OOLOGAH, Okla. – The annual Will Rogers Wiley Post Fly-In returns Saturday, Aug. 12, at the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch in Oologah.
For more than 20 years, the annual celebration has welcomed pilots from across the region to honor the legacy of the Cherokee Kid Will Rogers and famed aviator Wiley Post.
The family-friendly event is open to the public and free to attend in a picnic-style format. More than 75 planes are expected to land on the grass airstrip beginning around 7:30 a.m. Once safely secured, guests are encouraged to meet the pilots and get an up-close look at the aircrafts.
“This is such an incredible, interactive day at the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch and one that we are excited to be part of,” said Donna Tinnin, senior manager of programs and events for Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism. “We are grateful to the Rogers family who are joining us for the National Day of Remembrance and to celebrate the life and legacy of these extraordinary individuals and their contributions to the aviation world.”
In addition to watching the planes land, the event features a classic car show, food trucks, vendor booths, a children’s play area and more.
Cherokee Nation acquired the historic 162-acre ranch in June and is continuing its longstanding partnership with the Will Rogers Memorial Museum to host the annual event, commemorating the plane crash that took the lives of Rogers and Post nearly 88 years ago.
“The annual fly-in honors Will and Wiley's passion for aviation, and it is an honor to get to share and celebrate that passion with the public,” said Tad Jones, executive director of the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore. “This year's event will be very special with the property now in the hands of the Cherokee Nation, and we hope everyone will join us for a day of fun.”
The Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch is located at 9501 E. 380 Road. While the fly-in festivities are expected to run through 1:30 p.m., the ranch is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For information on Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism, including museum operations, please call (877) 779-6977 or visit www.VisitCherokeeNation.com.