AirVenture 2017 Will Host Astronaut Reunion for 50th Apollo Anniversary

The largest aviation event in the U.S. will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo missions with an astronaut reunion.

The Experimental Aircraft Association announced this week it will welcome crewmembers from most of the manned lunar missions to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for AirVenture 2017.

So far, five astronauts — Frank Borman of Apollo 8, Walt Cunningham of Apollo 7, Fred Haise of Apollo 13, Jim Lovell of Apollo 8 and 13, and Al Worden of Apollo 15 — have confirmed they’ll be there. EAA says it expects more Apollo crewmembers to be added to that list.

“This will be a rare, unforgettable gathering of the people who met the challenge of flying to the moon and safely returning, representing hundreds of thousands of individuals who contributed to its success,” said EAA’s Rick Larsen, who coordinates features and attractions for AirVenture. “You may never get another opportunity to see these people in person, up close, as you will at Oshkosh this summer.”

The astronauts will be celebrated with an evening program at Theater in the Woods on AirVenture’s Apollo Day, Friday, July 28.

AirVenture 2017 runs from July 24–30.