Annual Cavalcade of Planes Soars Into Bolingbrook This Weekend

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a skydiver!

All will be in the air this weekend during the 13th annual Cavalcade of Planes at Bolingbrook’s , 130 S. Clow International Parkway.

Attendees can catch a glimpse of the action from the ground during the family-friendly event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

More than 15,000 people attended last year, said Bolingbrook Trustee Mike Lawler, also a coordinator of the event.

“Last year was the largest crowd ever,” he said. “The event has grown in popularity each year. (This year) with good weather, we expect a few thousand more.”

During the Cavalcade of Planes, pilots will show off their planes, and representatives from a variety of airplane manufacturers will showcase the current planes available. Aircraft owners will also offer used airplanes for sale. Some of the airplane manufacturers who have committed include Cessna, Piper, Diamond, Cirrus, and light-sport aircraft.

“Having these planes at the Cavalcade enables people to better understand the potential for their own involvement in aviation,” said Joe DePaulo, the main organizer for the event and general manager for the airport.

The resident organization at the airport, the , will be one of several with exhibits that explain the history and future of aviation. Representatives from Cantigny Museum will be on-hand to display some of their aircraft and answer questions.

For those who want to experience aviation with a bit more intensity, A&M Aviation will be offering plane and helicopter rides.

Along with all that action on the ground, attendees will enjoy a variety of activities in the air above the airport. Several military aircraft will fly over throughout the weekend. Last year, a B-2 Stealth Bomber flew over the airport, bringing loud cheers from the crowd.

Several Warbirds will conduct formation flights recreating how the planes were used in combat over the years. Other types of planes will be conducting demonstration flights as well. Skydivers will be launching several times during the weekend, conducting precision landings on the airport grounds.

Live music will be provided during the event by Scramble Unplugged. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, including a beer garden from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Children will be able to get rides on the new “Ground Bound” and a remodeled helicopter towed around the grounds.

Lawler said when he frequents , located at Clow, “I see that the airport and the planes draw families with young children who are fascinated by being so close to the planes.”

“I know I enjoy seeing everything but watching the crowds and seeing the excitement of everyone makes me understand how special this event is for the attendees,” he said. “The ability to see the latest technology along with the history of aviation is just not possible unless you make the trip with several hundred thousand people to an event such as Airventure in Oshkosh.”

He lauds the support of the many people who help to get the Cavalcade of Planes off the ground each year.

“This is our own little gem and it is a credit to the volunteers and everyone involved with the event who make this happen,” he said.

Admission is $3 for adults, and $ 1 for 18 and under. Children under the age of 5 are free. For more information, call 630.378.0479, click here or find Clow Cavalcade on Facebook.