Peachtree City's "Great Georgia Airshow" on Hiatus for 2012

By Jim Burress

Atlanta, GA – With tens of thousands of spectators, the Great Georgia Airshow is Peachtree City's largest annual event.

But it's not happening this year.

Organizers say the decision has nothing to do with funding or attendance.

It has everything to do with growing the event and making it better, says the show's marketing director, Janet Smola.

"Airshows in their evolution typically reach a plateau in their 15th year. Don't know why, it's just the nature of the beast."

As the airshow reaches that milestone, Smola says every aspect of the event needs to be re-evaluated.

Volunteers will have to do most of that work, making it impossible to both put on the show and revamp the event all in the same year.

Meanwhile, Peachtree City Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Nancy Pierce says businesses will probably notice the drop-off in tourists.

"On an average, they will spend $50 per individual in your community. So that's quite a large impact on Peachtree City."

The Great Georgia Airshow will return in the fall of 2013.

In the meantime, officials are inviting aviation enthusiasts to offer their ideas on how to improve the show. You can do that via the event's Facebook page or by going to its website.