The mythical thunderbird has been a part of Native American lore for as many as four thousand years. The creature, sometimes depicted in hybrid form—half man, half bird—is both ubiquitous and unique among tribal nations. Each has its own depiction.
The thunder in its name comes from the deafening sounds made when the creature flaps its wings. The thunderbird is also said to flash lightning bolts from its eyes. It is the personification of power and strength.
The mythical qualities of the thunderbird will also be on full display in Pueblo when the city hosts the Air Force’s Thunderbirds for the Pueblo Wings of Pride Airshow on September 27th and 28th. It will be the city’s first airshow in nearly twenty years.
“We’re anticipating sixty thousand to attend,” said Greg Pedroza, Pueblo’s Director of Aviation. Just how big is he anticipating the event will be? “Let’s call it the state fair with an aviation theme,” he said.
The air show, he said, will also make up for the city’s disappointment from losing out on hosting the 2025 National Championship Air Races. Pueblo was one of the cities under consideration for the aerial extravaganza but the final choice and winner was Roswell, New Mexico.
While attending the event, Pedroza said ticket holders can also visit the Weisbrod Aircraft Museum which is located at the Pueblo Memorial Airport.
The museum, for those who have never visited the airport, is named after the late Fred Weisbrod who, as city manager, held the reins of Pueblo’s city government from 1966 to 1984.
The museum houses aircraft from different eras, each a reflection of Pueblo’s contribution to past wars. Housed inside its hangars are aircraft ranging from WWII bombers to Korean and Vietnam war aircraft, including helicopters and fighter jets.
In addition to browsing the museum for its military memorabilia, there is also a gift shop to pick up both air show souvenirs and aviation mementos. Outside the facility, there will be static aircraft parked across the facility. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy a hands-on experience with the exhibits.
Pueblo’s September air show is a production of the Columbus, Ohio-based Herb Gillen Air Shows, a company that stages similar events all across the country. But, said owner Herb Gillen, the geography of Pueblo’s airport, its wide-open eastern plains location, very naturally lends itself to a spectator-friendly event.
“We’re very excited,” Gillen said in a phone call from his Ohio office. “This (Pueblo) has everything you’re looking for…the perfect aerobatic box.” An aerobatic box is the area that makes it easiest for the crowd to appreciate the maneuvers of pilots showing their daredevil skills.
But, more than anything, Gillen said, is what the Thunderbirds bring to the show. “The Thunderbirds are our anchor performers,” he said. Not only do these F-16 Fighting Falcon jets maneuver with nearly surgical precision, they also instill a measure of pride, especially in younger visitors, he said.
Flying at near Mach-speeds, sometimes only hundreds of feet above the ground and at other times, only slightly faster than a race car, and within only a matter of inches of separation from a fellow pilot’s wings, they dazzle in nearly death defying ways.
The Thunderbirds, he said, serve a dual purpose. Gillen calls their performance “an opportunity to break that wall and interact with the community, show it a little bit of the Air Force is” and what they provide to our country. They’re also one of the military’s great recruiting tools.
With recruiting numbers down across the military, Gillen said, the Thunderbirds and air shows “are one of the key components of (military) recruiting and also a show of force to any foreign actors.”
The two-day Fall event, Gillen said, will well be worth the price of admission. “It’s a family-friendly event.” And to encourage families to come out, there will be a number of affordable ticket packages available, including one for families.
You get “two adult, two youth (tickets) and with that you’ll get $60 below” normal ticket pricing, Gillen said. Children under five years of age will be admitted free and there will also be youth-priced admission. Parking for the event will be free of charge.
For ticket information, Gillen said, it’s wise to visit Pueblowingsofpride.com.
