The forecast is for hot, sunny weather and mostly clear skies this weekend.
That's the kind of atmospheric ground in which an airshow grows. The roar of jets and props can already be heard around the Quesnel Airport as the acts arrive and warm up for Quesnel Skyfest 2015. It's a solid schedule of military and civilian acts that spilled off the original drawing board onto Friday night as well.
"For the first time, a twilight flight event will kick off Quesnel's Skyfest this year," said event spokesperson Sharon MacDonald.
"It will include a pyro show in the darkness and did you know it was a full moon that night? The second full moon of July - a true Blue Moon, just for us."
The lineup for this year's event includes:
Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds
Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Demo Team
Canadian Armed Forces Parachute Team, the SkyHawks
Flash Fire Jet Truck - Chris and Neal Darnell
Bud Granley and the T-6 Harvard
Super Dave Mathieson
John Melby in his Pitts biplane
Jack Erickson's P-51 Mustang
Marcus Paine's biplane stunts
Kent Pietsch's 37-foot wingspan Interstate Cadet
The luxury cars of Precision Exotics
Manfred Radius in a sailplane
biplane stunts by Stefan Trischuk
Fire and effects by AV8FX Pyrotechnics
Sound effects and public address system by Mach 1 Productions
"It is unbelievable to get all three of those acts together from the Canadian military. We are so lucky and happy to have the Snowbirds, CF-18s and the SkyHawks," said MacDonald.
"After that, it's a stellar lineup of civilian acts and I want to point out that even the preshow is going to be amazing to see because we have a Ferrari or a Lamborghini racing a plane (trips in these sports cars can be purchased for $200 to drive or ride), and I can't wait to see that. You also get a static display that lets you get right up close to the aircraft you see in the sky, which is not normal for airshows. But we want you to be able to get a close-up view on the ground, too."
The play-by-play will be called by professional broadcaster and airshow commentary specialist Ric Peterson and the coming and going of movements in the sky will be co-ordinated by Prince George's own skyboss Donna Flynn featured this past year on Discovery Channel's 12-part prime time feature program Air Show.
"It's hard to believe how fast this has happened," since the first Skyfest was only in 2010, "but we have become one of the biggest airshows in all of Canada," said MacDonald.
"We have really put Quesnel and north-central B.C. on the international map."
The twilight show on Friday starts at 7 p.m. while showtime is 10 a.m. each day on Saturday and Sunday. Camping passes can be purchased, and there is a range of ticket options for individuals and families for each day or the weekend.
For more information visit quesnelskyfest.ca or download the new Quesnel Skyfest App.
