2006-2007 Orange Book: Internet Directory
Ramona Air Show

Ramona Air Show

The excitement of daring flyers, antique aircraft in the sky and on the ground, draws over 30,000 people every June to the Ramona Air Show, sponsored by the Ramona Chamber of Commerce.

The show is held at the Ramona Airport, one of the busiest private airfields in the country, and the home of the oldest and busiest fire air attack squadron in the U.S. These flyers defend all of Southern California from wildfires each year, dropping fire retardant and water on flames and spotting for fire crews.

The air attack connection is what provided the impetus for the show in 1995, which began first as an open house and demo of fire fighting aircraft and quickly grew from there into a full-fledged air show with all the trimmings. You can still see the latest in fire fighting aerial technology of the California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection, but you can also see a whole lot more!

The show is actually a benefit fund-raiser for families of air attack crews who have died in action. Flying such planes against wildfires is a dangerous business, and each year aircraft are lost.

The show always includes static exhibits and fly-ins from members of the Confederate Air Force, which lovingly maintains many flying machines from World War II. Such as the legendary P-51 Mustang, one of the most successful fighters that flew against the Japanese.

Visitors can look inside these flying museums and, in some cases, take a ride in the antique planes or in other aircraft.

There’s also air acrobats and demonstrations of "street rods" and radio controlled planes.

The two days includes a pancake breakfast, a business expo, a dance, fireworks, and morning and evening flights of hot air balloons.