Lawrence Municipal Airport Celebrates

75^th Anniversary with Open House

Media Contacts:

Debbie Van Saun, Airport Manager, (785) 832-3400

Rick Bryant, Board Chair, (785) 766-2327

Lawrence, KS -- With an aviation history reaching back to the early days of powered flight, the Lawrence Municipal Airport will celebrate its heritage with a 75^th Anniversary Open House on Saturday, August 28 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. The City of Lawrence, the airport’s Aviation Advisory Board, and Hetrick Air Services, Inc., the airport’s Fixed Base Operator, are sponsoring the open house.

Lawrence Municipal Airport, owned and operated by the City of Lawrence, is located one mile East of the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 & 24/40, approximately three miles north of Lawrence.

On October 29, 1929, the airport was dedicated at its current location before an estimated crowd of more than 6,000 area residents, according to local newspaper accounts of the day. That opening day crowd was entertained with aerial barnstorming acts and displays of that era’s aircraft.

The airport is one of the oldest, continuously operating airports in Kansas; and is the oldest operating airports among Kansas’ Class I cities. State and federal aviation agencies do not maintain historical records of airport openings but Lawrence Municipal Airport ranks among the nation’s oldest continuously operating airports.

Highlights of the August 28 open house include a fly-in breakfast from 7 – 9 a.m. sponsored by the Knights of Columbus for $5 adults, $3 kids and is open to the public; door prize drawings; drawings for free airplane rides; helicopter rides for a nominal fee; static displays of new aircraft, vintage aircraft, acrobatic aircraft; and aviation-related business displays.

A 1 p.m. aerial ribbon-cutting ceremony by U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, D-3^rd, Lawrence city commissioners; city staff; county, state and federal representatives will celebrate the day’s activities and kick-off a $1 million runway improvement project at the airport.

For more information, contact Debbie Van Saun, airport manager, 785-832-3400, or go to lawrenceks.org/airport.

Lawrence Municipal Airport 75^th Anniversary Open House

August 28^th · 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Schedule of Events

7 – 9 a.m. Fly-In Breakfast

Kansas Copters rides for nominal fee

9 – 11 a.m.

Recipients of drawing for free airplane rides get aerial tour of Lawrence

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Come visit with KMBC Newschopper 9's Johnny Rowlands

1 p.m. Aerial Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Runway 1 /19

U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, D-3^rd, Lawrence City Commissioners

City of Lawrence staff, County, State and Federal Guests

Aviation Advisory Board, and guests