Airway Heights Fest begins Friday

AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Cars and guitars will fill Sunset Park this weekend for the Airway Heights Festival.

Matthew Pederson, mayor and planning committee member, said the 19th-annual event provides a way to bring the growing community together.

“It’s a great event where you don’t need a lot of money to come out and enjoy it,” he said.

The free festival will open at 5 p.m. Friday with music by rock band Deep Six starting an hour later. The 1973 classic movie, “American Graffiti,” will be shown at dusk.

By 9 a.m. Saturday, classic and collectible cars will be lined up and ready for the 24th-annual Ford show. Pederson said this is the seventh year the show has been held in Airway Heights.

The Inland Empire Fords Unlimited car club will judge automobiles of all makes and models throughout the day, Pederson said. Judges will award 125 trophies in 40 categories.

Local vendors will be set up in the park, offering food, crafts, jewelry and other items. Several nonprofit groups also will have informational booths.

Children can participate in activities throughout the day, including bouncing castles, storytelling and gymnastics demonstrations.

A sidewalk chalk art contest will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Blues music will take over in the afternoon as Carl Rey and the Blue Gators are scheduled to hit the stage at 12:30 p.m. Local bands The Fat Tones and Aaron Richner also will perform.

Americana and blues band Too Slim and the Taildraggers will start the final performance at 8 p.m.

Pederson said the festival will present one of the best free lineups in the Northwest.

“This is going to be the best year yet,” he said.

More than 5,000 people are expected, he said.

Many local groups, such as churches, volunteer organizations and businesses, have worked together to organize the festival.

“We’re really proud of that,” Pederson said.