Next Mankato air show could be years away
Jan. 6—MANKATO — A decade ago, Mankato city leaders were looking to host a major air show every three years. That happened, more or less, with the Minnesota Air Spectacular held at the Mankato Regional Airport in 2012, 2015 and 2019.
But aviation fans in south-central Minnesota are facing a lengthier gap between their opportunities to see the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds soaring over local skies.
"We have not made any decisions at this point for future air shows," said City Manager Susan Arntz.
Each December at the annual convention of air show operators in Las Vegas, the preliminary schedule is released for the headliner aviation acts for the air show year starting 13 months later.
The city of Mankato in 2021 had sought the U.S. Navy Blue Angels for a planned Minnesota Air Spectacular in June 2023, but Duluth was selected instead. This year, the city did not submit an application for either the Blue Angels or the Air Force Thunderbirds for 2024.
Mankato hasn't necessarily lost interest in being on the air show circuit, it's more a matter of timing. A pair of construction projects could make it tricky to host a show in coming years, Arntz said.
A long-planned reconstruction of Highway 22 from just north of Mankato to St. Peter will cause major disruption to one of the primary roads leading to the airport, particularly for people arriving from the Twin Cities or other points to the north. The Minnesota Department of Transportation had been planning to start the $32 million in improvements as soon as 2024, but now the construction schedule is 2025-26, according to the project website.
"It does add complications to that event, especially when you have visitors who aren't familiar with the area," Arntz said of the Highway 22 project.
The work will include the addition of passing lanes and a complete makeover of major intersections on the roadway, which is the busiest two-lane highway in MnDOT's District 7 even when there isn't an air show drawing more than 25,000 extra people.
In addition, Mankato is pursuing the installation of an air traffic control tower at the airport at a cost of $5.8 million. The city is working with the Federal Aviation Administration this year on selecting a site with tentative plans to complete designs and site preparation in 2024 and build the tower in 2025.
Because control towers are financed by the FAA, they require navigating a complex regulatory process and the schedule could be delayed.
"I think that's to be determined," Arntz said of whether the next air show will have to wait for the completion of the tower.
This won't be the first time local air show fans have had to demonstrate patience. Shows in 1999 and 2003 were organized by a private promoter, the second one ending in financial disarray and unpaid performers. That contributed to a nearly decadelong pause before the 2012 Minnesota Air Spectacular, which was administered by the city with assistance from a consultant — a strategy that continued with subsequent shows.
For those who can't wait for the next Mankato show, the Thunderbirds are scheduled to be in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and the Blue Angels are slated to be in Duluth in July of this year.
The announcement of the 2024 schedule showed no Minnesota appearances by the Thunderbirds next year. The Blue Angels are slated to be in La Crosse in June 2024.
