From skydiving to airshows: How to have fun at local airports near Gardner

Take advantage of local municipal airports' unique activities for all ages this summer.

From community vendor festivals to memorable skydiving experiences, municipal airports are not just parking garages for small aircraft but also places for family-friendly events and activities.

The handful of towns and little cities in the North Central and Western Mass region have municipal airports, including Gardner, Orange, Fitchburg, and Pepperell. From skydiving in Pepperell to a late summer vendor festival in Orange, there are a few ways to have fun at the nearest municipal airport. Here are a few things to look forward to this summer in and around the Gardner area.

Skydiving

Jumptown, the first commercial dropzone in the United States since 1959, is at the Orange Municipal Airport. A 25-minute drive from Gardner to the oldest commercial dropzone in the country offers a lifetime experience without having to drive to Worcester or Boston.

Tandem jumps are when a highly trained instructor attaches themselves to the customer, and the instructor deploys the parachute after jumping out of the airplane.

Future skydivers must be at least 18 years old; minors cannot skydive. Jumptown's services range from tandem jumping, the most popular service, to skydiving license courses. Casey LaRue, Jumptown Manager, said first-time and inexperienced jumpers prefer tandem jumps because they don't have to undergo a lot of training. The basic tandem package for weekday jumps is $235, and for weekend days is $269 per jumper. Students with valid IDs and people with active Military IDs get the basic tandem jump package only on weekends for $230.

Besides the Jumptown commercial drop zone, the Orange Municipal Airport also rents out its open space for community events. In the past few years, they have hosted the North Quabbin Cruisers car show, the Central Mass Steam Gas & Machinery Association engine show in late June, and the vendor festival, Christmas in July. No dates have been finalized just yet. Follow the airport's Facebook page.

Although Jumptown at the Orange Municipal Airport is the closest commercial drop zone from the Greater Gardner area, another option exists. Skydive Pepperell at the Pepperell Municipal Airport is a 50-minute drive from Gardner and a 35-minute drive from Ashburnham. Individual tandem jumps at the Pepperall drop zone cost $285.

Airshow

If skydiving is not on the family bucket list this summer, then head to the Fitchburg Municipal Airport for an airshow.

The Fitchburg Pilot's Association and the Young Eagles Fitchburg chapter host a public airshow event every summer. On Sunday, June 16, at the Fitchburg Municipal Airport from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Aero Fair families will learn more about how airplanes work, and kids between eight and 17 years old can fly in an aircraft for 15 to 20 minutes. To participate in this public event, families have to register at youngeaglesday.org. Registrations open on Saturday, June 1, at 8 a.m. online.

The Fitchburg airport is a 20-minute drive with light traffic from Gardner.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Airshows, skydiving, festivals at North Central Mass. airports