Vintage Planes in the Air and on the Ground at “Growing the Park” Anniversary Celebration July 9th

July 1, 2011 – IRVINE, California – Thrill to the aerobatic stunts of high flying wing walkers, precision sky-divers and supersonic fighter jet flyovers at “Growing the Park,” the Great Park’s anniversary celebration on Saturday, July 9th from 3pm to 9:30pm. The annual show celebrates the transformation of the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to the Great Park and marks its rich military history with a variety of high-energy, action-packed aerial acrobatics that will take place at the fun, free community festival.

Preview the Museum of Heritage and Aviation showcasing the Great Park’s own historic vintage aircraft including the N3N-3 Canary and SNJ-5. See military vehicles and war artifacts that explain the history of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. Military aircraft and vehicles will also be on display.

Look to the sky at 4:05 p.m. when the roar of an F-18 supersonic fighter jet flyover signals the start of variety of air show events throughout the day. Get there in plenty of time to see the popular Just in Time Skydivers, who will jump wearing their state of the art high ram-air parachutes at 4:20 p.m. and again at 7:05 p.m.

Enjoy “extreme” free style aerobatics performed in modern high performance bi-planes at 4:35 p.m. In a rare matchup, the Word War II era F6F Hellcat and Japanese Zero will face off at 5:20 p.m.

The popular Silverwings Wingwalkers will perform at 5:35 p.m., 6:20 p.m. and 6:50 p.m., and Doug Jardine will execute jaw dropping aerobatics in his expert-only version of the Sukhoi 26 MX aircraft at 5:55 p.m.

At 6:35 p.m., John Collver will thrill spectators as he performs aerobatic maneuvers in the infamous World War II War Dog trainer aircraft that was first stationed at El Toro. The event culminates in a dazzling one-of-a-kind fireworks show at 9:10 p.m.

The anniversary celebration marks the debut of two new Park developments – The Palm Court Arts Complex and the North Lawn sports field. The North Lawn and Palm Court Arts Complex are both part of the nearly $70 million Western Sector Park Development Plan, which will increase the size of the Park to more than 200 acres.

“Growing the Park” is a day and evening of non-stop fun for all ages featuring air show acts, sports activities, a petting zoo, cooking demonstrations and arts activities.

Growing the Park is Saturday July 9, from 3:00 to 9:30 p.m. Admission and parking are free. There will be a special Great Park entrance for this event: Take Jeffrey Road exit from either the 5 or 405 Freeway and turn right on Trabuco.

Growing the Park features five themed areas for visitors to enjoy, each representing an aspect of the Great Park: The Back Forty, The Runway, Sky’s the Limit, Great Park Gallery, and The Outfield.

1. The Back Forty: Agriculture & Environment – Highlights agriculture history. The area includes a petting zoo, hands-on agricultural craft activities and cooking demonstrations.
2. Great Park Gallery: Arts & Culture – Showcases arts and culture in the new Palm Court Artists Village. The area includes art displays and exhibits, demonstrations, local performers, hands-on activities and community partner booths.
3. The Runway: Military & Aviation, Technology & the Future – Presents military history. Includes vintage aircraft and military vehicle displays, aerial entertainment and more.
4. The Outfield: Sports & Recreation – Features sports, health and wellness. It will Include sports and fitness play area, demonstrations and community partner booths.
5. Sky’s the Limit: – Represents the future of the Great Park. Includes Kids Rock playground, open play area and viewing area of aerial entertainment.

About the Great Park
The Orange County Great Park, with its 1,347-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Great Park is currently 27.5 acres and includes an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. A $70 million development plan to expand the Park to more than 200 acres is currently underway. The plan will build out a core section of the Park for the most immediate and wide-ranging public benefit, including the initial components of the sports park, a 114-acre agricultural area, and an art and culture exhibition space. For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org

Press Contact:
Jenn Starnes
Public Information Officer
Orange County Great Park Corporation
(949) 724-6574