Worth staying for the seventh and final day of Airventure?

[Kazoo]

How is the last day of Airventure? Still pretty busy or are planes and vendors thinning out due to an early departure? I am able to attend the whole week but have simply left it at that I'm paying the week rate and committing to Monday through Saturday. What I wouldn't want to do is stay for Sunday and find out that it's substantially smaller or less exciting. Last year I could only attend Monday through Thursday, and in '03 / '04 I was too young to remember details like that, so...please chime in!

On a similar note, is it worth attending the day before it officially starts? I'm thinking about heading up to Oshkosh on Sunday morning and volunteering for the day, cameras in tow of course!

[Roger Janssens]

What I wouldn't want to do is stay for Sunday and find out that it's substantially smaller or less exciting.

I'm afraid that is what you will find.
Arrival Sunday is much more interesting, though only if you are interested in active aeroplanes and not so much in all the paraphernalia of a major airshow.

[JimRice85]

Sunday, the day prior is great for simply watching airplanes of all types arrive. I was on the flight line end of a row in the Cub parking and it was great to sit under my wing, talk with lots of folks and watch hundreds of planes land on 36L/R.

[Joe Delene]

I agree, I'd rather do Sunday the 28th.

[GeorgeP]

Unless you have a pressing need to be elsewhere, I'd stay for the last Sunday. I presume the reverse of what happens on the previous Sunday (28th Aug) would happen at the conclusion of the event. Besides, why go home early when too much Oshkosh is never enough? :D ;)

[PaulDow]

Closing Sunday can be a good day to do some of the things around the grounds with smaller crowds, such as taking a helicopter or Tri-Motor ride. The museum is less crowded. If you're planning on buying something, vendors they may be more willing to negotiate than lugging the items back. (Cases of Aircraft Spruce catalogs are often available for free!) T-Shirts printed with "2013" are 1/2 price, but selection is usually limited.

[BeagleOne]

I believe the vendors are required to stay until the show closes Sunday afternoon. It's kind of poignant watching things wind up, but fun to watch the departures. I'm one of those sitting along the flight line with my air band radio watching planes leave and starting the countdown to next year.

[Bill Berson]

If you buy a week pass does that cover just 7 days or can you get in 8 or more days?

[CarlOrton]

Hi Bill; The week pass is good for 8 days right off the bat. The Sunday before thru the ending Sunday. I don't know about getting in after that time. I would imagine they wouldn't want folks milling around too much afterwards because the vendors will be breaking down their displays, along with the accompanying trucks etc. Sometimes we arrive early on the Saturday before. The gates are manned, and unless you have a volunteer letter in hand or are the owner of an airplane on the field, you won't get in.