BOURNEMOUTH Air Festival 2024 was inaugurated by its opening ceremony which was held under blue skies as Black Cats helicopters flew past.
Held on the lawn of Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott Hotel, two Black Cats helicopters flew over the hotel to officially mark the opening of the 2024 Bournemouth Air Festival.
Several speakers took to a podium including military personnel and BCP Council chair, Cllr Lesley Dedman, to celebrate the 16 years the festival has existed.
Cllr Dedman said: "We've had 16 years of spectacular aerial extravaganzas. The Bournemouth Air Festival is very much about the whole community and we want to give something to everybody to celebrate and be proud of.
"We know that this is the last year of council funding this event and this has opened up exciting opportunities for other people to come forward with suggestions and ideas about a future air festival."
As reported by the Daily Echo, BCP Council has struggled to raise the needed £100k funds for this year's festival and will be continuing to raise funds across the weekend.
However, BCP Council leader, Cllr Millie Earl, was clear when speaking to the Daily Echo at the opening ceremony that she believes the festival will return as early as 2026.
Cllr Earl said: "I'm feeling optimistic that we can find a solution. I don't feel this will be the last but that will come down to our conversations.
"We haven't made a decision yet in the future but we're hoping to in the autumn."
At the festival itself, crowds of visitors flocked for the first day.
This included aviation fanatics, Garry and Dianne Marshall who had come from Hartlepool.
Dianne said: "Our sons are both XRF Chinook helicopter engineers. We're actually down visiting our son and we just found out about this because we're down in a motorhome.
"I think there should be stuff on for the people who pay taxes. What do we get back for all our money and efforts?"
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