DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - After a year-long hiatus, Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) will host its popular Good Neighbor Day Air Show and Open House from noon to 5 p.m. May 11, focusing this year's event on the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The commemoration will highlight the historic D-Day operation of June 6, 1944, which brought together Allied forces in the largest amphibious invasion in history, codenamed OVERLORD, and delivered five naval assault divisions to Normandy's beaches in France.
"We are excited to bring back our air show," said airport interim director Hunter Hines. "Due to airport construction, we couldn't organize the air show last year. The Good Neighbor Day has become a tradition in Atlanta and the longest-running air show in the region. We look forward to hosting families and aviation enthusiasts once again."
PDK has a rich military history. A century ago, the present-day airport was part of Camp Gordon, a U.S. Army training base during World War I. In 1940, the U.S. Navy acquired a portion of this land, commissioning it as a Naval Reserve airfield by March 1941. The base rapidly expanded to a full Naval Air Station by the end of 1942. Despite its growth, however, post-WWII demands from modern jets and bombers soon exceeded the airport's facilities. Consequently, the Navy built a new outpost at Dobbins Air Force Base in Marietta and returned PDK to DeKalb County by 1959, converting it to civilian use.
During the open house, antique airplanes, military aircraft, and DeKalb County fire trucks and ambulances will be on display. Admission is free, with parking priced at $20 per vehicle. The event will be held at 2000 Airport Road and cars can enter from Clairmont Road and, until 1:30 p.m., from Dresden Drive. Gates open at 10 a.m.