Hopes air show set to take-off

28 February 2024

TALKS are to take place to discuss the potential return of the international Festival of Flight to Newcastle next summer.

Local politicians are to meet shortly to discuss the district’s tourism events calendar for the next 12 months and the highly acclaimed flagship tourism event which features the RAF Red Devils aerobatic display team will be on the agenda.

Last month, a call for the premier tourist event to be cleared for take off after being grounded since 2019 due to a lack of cash was issued at Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s annual rates meeting.

A working group comprising local councillors is to meet to discuss a district-wide tourism events programme for the next year and while the Festival of Flight will not take place this summer, a call for

officers to buckle themselves in to ensure it takes off in 2025 will be made.

The hugely popular festival attracted over 100,000 people to the resort and provided a major economic boost for the the town and wider district, generating in excess of £1m for the economy.

Some politicians plan to make the case for the return of the Festival of Flight and hope it will be a case of chocks away next summer.

The last Festival of Flight was held just months before the deadly Covid-19 pandemic spread across the globe.

While Newcastle has hosted the highly successful Eats and Beats festival for the past two years, some politicians believe this event could run alongside the air show to create a mega tourism weekend unrivalled anywhere in Ireland.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council has confirmed that a workshop is being organised to discuss the district’s tourism events programme.

The iconic air show — which takes place against the stunning back of the Mourne Mountains and Dundrum Bay — is far and away the district’s biggest tourism event, attracting visitors from across the province and further afield, generating a huge economic uplift.

Council officers have previously committed to compile an updated budget estimate for the Festival of Flight and to liaise with the local authority’s previous partners who helped organise the event and provided sponsorship.

At this month’s council rates meeting when the district rate was increased by 6.41%, Rowallane DUP councillor Jonny Jackson called on the local authority to establish a working group to look specifically at the return to Newcastle of the international air show.

“We are all aware of the direct investment and economic value of these events and, for many, the Festival of Flight was seen as one of this district’s flagship events,” he said.

He called on council officers to work to restore the event, proposing the formation of a working group to focus on the festival, looking at its challenges and the pathway to pave the way for its return.

Cllr Jackson confirmed this week that he has spoken to senior council officials about the return of the air show, widely regarded as one of province’s best run events.

“There are many people across the district, Northern Ireland and further afield who are keen to see the return of the festival which is a magnificent spectacle and major income generator for Newcastle and the district’s wider tourism economy,” he said.

“People are crying out for the festival’s return and I hope that happens. Newcastle is set to host the Irish Open this summer and how fantastic would it be to follow that with the Festival of Flight in 2025?”

Cllr Jackson added: “The publicity both events would generate and the boost to the economy is immeasurable and I hope the working group meeting heralds the start of a journey that will result in the Festival of Flight taking to the skies again in Newcastle next summer.”

A Newry, Mourne and Down Council spokeswoman confirmed the organisation is organising a workshop with all councillors to discuss the district’s events programme for 2024/25.

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