The Canadian International Air Show (CIAS) officially announces their 75th Anniversary performance headliners. The 2024 initial lineup includes the Canadian Forces (CF) Snowbirds and the CF-18 Demonstration team along with the much-anticipated return of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, Red Arrows, and the United States Air Force F-22 Raptor.
“As a team, the Red Arrows are excited to return to Canada in 2024 to help celebrate the Centennial of the Royal Canadian Air Force,” said Wing Commander Adam Collins, Officer Commanding, Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team – the Red Arrows. “The visit will highlight the long and enduring partnership between the United Kingdom and Canada – and especially among our Armed Forces.”
In addition to the 75th Anniversary celebration, 2024’s event will also mark the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
“For three-quarters of a century, the RCAF has been an integral part of our air show,” said Lori Duthie, Executive Director of the CIAS. “They continue to help us bring aviation history to life by highlighting the marvel of flight and honouring all Air Force veterans.”
With a legacy that soars back to 1946, CIAS is recognized as the longest-running air show in North America, and it annually welcomes over 1 million people to Toronto’s Waterfront each Labour Day weekend. CIAS stands as a dynamic tribute to the ingenuity of aviation engineering and the allure of the open skies. Amelia Earhart herself attributed her passion for flight to a moment in Toronto, where a CIAS predecessor planted the seeds of inspiration.
CIAS has left an undeniable mark on the world of aviation history with 75 years of significant milestones:
- The first air show was held in 1948 at the Malton Airport where it was so popular that over ‘80,000 people stormed the airport’, according to a Globe and Mail article at the time.
- The CIAS officially got its name in 1955 and in 1956 it became part of the CNE and extended to two days.
- Since it was built in 1964, the William Lyon Mackenzie fire boat has marked centre stage for the performers at the Air Show.
- In 1998, Canadian astronaut Dr. Dave Williams carried a CIAS patch onboard his Columbia space shuttle flight.
- CIAS celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2009 which also marked the 100th anniversary of powered flight in Canada and the 80th anniversary of the Port George IV, now Billy Bishop Toronto Island Airport.
- In 2014, the Soviet produced Antonov An-2, the largest single-engine biplane ever built, lumbered across the waterfront for its premier CIAS appearance. The Guinness Book of World Records states the 45-year production run for the An-2 was the longest ever run for any aircraft.
- Due to COVID, the show was virtual in 2020 and returned in 2021 with a full line-up of performers.
- In 2023, 81-year-old Gord Price and his Yak-50 took to the skies for one last time at his final air show before he retired.
2024’s event will continue to set a milestone in the industry with exciting performances from both the prestigious RAF Red Arrows, and the CF Snowbirds. Plans are already in motion for these two headline acts to engage in joint flybys and ground activities, promising an unforgettable experience for spectators. Tickets for the 75th Canadian International Air Show will go on sale in May 2024.
