As an organization, we are forever grateful to the believers: the pioneers, our board members, the City of Lakeland, the Lakeland Linder International Airport, Polk County, Visit Central Florida, exhibitors, vendors, partners and attendees that have contributed to our success.

We are especially grateful to the over 20,000 volunteers, that we have on record, who have dedicated their time and talents to make us what we are today!! What better way to kick off our celebration than with an Opening Night Concert featuring country music artist, Dylan Scott, with a special guest appearance by Sara Evans.

The celebration continues all week, showcasing spectacular airshows, phenomenal aircraft displays, innovative technologies in aviation, engaging hands-on workshops and forums, and pathways for aspiring aviation professionals.

With our visitors in mind, we’re thrilled to unveil our latest additions and improvements to the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo. Among those is the Future ‘n Flight Plaza, where over 70 exhibits by aviation industry leaders present cutting edge innovations and training schools chart career pathways in aviation.

Navigating the activities, airshows, and amenities has become easier with new way-finding signs around the campus, and we’ve added more shaded areas, picnic tables, and benches to provide comfortable seating, as you take in the sights and sounds of the airshows and exhibitors.

Speaking of exhibitors, we are grateful for the record-breaking number of them here all week to showcase their services and products. They consistently continue to improve the aviation industry and lead the way for future innovation.

Though many will tell you that SUN ‘n FUN is a magical place, it does not happen by magic. Over 2,900 dedicated volunteers converge on this campus every March and April. They join us for any amount of time from one week to throughout the year to execute the second largest Fly-In in the United States.

Leading up to the Fly-In, our volunteers can be found doing everything from clearing debris and planting flowers, to welding bridges and painting buildings, to making sandwiches or parking airplanes, to serving our guests at the ticket window or any array of tasks. This dedicated group of volunteers are the life blood of what we are and who we are and without them, we would not exist.

We are grateful for the faithful participation of those volunteers, our community partners, and aviation enthusiasts like you that have enabled us to produce a world-class aviation education entity called the Aerospace Center for Excellence, or ACE. ACE is the educational arm of our organization and is now the parent company of the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo. The success of the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo each year is critically important, as the net proceeds of SUN ‘n FUN are directly invested back into our year-round aerospace and STEM programming for our youth, thereby creating the environment and inspiration for us to ENGAGE, EDUCATE, and ACCELERATE the next generation of aerospace professionals.

Fifty years is undoubtedly a significant milestone for the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo to celebrate and we are excited to craft the blueprint for the next 50. In partnership with the Lakeland Linder International Airport, Visit Central Florida, and our Engineering firm, CMT, we have already begun the effort to reimagine our footprint on the airport for our next 50 years.

We invite you to visit our Master Site Plan tent (SE-10B) located in the Future ‘n Flight Plaza and learn about the process, participate in our forums, and give us your feedback and insight to help us reimagine our year-round and Fly-In footprint on the airport.

The coming airport enhancements bring opportunity for us to build a bigger, better, and brighter future for aviation with every anniversary; we hope you continue to join the journey. On behalf of the Aerospace Center for Excellence and SUN ’n FUN Boards, our incredible sponsors, my team, and more than 2,900 volunteers, we sincerely hope you enjoy your Fly-In.

We are thrilled to celebrate aviation with you, and we look forward to welcoming you back next year for our 51st annual SUN ’n FUN Aerospace Expo, April 1-6, 2025.

Enjoy your time at SUN ’n FUN 2024!