Youth and Family Activities Expand for AirVenture 2024
A new area for youth aviation activities, located in the Vintage Aircraft Association area on the EAA grounds, is the latest addition to the expanding youth and family activities taking place at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024. The 71st edition of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s fly-in convention and air show is July 22-28.
“Nearly all of us involved in aviation today were inspired at some point in our younger years,” says Paul Maloy, EAA’s director of education. “When we began welcoming those 18 and under at no charge, beginning in 2021, we immediately noticed an increase in the number of families at AirVenture. With that, we wanted to create and expand possibilities for families to encourage them to visit and engage with everything AirVenture has to offer.”
The Charles W. Harris Youth Aviation Center in the vintage aircraft area gives youth the chance to have a “hands-on” experience by using hammers, pliers and other tools to discover how aircraft are maintained. Kids will also have the opportunity to talk to pilots and hear their flying stories, as well as get a tour of the pilots’ airplanes. The center will officially open to the public at 9 a.m. on Mon., July 22, AirVenture’s opening day. Flight simulators will also be open to young people in the EAA Warbirds of America area, and various exhibitors throughout AirVenture will offer activities and items for young people.
In addition to this new experience, families are encouraged to visit the Youth Welcome Center located at the main Four Corners intersection to receive information on all the other activities for youth and families happening through the week. Some of those activities include:
KidVenture — Ages 3-14 — Entering its 25th year, KidVenture invites kids to get hands-on with riveting, engines, electrical wire circuits, propeller design, wooden rib building, RC airplanes, space exploration and more. Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
AeroEducate Center — Ages 10-18 — Located at the south entrance to Aviation Gateway Park, the center will host fascinating morning forums with a full slate of fun, fast, hands-on activities focusing on youth ages 10-18. Held in the afternoons each day throughout AirVenture. Come play games, explore all things aviation through the AeroEducate program, and open doors to exciting aviation and aerospace career opportunities. Mon.-Sun., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
NASA STEM Zone — Ages 5-17 — Kids can enjoy hands-on activities, demonstrations and exhibits that highlight some of NASA’s missions and programs. Find out more about NASA’s X-59, the Artemis mission, and Sustainable Flight Demonstrator, with different activities running each day. Earn AirVenture endorsement codes for NASA’s Flight Log program and start building a virtual flight log. Mon.-Sun., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is “The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration” and EAA’s membership convention. Additional information, including advance ticket and camping purchase, is available at www.EAA.org/airventure.
For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or visit www.EAA.org.