Spectacle In The Sky
By SAMANTHA MARSHALL
After a two-year hiatus, Topeka’s Thunder Over the Heartland Air Show will return in the fall with an after-dark twist.
Thunder Over the Heartland presented by CoreFirst Bank & Trust has partnered with Vaerus Aviation, as well as other local businesses, to host the United States Air Force Thunderbirds from October 10 through 14 at the Topeka Regional Airport. This year, guests will be treated to a new show featuring late-night flying and fireworks. The four-day spectacle promises to wow viewers while giving local businesses a unique opportunity to brighten their marketing.
“This is one of the most world-class-produced events our community has ever seen,” said Brooks Pettit, president of Vaerus Aviation. “You don’t want to miss such a beautiful performance.”
After bringing the last air show to Topeka in 2021, Pettit immediately put in a request to host the Thunderbirds again in the future.
“The 2021 air show was meant to demonstrate to the performers and military personnel that we could produce a safe, well-coordinated event,” said Pettit. “You have to develop a trusted track record before teams like Thunderbirds are willing to commit.”
A LINEUP AS BIG AS THE SKY
Thunder Over the Heartland will host two evening shows for the public on Friday, October 11 and Saturday, October 12 at the Topeka Regional Airport formerly known as Forbes Field. Both shows begin at 3 p.m. and conclude with fireworks at 8 p.m.
For their final show of the weekend, Thunder Over the Heartland will switch to a matinee format that begins at noon on Sunday, October 13. Spotter’s Area ticket holders can also see the Thunderbirds perform a private show on Thursday, October 10, before the start of the weekend shows for the public.
The Thunderbirds will be the first pilots to take to the skies on Friday and Saturday in the late afternoon. At twilight, a second set of aerial performers will zip through full aerobatic routines as pyrotechnics flash from their wings. Fireworks and a wall of fire will then bring the show to a close.
“It will be a true spectacle in all senses of the word,” said Luke Carrico, the air show’s director. “Our focus is to really reimagine the air show experience.”
Carrico said that they designed the new program to cater to the public’s love of nighttime entertainment.
“When we go out with friends, we go in the evening,” said Carrico. “Instead of us trying to do a show in the hottest part of the day, this is an opportunity for us to do it when temperatures are more comfortable.”
The skies will be the main event, but guests will still have plenty to see and do on the ground — from grabbing a bite to eat to touring a variety of aircrafts on display.
Thunder Over the Heartland is inviting the public to attend their air show weekend kickoff party. The party begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 10 at Evergy Plaza and is free and open to the public.
Families can meet the Thunderbirds and other air show performers, get their autographs, enjoy food trucks, listen to live music and witness a parachute jump into Evergy Plaza. The party will also spotlight the Thunderbirds Hometown Hero, a person selected by the Northeast Kansas community to fly with the Thunderbirds.
“This is also a sentimental journey of wanting to continue [my dad’s] legacy.”
— Brooks Pettit | President | Vaerus Aviation
AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE
Pettit and Carrico said that they are dedicated to giving local businesses an ideal environment in which to entertain clients.
Businesses that support Thunder Over The Heartland will have the opportunity to take part in a national air show marketing plan.
VIP ticket packages for the Thunder Over the Heartland show include luxury seating options, as well as opportunities for custom branding and food and beverage options.
“It’s a pretty unique delivery method for any brand. We have the shock and awe of being able to have the visuals and sounds of what an air show is,” said Carrico. “There’s lots of exposure for corporate partners. It’s not a traditional marketing medium.”
Pettit said that for the air show to return in the future, it’s vital that they gain the support of the Topeka business community. He added that it would be impossible to sell enough tickets at a high-enough price to make the air show a financial success without local sponsors.
“It’s not very often that someone takes what could be a million-dollar risk to bring an event like this to Topeka,” said Pettit. “For events like this to continue happening, they need to be well supported by the business community.”
WORTH THE FLIGHT RISK
Pettit, Carrico and the rest of the Thunder Over the Heartland team have invested more than two years of effort to bring the four-day event to Topeka. Carrico compared it to planning a large gala, but one that cares for tens of thousands of guests rather than only a few thousand. The aviation element makes the planning more complex, but Carrico said that’s the easy part.
“Brooks [Pettit] and team are well versed in aviation, so that allows us to focus on making it a great day out for families,” said Carrico. “Working with the United States military is an actual enjoyment. They allow us to showcase our men and women in the best way possible.”
Pettit’s work to bring the air show to Topeka is driven by his desire to do good for the community, as well as to continue the efforts of his father. Pettit’s father, who passed away when Pettit was 13 years old, was the chairman of the Topeka air shows that took place in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
“After he died, there were no more air shows in Topeka,” Pettit said. “So, this is also a sentimental journey of wanting to continue that legacy.”
Pettit said that he believes events like the air show can uplift the greater Topeka community. For him, that’s worth the risk.
“Our community is fiercely advocating for itself and taking bold actions to make this a place people call home,” Pettit said. “Much like all of the other great things that are happening, it doesn’t come without risk. But it’s a risk you have to take for our community to be strong.”
