The Chatham Airport Annual Open House is one of my favorite events of the year! It’s free family fun for all ages, and this year, the date is Saturday, June 8th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parking is free on-site.
Things To Explore
The open house tagline is “a day of planes, trains, and automobiles,” but there’s so much more! There’s “Touch a Truck,” which includes construction vehicles, huge ladder fire trucks, and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. I will remember forever the awe in my 5-year-old daughter’s eyes when she climbed into a giant construction vehicle and the Coast Guard helicopter last year.
There are so many cool planes and helicopters that you can get up close to look at and photograph! My favorite are the small puddle jumpers.
But wait, there’s more! The open house is also home to a classic car show. It stretches out over a huge parking lot, and you can easily spend an hour just looking at the cars. There’s also a huge working model railroad display inside a hangar. It runs, and the makers are proud to demonstrate it for adoring kids.
Around the perimeter of the car show and Touch a Truck are booths for various community organizations, including Eldredge Public Library, Mass Oyster Project (saving oyster habitats), Cape Cod Ocean Community (shark surveillance), and Women in Aviation. There is a lot of giveaway swag, so bring a tote bag to carry things that you and your kiddos get.
There’s also live music with many different performers. In 2023, the Chatham Band performed in an airplane hangar. My children’s grandmother plays the xylophone in this band, which is what brought us to the open house in 2023.
Be Prepared!
Food trucks are available, but I highly recommend you bring cold water and kid snacks in a cooler bag. Lines can get long, and supplies can run out by the end of the open house.
Don’t forget sun protection! It snuck up on me last year and I was not happy that evening with painful sunburn. There are porta potties outside for restrooms, but I didn’t see any changing tables. (I returned to my car when I needed to change my infant.)
See You June 8th!
My family is looking forward to seeing what’s in store at the Chatham Airport Open House 2024. Hope to see you there!
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Thank you for the lovely article about the Chatham Airport open house. So many volunteers put in so much time and effort to make the event a fun day for the entire community, and your article reminded us of why we do it!
Hope to see you there this year on June 8th from 10am to 2pm. All are welcome!
Thanks to you and all the volunteers Kenneth.
Our family had another wonderful time this year.