ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. (AP) — Organizers have canceled this summer’s “Wings Over Vermont” air show, saying they couldn’t continue with plans for the August event after studying the impact of automatic federal spending cuts that took effect this month.
The Vermont National Guard Foundation announced the cancellation Wednesday. The U.S. Air Force Demonstration Team, the Thunderbirds, were scheduled to headline the show.
“The implementation of across-the-board cuts in federal spending has caused the curtailment of the Thunderbirds 2013 show schedule. Effective April 1, all of the team’s performances have been cancelled,” according to the Thunderbirds’ web site.
The foundation noted the Department of Defense directed the Air Force to cancel aviation support to public events for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Rick Brehm, director of the Wings Over Vermont Air Show, said there was no single factor that stood out as the reason for cancelling the show. But he added resources no longer can be committed with the hope the budget cuts will be reversed.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-03-14/wings-over-vermont-air-show-canceled-due-to-cuts