Third Annual Wings And Wheels Festival Comes To Bath County August 6th

Hot Springs, VA – Bath County’s Wings and Wheels Festival is really taking off. This is the third year for the festival at Ingalls Field and each year it’s bigger and better. Melinda Nichols is the Executive Director of the Bath Chamber of Commerce and she has worked on Wings and Wheels from the beginning.

“Oh it’s exceeded our plans” says Nichols. “Originally we would have been happy to get about 100 people but it exploded the first year with about 1500, and then last year we went to about 3200. I think this year everybody’s really taking notice that we have a lot of vendors and things there; I think we’re going to be covered as far as really upgrading.”

Wings and Wheels is scheduled for Saturday August 6. Airplane rides will be available for purchase all day and there will also be an air show from 1 until 3.

“Well, we’ve actually added to our air show this year” she says, “we have three acts. Johnny White is back this year, we have Charlie Swenker and we also have Roger Marshall; all of them will be doing acrobatic, daredevil type act with lots of flips and turns and curls and smoke oil.”

The wheels in Wings and Wheels is the car, truck, motorcycle and tractor show. The registration fee for the show is $15 in advance and $20 the day of.

“We have registration from 8am to 10am and then the show will actually begin at 10” says Nichols. “We’ll give out awards at 3 o’clock that day; we’re going to do Peoples’ Choice awards in each category. For the people that come make sure you get your little ballot and fill it out and turn it in for your favorite.”

Wings and Wheels will also feature a wide variety of food and games and activities for the kids. And there’s more music this year; Daryn Burkeholder will perform county tunes beginning at 10:30, then The Announcers take to the stage with gospel music at 3:30. And from 5 until 8, there’s a dance with Moonshine Express providing the music.

“We put together two things that are very unique” says Nichols, “the car show and then the air show. I don’t think you see those things put together very often and I think us being able to do that together just kind of creates a whole full day. It’s a really unique location and it is a beautiful drive, and everybody feels like their getting out and back to nature up there on top of the mountain; I think it’s just a good time. It’s a great venue and we’ve really found a niche.”

The third annual Wings and Wheels Festival is Saturday August 6 from 8am until 8pm at Ingalls Field Airport, south of Hot Springs. Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for ages 6 to 16 and ages 5 and under get in free. For more information call the Bath Chamber at 540-839-5409 or on the web visit wingsandwheelsbathcounty.com