A day of aviation, classic cars, food, and family fun is returning to Urbana as the 58th Annual Mid-Eastern Regional Fly-In & Car Show takes place Saturday, September 12, at Grimes Field.
This year’s event will also feature Military Appreciation Day, honoring veterans and active-duty service members.
The event will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with free admission for the visiting public and all fly-in aircraft.
Visitors can get an up-close look at a variety of regional aircraft along with classic, custom, and muscle cars during the Wings & Wheels display. The event will also feature a kids’ area, local food trucks and a pancake breakfast.
Drake Huffman, the president of the Grimes Field Foundation, discusses the event schedule and how special the community makes the festivities.
The day begins at 8 a.m. with the start of the Fly-In and Car Show. The pancake breakfast will also begin at 8 a.m. in the North Grimes Hangar.
Car Show judging and Fly-In judging will begin at 9 a.m., with food trucks arriving at 11 a.m.
Car Show awards and MERFI awards are scheduled for 1 p.m., while the event will conclude at 2 p.m. The kids area will also be available throughout the event.
The MERFI organization was formed and incorporated in 1966 by a group of aviation-minded men and women who believed a regional fly-in was needed. The founders included representatives from 15 EAA chapters across Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Originally based in Marion, Ohio, MERFI became one of the oldest fly-ins in the country. By 1985, the event had grown to encompass the entire airport for two days each year.
MERFI eventually moved to Grimes Field in 2007, where the tradition continues today.
Organizers invite pilots, car enthusiasts, families, and community members to come out for a day celebrating aviation, automobiles, and the local community while recognizing those who have served in the military.
More information is available at UrbanaAirport.com.
