Westmoreland County Airshow won't happen next year amid airport construction

There won't be a Westmoreland County Airshow next year because of construction at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport.

Gabe Monzo with the airport confirmed that the airshow won't happen next year, but it's expected to return in 2027. Monzo said the board voted to hold off on hosting the airshow because of work on a new terminal. 

The Westmoreland County Airshow is an annual summer event that draws tens of thousands of visitors. Last year, it was headlined by the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds. The airshow brings tactical demos, static displays, vendors and other attractions. In the past, there have been visits from the Blue Angels. 

The Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, which hosts the show, is building a new 32,000-square-foot terminal with a $22 million price tag. Back in May, there was a slight delay in construction, but the first phase of construction is set to be completed by the summer of 2026, with everything finished up by 2027. 

Currently, Spirit Airlines is the only carrier at Arnold Palmer with regular daily flights to Orlando and seasonal flights to Myrtle Beach and Fort Lauderdale. The airport recently hired an aviation consulting firm to try to help land a second airline.

According to PennDOT, the airport's economic impact is more than $200 million.