Reno latest victim of pandemic

The 2020 Reno Air Races have been cancelled due to “ongoing concerns surrounding COVID-19.”

The races had been scheduled for Sept. 16-20, 2020.

“This decision was not made lightly and we’re going to greatly miss our September family this year, but the safety of our fans, pilots, staff, volunteers, and community is always our top priority,” race officials said June 26, 2020, in announcing the cancellation. “There were many factors that went into this tough decision, including the uncertainty of the state of the pandemic in September. We’re focusing on creating a great event for you when we return on Sept. 15-19, 2021, where we will be hosting the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

Officials with the non-profit organization noted that the races rely on on ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations to put on the “world-class event.”

“We’ve already seen a significant decrease in revenue — 80% in fact — and are counting on our fans and community more than ever to help us preserve the Reno Air Races legacy,” officials noted in the announcement.

If you’ve already bought tickets for the 2020 races, you have a few options.

1. Roll your purchased tickets over to the 2021 event.
2. Donate your ticket amount as a tax-deductible contribution. Money raised will go to supporting the future of air racing, STEM education, honoring military members and much more.
3. Request a refund on the cost of your ticket minus ticketing fees.

Processing of requests will begin “later in July,” race officials said.

If you would like to go with option 2 or 3 you are asked to email [email protected] with your first and last name, business name (if applicable), address, and phone number.

If you purchased your tickets online you will receive an email from the race’s service provider “Etix” with options.

Ticket holders must choose their desired option no later than July 15, 2020. If no request is made, the tickets purchased will automatically rollover to the 2021 event, officials said.

“If all of our ticket holders were to roll their tickets over to 2021, or donate their ticket amount to us, we are confident that we will be able to keep our event going strong,” officials said. “Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you in 2021 for the 57th STIHL National Championship Air Races!”