The Lancaster will arrive on Friday, June 14 at approximately 10 a.m.
There will be a brief welcoming ceremony and after allowing time for the Lancaster to get parked and situated the schedule of events is planned as follows:
June 14:
• 10 a.m. Arrival
• 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Formal welcoming ceremony – dignitary speeches
• 11:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. – Lancaster tours open to the public first come first serve
• 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. – BBQ hosted by COPA
• 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. – Lancaster Outside only walk around and viewing– Lancaster will be on display until dusk.
• 5:30 p.m. - Legion reception
• 6:30 p.m. - Legion dinner: $40.00 per plate
• 7 p.m. - Cadets Inspection located at the airport beside the Lancaster
• 8 p.m. - Legion Lounge with music until midnight with The Daves I Know
June 15:
• 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. - Lancaster Outside walk and visual
• 11 - 12:30 p.m. - Local Fly By: Dignitary Flight
• 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. - Lancaster Outside walk and visual (no interior tours on Saturday)
• 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. – BBQ hosted by Lions Club
• 2 p.m. - Lancaster departure
Entry fee, BBQ and parking is by cash donation only. All donations will go back into our community by supporting the local Legion Branch l09, the Goderich Lions Club and COPA.
The queue for pics or getting inside the plane will be on first come first serve basis. Donations will be requested.
Entrance to the Lancaster and parking will be on a donation basis. The line for touring the Lancaster will get cut off at approximately 3:30 p.m.
The Lancaster will be available for viewing until 7 p.m. at which time the Cadets will be using the space for their annual inspection.
Tickets for the dinner are still on sale at the Legion and they will be sold on a first come first serve basis. The crew of the Lancaster will be in attendance to answer questions and mingle with those in attendance. There will be a keynote presentation following dinner by David Yates about the Lancaster’s history. Tickets are $40.00 per person.
The Flyover on Saturday will be at approximately 11 a.m. and then again on its departure at 2 p.m.
There are four individuals who will be taking part in the flyover, two seats were sold at auction and two seats are reserved for local dignitaries.
Parking will be made available onsite for as many cars as possible. Parking will be by donation. The Legion is estimating parking for 500 cars so encourage car-pooling, or alternate modes of transportation where possible.
There will be no parking on the side of Airport Road or allowed on the Highway. Local authorities will be monitoring parking.
The Legion is encouraging patrons to please leave your pets at home; asphalt, large crowds and traffic is not a great place for pets. Guide Dogs and Service animals are welcomed.
The Goderich Legion is looking for volunteers to assist with various roles such as crowd control, parking, donation collection etc. Volunteers may assist for full or partial days.
Please email legion109@hurontel.on.ca to sign up and receive further information, or submit your name on the website https://www.goderichlegion.ca/the-lancaster/
Local sponsors of the event include Goderich Legion Branch 109, COPA, Goderich Lions Club, Compass Minerals, Coldwell Banker All Points-Festival City Realty, Hotel Bedford and Med-E-Ox Mobility.
On an additional note, the Park Theater will be hosting the Lancaster Above and Beyond.
Limited Engagement - Tuesday June 11 to Thursday June 13
LANCASTER, the story of the iconic WW2 bomber told through the words of the last surviving crew members. Responsible for some of the most famous and infamous missions in WW2 history, from the Dambuster raids to the controversial bombing of Dresden, the Lancaster would help turn the tide of war. But there was a deadly price to be paid. 55,000 young men - half of all Bomber Command's aircrew - died over Nazi occupied Europe. Their average age was just 22.
LANCASTER is an epic and poignant story of courage, friendship, fear and the moral complexities of war.