A committee of eight Gary residents met with city officials Tuesday to begin organizing an air show along the shores of Lake Michigan in 2019.
The Gary Air Show was last held in 2016, but a lack of corporate sponsors forced the city to cancel the 2017 event, officials said.
Instead, a non-paid committee of local residents, some of whom have experience with fundraising drives or community projects, is going to spend the next year trying to put together an Air Show along the Marquette Park portion of the shoreline for some time in July.
Residents who have volunteered include Diana Smoot, Patrick Schubert, Ron Nichols, Warren Johnson, Anita Mandrell, Frank Marmo, Sue Alvarado and Millicent Macon.
LaLosa Dent Burns, a spokeswoman for Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, said another four individuals also will work with the committee in coming months, although those four were unable to attend the initial session.
Those people who volunteered are being guided through the process by city officials with experience – including Economic Development Director Bo Kemp, Gary Sanitation District Director (and former Gary/Chicago International Airport Director) Dan Vicari, current airport Director Duane Hayden and Gary Constituent Services Director LaShawn Brooks.
Kemp and Vicari took the lead in explaining to the civilian volunteers exactly what putting together an air show would entail.
“We’re not going to resolve these issues (Tuesday),” Kemp said.
Kemp said the goal would be to try to have an Air Show program outlined by October or November, but also told the volunteers it would not be unheard of for more time to be needed.
He said the last time Gary put together an Air Show, the final program for the July event didn’t come together until April.
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Kemp also told the volunteers that the military organizations that usually wind up providing the pilots who do the stunts that comprise the show are experienced enough that it winds up being the easiest part of the program, but that it is to the Gary Air Show’s advantage to get things done soon to have a chance at obtaining the best quality pilots and programs.
Kemp also explained his own theory that the Gary Air Show ought to charge some admission – even though some like the idea of keeping it free.
Agreeing was Marmo, who said, “I think we can charge something for people to come here,” adding that he has attended the annual Chicago Air Show off the city’s Oak Street Beach, “I’ve been to both, and I think Gary’s (Air) show is better.”
Smoot agreed that Gary officials ought to charge something, pointing out that in past years, some local people had managed to charge as much as $30 to people to allow them to park cars on their property.
Kemp said the key as to whether the group will be able to put together an Air Show for next July will be whether they can find corporate sponsors who can cover the tab of the program.
In 2016, sponsors included the Majestic Star casino in Gary, Centier Bank and Boeing – which has a presence at the Gary/Chicago International Airport. But Kemp said Gary’s proximity to Chicago limits the kinds of companies willing to sponsor an event in Indiana.
“Big-name companies in Chicago are inclined to cooperate with Chicago events,” Kemp said.
Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
