MADRAS — The Airshow of the Cascades is the region’s largest aviation celebration, featuring vintage aircraft on display and afternoon aerobatic performances.

Spectators, some of whom camped out at the Madras Municipal Airport during the two-day air show, were thrilled Saturday by the aerobatic flights.

Pilots took turns buzzing the crowd gathered along the airport’s runway. The sky was overcast and hazy from wildfires, but it made for a clear backdrop to the entertainment.

The small planes rolled, tumbled and looped through the air.

Redmond resident Sharena Arazoza attended the air show for the first time Saturday with her husband, Jorge, and their two children, 4-year-old Olivia and 2-year-old Abigail. They were also with Sharena Arazoza’s sister, Tonya Williams, of Eugene, and Tonya’s granddaughter, 3-year-old Ariayanna.

The family sat together on camping chairs along the runway, giving them a front-row view of the aerobatic performances.

Sharena Arazoza said she was impressed with all the activities, including a car show and motocross performance held before the aerobatic flights.

“It’s nice they have everything available for all the kids,” she said.

“There is something for everyone.”

Arazoza and her sister grew up in Juneau, Alaska, and remember going to air shows to see the Blue Angels and the Snowbirds, Canada’s military aerobatics team.

Arazoza even worked at the Alaskan air shows as a teenager with her church’s youth group.

“I used to go and help out in the hot dog stands and raise money for our group,” she said.

Bend resident Han Tenty, who owns Deschutes Fence, spent the day at the air show with his wife, Amy, and their two children, 12-year-old Hank and 3-year-old Lola.

Han Tenty said Hank is a member of the local Experimental Aircraft Association chapter of the Young Eagles at the Bend Municipal Airport. Hank has learned how to build airplanes and has gone on airplane rides through the Young Eagles program, his father said.

Hank was excited to return to the air show for the second time Saturday to watch the daring flights. His favorite maneuver: when the pilots purposely create a trail of smoke as they fly past the crowd.

Before the aerobatic performances, Hank spotted a plane he recognized from last year’s air show that left a smoke trail. He was going to keep an eye on it during the show Saturday, he said.

John Johnson, of Sequim, Washington, performed Saturday in his North American SNJ-5, which was used to train U.S. Air Force pilots during World War II.

Johnson is a member of the Cascade Warbirds, a historic military aircraft organization. Members of the Cascade Warbirds perform at air shows across the Northwest, he said.

This weekend was Johnson’s first time performing in Madras. When he arrived in town Thursday, he was a bit worried about the thick wildfire smoke. But he said it wasn’t an issue during the air show.

Given the air quality, Johnson did get teased by other pilots since his call sign, or pilot nickname, is Smokey, similar to the name of the U.S. Forest Service Wildfire Prevention mascot.

Overall, Johnson enjoyed sharing his love of flying with the crowd in Madras.

“It’s great,” he said. “People have been really friendly.”

— Reporter: 541-617-7820, kspurr@bendbulletin.com