Parade, Airplane Rides, Raffles Set For RivCo Airport Veterans Celebration

JURUPA VALLEY, CA — Vintage airplane rides, military equipment static displays, prize raffles, children's entertainment and other activities are planned for Flabob Airport's 2026 "Veterans Celebration" next month, officials confirmed Friday.

Several thousand spectators are expected for the daylong event, slated to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14.

"This is to honor the valiant sacrifices of our nation's veterans," according to an airport statement. "It's a powerful day dedicated to honoring those who served."

The event will feature an Honor Guard ceremony and parade saluting members of the U.S. Armed Forces, past and present. A band will play patriotic themes during the ceremony.

There will be military re-enactors, who will convert the tarmac into a display of historic images.

Vintage biplanes will be available for ticketed airplane rides around the Riverside metropolitan area, giving passengers an open-air cockpit tour of Jurupa Valley and its environs, providing an intimate feel for what it was like to fly in the first decade of fixed-wing aviation, organizers said.

A petting zoo, displays of past military hardware, prize raffles, a beer garden, an antique car show and a range of kids' games will be part of the fare, with musical entertainment provided by different bands.

The Commemorative Air Force's locally based C-53, dubbed "D-Day Doll," will be open for tours, along with the airport museum.

Additionally, a "special raffle" giving three entrants an opportunity to win free rides aboard the biplanes is planned.

Food vendors will be available, as well as personnel from local agencies offering assistance to veterans seeking to apply for various services, according to the airport.

Festivities are slated to wrap up about 4 p.m.

Additional information is available at flabobairport.org/flabob-veterans-celebration.