Futenma opens gates for Flightline Festival

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Displays of military hardware are always very popular. (MCCS photo)

Get ready for some sizzling summer fun, food and entertainment at this year’s annual Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Flightline Festival Saturday, and Sunday.

As the June heat waves roll in, the Flightline Fest will offer cool countermeasures in the form of cooler treats and a static display of the coolest members of the aviation world. This year’s Flightline Fest will be held from 2 to 10 p.m. both days.

This weekend’s Futenma Flightline Fair is one of the largest open house events in the annual U.S. base festival calendar. (MCCS photo)

This annual festival welcomes all service members, their families and local Okinawans and Japanese to partake in a weekend of fun, entertainment and a variety of festival fare. It offers favorite festival attractions for all ages including Kiddie Land’s rides and bouncers, game booths as well as delicious cultural foods from Okinawa and beyond. American staples such as sizzling burgers and pizza along with summer sweets and ice-cold drinks will also be available.

Festival-goers interested in military aircraft will have ample access to a bevy of props and wings. A static display showcasing the best of Marine Corps aviation is slated to include both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.

Meanwhile, the center stage will host all sorts of acts—dance, music, and more—on both days. The headliner Saturday is the American Punk band All Time Low at 8 p.m. Sunday night’s headline entertainment features the Apache Band performing at 8:50 p.m. A sparkling display of fireworks will finish off the festival with a bang on Sunday night at 9:50 p.m.

Admission to the festival is free and open to all SOFA status and Japanese. No one will be admitted with pets, outside alcohol, bottles, or coolers. Free shuttle buses will provide transportation to and from designated parking lots on the base. As always, MCCS encourages everyone to drink responsibly; daiko and taxi services will be available. For more information, call 645-5821, log onto mccsokinawa.com/entertainment or visit MCCS Entertainment on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mccsokinawa.entertainment.