Thank you for considering financial support for the 2026 Lincoln Airport Wings & Wheels Community Expo. The Expo aims to provide a fun, family-oriented, and educational experience for local and regional residents and visitors.
The 2025 Wings & Wheels event was an outstanding success, with over 10,000 guests passing through the airport gates to see hot air balloons, various aircraft, and sports, classic, and exotic cars.
For 2026, we are again ramping up on-site action and regional guest outreach, and expect to increase attendance over last year’s total. The event attracts guests not only from the south Placer County area but also from the surrounding region.
This year's festivities will kick off on Friday evening, August 28th, with gourmet food trucks and a ‘moonglow’ hot-air balloon light show. Throughout the evening, a local band will play the best hits from yesterday and today.
Saturday will begin with an early morning hot air balloon rise, followed by arriving aircraft for static displays and flybys and hundreds of display vehicles of all types. The bottom line is that there will be more aircraft, cars, hot air balloons, and food and artisan vendors.
For 2026, we will again have a VIP Experience package with a special entrance gate, preferred parking, Friday night dinner in the VIP tent, use of the VIP tent for the Saturday event, and an option for a Friday night tethered hot air balloon ride (weather permitting).
General parking will be free for both days. Show entrance tickets will be only $5 per person for the Friday night event and $10 per adult for the Saturday show, with no charge for youth 17 and under on either day.
The city of Lincoln is again sponsoring the event, with major support from the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and local pilots associated with the Lincoln Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).
Community events of this scope are complex and expensive to produce. The goal of the Wings & Wheels Community Expo is to offer a family-friendly, modestly priced experience for our local and regional guests. The city of Lincoln is again contributing significant public safety and public works services to the event, and the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce is providing significant staff time. However, many other expenses still need to be covered, including fuel for certain types of warbird aircraft, propane for hot air balloons, marketing and promotion costs (e.g., Jumbotron, sound systems), and Youth Zone expenses. This is where your company or organization comes in.
Advertising your services at the Expo. We will again have the Jumbotron mega-screen to highlight our sponsors and activities.
Sponsorship benefits. Sponsorship participation will give your business valuable local and regional exposure. The International Council of Air Shows survey indicates that air event attendees are a much sought-after purchasing group.
We would appreciate your commitment as soon as possible for financial planning purposes. Please contact Richard Pearl, Lincoln Airport Wings & Wheels executive director at: richard.pearl@lincolnca.gov; 916.715.9666. Note: Donations are NOT tax deductible. Please see page five of this packet for payment details.