image of blue angels airplanes during Thunder on the Buffalo Waterfront airshow

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation Congratulates Thunder on the Buffalo Waterfront Air Show on Winning Two Major Air Show Industry Awards

The International Council of Air Shows and the Blue Angeles Give High Praise to the First Ever Waterfront Event

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) congratulates the Thunder on the Buffalo Waterfront air show, which recently won both an International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) Chairman Award and the Blue Angels’ Civilian Airshow of the Year Award.  The industry awards recognize air shows of excellence.

“It looks like the experts agree with the thousands of people who attended the waterfront airshow this past summer—it was a fantastic event,” said Robert Gioia, Chairman, Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation. “Everyone who helped produce the very successful air show should be proud to receive these top awards for excellence from the air show industry.”

The ICAS Chairman Award in the Special Achievement category was recently presented to

the Thunder on the Buffalo Waterfront air show at the ICAS convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. The award was given based on the unprecedented timeline that required moving the show from the air base in Niagara Falls to the Buffalo waterfront in a matter of weeks. Typically planning for a new show site takes over a year.

The Thunder on the Buffalo Waterfront also received the 2021 Civilian Air Show of the Year award from the U.S. Navy Blue Angels at the same convention. This award goes to the air show the Blue Angels team believes best executed their event by covering all the mandatory logistical requirements. The award was presented to Air Show Director Ben Canetti but goes to the entire City of Buffalo community for providing exceptional hospitality and a beautiful scenic waterfront location. The Blue Angels performed at 30 air shows in 2021 and the Blue Angels team believes this is the first time the award was given to an inaugural show.



Ben Canetti, Air Show Director said, “This award was a complete surprise and a testament to not only my team but also to the organizations that partnered with us at the last minute to pull off an amazing and successful show. All of Western New York should be proud that we once again showcased our great community with this one-of-a-kind event.”

The beloved Thunder of Niagara, one of the largest air shows in the country, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the hard work of air show staff, Buffalo Waterfront Management Group and ECHDC, the air show successfully transitioned to a civilian event, reinventing itself as the Thunder on the Buffalo Waterfront on Buffalo’s Outer Harbor. The event, held on June 19 and 20, was attended by more than 11,000 air show enthusiasts and newfound fans who were mesmerized by the spectacular first ever air show on Buffalo’s waterfront. 

The show featured the celebrated Blue Angels, six jets swooping and screeching together and separately in circular aerial patterns (see photos here). The Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Teams, the United States Canadian CF-18 Hornet Demo Team, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt (Warthog), World Aerobatic Champion Rob Holland, as well as many other world-class civilian performers were also part of the stellar lineup.  

“Buffalo should be very proud of putting on a spectacular air show, even when facing the obstacle of an unprecedented location change during a pandemic,” said John Cudahy, President and CEO of the International Council of Air Shows. “I’ve been in this job for nearly a quarter century and I’ve never seen anything like what Buffalo was able to pull off; it’s a testament to every person who played a part in the waterfront event.”

Kevin Parkinson, Buffalo Waterfront Management Group Vice President of Operations and Finance said, “We are honored to receive the ICAS Pinnacle Award and the Blue Angels 2021 Civilian Air Show of the Year. We were thrilled to be able to bring the Thunder on the Buffalo Waterfront to the Outer Harbor.  Thank you to the pilots, staff, and volunteers that worked tirelessly to make this event a reality, especially during a difficult time for the event industry.”

Learn more about ICAS here.

Find all the latest updates on the Buffalo Waterfront at www.buffalowaterfront.com.

About Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation

A nine-member board consisting of seven voting directors and two non-voting, ex-officio directors governs the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. The seven voting directors are recommended by the New York state governor and are appointed by the New York State Urban Development Corporation d/b/a Empire State Development as sole shareholder of ECHDC. The Erie County executive and the City of Buffalo mayor hold the two non-voting, ex-officio director positions. For more information on ECHDC, visit https://esd.ny.gov/erie-canal-harbor-development-corporation-0.

Contact:

Pamm Lent (Governor’s Office) │ [email protected] │(716) 560-8815

Laura Magee (ECHDC) │ [email protected] │ (716) 846-8239