POLK CITY, FL — Fantasy of Flight is offering free admission for Dad when accompanied by a paying guest Thurs., June 18, to Sun., June 21. These dates include Fantasy of Flight's Father's Day weekend, Sat., June 20 and Sun., June 21, when Central Florida's premier aviation-themed attraction will offer two days of special events. The complimentary admission offer for Dad is valid with a full-price paid youth, senior, or adult admission and is not valid with any other offers, discounts, annual passes, or special events.
"We are pleased to salute and honor hard-working dads, many of whom make sacrifices daily including leaving their families to support our country," says Kermit Weeks, Fantasy of Flight creator and founder. "This weekend is in honor of all that Dads do for their families every day and gives families an opportunity to thank Dad while spending some quality time learning and just enjoying each other."
The weekend kicks off with the Fantasy Flyers R/C Club First Annual "The Golden Age of Aviation Fly-In" featuring WWI and Golden Age giant scale remote control planes. The Fly-In is Sat., June 20, and Sun., June 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Mid Florida R/C Club will also be onsite with R/C aviation displays with opportunities for visitors to learn more about the hobby. Sessions will be held at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday in the Officers' Club at Fantasy of Flight. The Fly-In and related activities are included in the general attraction admission for spectators.
Paper airplane expert Dean Mackey from The Online Paper Airplane Museum will be on hand both Sat., June 20 and Sun., June 21 to offer complimentary demonstrations and instruction on paper airplane crafting for all skill levels and all ages. His website, www.theonlinepaperairplanemuseum.com, offers hundreds of designs from an easy-level "Basic Dart" to an intricate-level "1903 Wright Flyer."
The Second Annual Military Collectors Show will be held on-site Sat., June 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. as part of the Father's Day weekend at the attraction's Orlampa Conference Center. Scheduled to be on-hand at the Military Collectors Show are Robert Roberts, a Combat Media and D-Day veteran, and Hiram Mann, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen who was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
Weeks says that Fantasy of Flight will roll out some classic airplanes from his prized collection — including the Grumman Wildcat, Grumman TBM Avenger, and the Corsair — to allow guests photo opportunities as they climb into and claim the cockpit of some of America's most rare vintage aircraft. "Open Cockpit Days" are Sat., June 20 and Sun., June 21, from 3-5 p.m. and are free to annual pass holders and available to single day admission guests for an additional fee.
"For those who want to give their father a truly memorable experience, we can completely drop the rope and hoist them right up into the pilot's seat of these historic beauties," says Weeks. "Or, if they choose, the whole family can take turns getting behind the controls and imagine what the pilots experienced when they crawled into these gorgeous beasts."
For more information visit www.fantasyofflight.com.
