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17/08/2009 -
Airshow Just Gets Better!
After the success of
last year’s show the team has been working hard behind the
scenes to try and better it. We think that, with the most recent
confirmed act further strengthening the line up, this year is
set to be one of the best yet. Regular favourites include the
world famous Red Arrows, the nostalgic Battle of Britain
Memorial flight and a Search and Rescue demonstration. We are
delighted to have been able to add the Avro Vulcan XH558 to the
list in the last week. The Vulcan to the Sky Trust has devoted a
huge amount of time and money into returning this Cold War
bomber to the skies and we are really looking forward to it
gracing the skies over Dawlish and would like to thank everyone
who has helped us make this happen.
On Thursday afternoon we will also be enjoying displays by the
RAF Hawk and King Air, Skyblue Aviation’s Hawker Hunter and the
Royal Naval Historic Flight’s Wasp Helicopter. Additionally we
will be seeing flypasts by an RAF Tornado and a USAF KC135R
tanker.
From around 11 am we will have a range of helicopters on static
display, with a Griffin, Wasp and Devon Air Ambulance Trust
EC135 at Dawlish Warren, and Royal Navy and RAF Seakings, a
Squirrel, Augusta 109 and Team Merlin next to the Smugglers Inn
on the A379 between Dawlish and Teignmouth. Please take this
opportunity to get a close look at them and ask the pilots and
crew questions.
The flying is due to start at 1pm. Last year we attracted in
excess of 85,000 people and with the level of interest in the
Vulcan we expect crowd numbers to be even larger this year.
Therefore we would recommend you give yourself plenty of time to
get into town and find a viewing point. We would urge people to
avoid driving into the centre of town, instead please consider
using public transport (First Great Western are once again
laying on extra trains for the event -
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=4170) or
the Park and Ride service.
Please remember that this free show is organised by volunteers
and paid for by sponsorship, programme sales and donations. The
souvenir programme will be available from Wednesday for £3 and
the money raised from sales goes back into the show. If you see
one of our collectors please make a donation – every penny
counts! While you are in Dawlish why not make a day of it ,
enjoy the atmosphere and please take time to visit the stands on
the Lawn and remember that after the show we have three live
bands performing there for your entertainment. We hope everyone
has a safe & enjoyable day.
Thanks go to everyone who has worked so hard to bring the show
together, the list is far too long to put here but without you
we wouldn’t be able to put on Thursday’s show!
12/01/2009 - Carnival To Spread The Fun For 2009
ORGANISERS of Dawlish
Carnival are making changes to the event this year to ease health
and safety fears. The event which is one of the biggest carnival
and airshow celebrations in South Devon's calendar attracted a
record crowd of up to 100,000 people last year.
Plans are already underway for this
year's extravaganza but organisers have decided to hold the air
show and carnival procession on separate days after the town
struggled to cope with the influx of people. Carnival committee
publicity officer Adam Dimond said: "The success of the airshow
and procession are now so big that most shops in Dawlish find it
hard to keep up with the visitors."
The Dawlish
Carnival Committee has also announced the dates for the major
yearly event which transforms the coastal town into a buzzing hive
of activity. The major change will see the grand procession
shifted from its traditional slot after the airshow to the day
after and is designed to create two major days of entertainment.
Carnival committee spokesman Adam Dimond said: "Our event runs
from August 15 to August 22 and will see the airshow on Thursday,
August 20 and the grand procession on Friday, August 21."
In a statement on
the carnival website the committee said: "It has now become such a
big mainstream event for such a small town that the committee have
had to take some serious thought into how the airshow and carnival
is run. Health and safety is a priority and has to come first.
"Although the dedicated team who organise and help to put on this
great event work so hard to make it that perfect free family day
out, it has been decided after a long discussion between committee
members to move the procession to the Friday evening of carnival
week.
"The committee
will be planning not one but two nights of entertainment on The
Lawn with music and a licensed bar on both evenings to enhance the
day programme on the Friday to retain the thousands of visitors in
the town looking for another great day of entertainment."
Dawlish's
week-long carnival programme has flourished over the years and is
one of the big summer highlights in South Devon.
A programme packed with games,
activities, entertainment, music, workshops and carnival royalty
are laid on throughout the week with the airshow being the main
crowd-puller.
Static displays
at Dawlish Warren allow visitors to meet the pilots and teams and
flight displays last year included the Red Arrows, Royal Jordanian
Falcons, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, an RAF Typhoon, a
Sea King helicopter, a Hawker Hunter and a KC135 tanker fly-past. |
