28, 2019 at Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The event is free and open to the public.