From a very early age, aviation has been such a fascinating subject for me. From the first flight covering only 120 feet to modern-day airlines flying direct to every corner of the world, the flight has fascinated me. With that, airshows bring a unique opportunity for people, especially for today’s youth.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to visit and volunteer at these local airshows and I have been able to see firsthand the effect these events have on the community.

Bolingbrook’s Clow International is a small General Aviation Airport that hosts its “Cavalcade of Planes” event the first full weekend of June. Featuring many different fly-in aircraft and vendors, Bolingbrook’s Cavalcade of Planes was the perfect weekend event for families.

I’ve been able to attend Clow’s Cavalcade of Planes for the past three years and volunteered for two of those years. This has allowed me to witness firsthand the opportunities that present themselves for any youth who is interested in aviation.

Cavalcade has not only allowed the youth to experience aviation but also allowed youth-oriented groups to put themselves out there, show off their resources, and help interested youth achieve their dreams in aviation.

Those groups helped me ignite my passion for aviation. I remember going out to local air shows at Clow Airport and seeing all these planes fly above me. Alongside being able to hear the pilots talk about their unique aircraft motivated me into wanting to be exactly like them. These youth groups helped me get the ball rolling on my future aspirations as well as helped me look out into the future and begin to wonder what I really wanted to do later in life.

I’m not the only one whose passion for aviation was ignited through these events. With over 20,000 people attending Clows Cavalcade in 2023, these airshows create great turnout and foster a sense of community by bringing together people with similar interests and introducing new opportunities.

The community that Cavalcade fosters is unique from the start. Over the past 2 years, I’ve been able to make some close friends with other teens and young adults who are also volunteering at the airshow. Although the airshow is only once a year, working in a fast-paced environment for a weekend really brings people to communicate with each other more. That paired with our free hamburger with a bag of chips really brought us together. Every year I get excited to see these people again and it’s surely something I’ll look back fondly on.

These events not only bring opportunities for education and learning but also open doors for community and volunteer service. With large crowds being drawn to these events, there’s a need for volunteers to ensure the event runs smoothly. I’ve been able to go out multiple times to a couple of different airshows and volunteer my time in order to help bolster the experience of others like I had experienced back when I was little.

Being able to volunteer also brings along a new perspective. With these volunteer opportunities, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with a lot of different pilots and fellow volunteers. These conversations allowed me to hear their stories and the path they took in order to reach their own dreams in aviation.

I’ve also had the fortunate opportunity to be the one who sparks someone else’s passion for aviation through telling my story and working firsthand with aircraft, helping them reach their audiences of young and eager children.

I’ve been able to find my spark in aviation and get more involved in the community with these small-scale airshows. The opportunities brought by them have not only had a lifelong impact on me but have also opened up new doors for the next generation of aviators.