ARLINGTON – The 51st Annual Arlington Fly-In won’t be landing until August this year.

The event won’t be until Aug. 16-18.

A main reason for the change was having it so close to the city’s huge Old-Fashioned Fourth of July celebration and Street Fair put a lot of pressure on city staff and suppliers for both events.

“We don’t have to have everything in Arlington the same week,” Mayor Barb Tolbert said Wednesday.

Tolbert, who has volunteered with the Fly-In since 1988, said having the events so closer together was hard on food truck, tent and portable bathrooms suppliers.

Another consideration was the growing interest in night-time events at the Fly-In. The movies in July have always started a little late for kids. But now the drone light show and hot air balloon glows are among the most-popular events at the Fly-In. It will be better for families because it will be darker earlier.

“It will be nice not having it during the week of the longest daylight of the year,” Tolbert said. “It’s more family friendly, shortening it up by an hour.”

The Fly-In board did a lot of research before deciding on a date.

“We found that little window in the middle of August when there are no other air shows in our region,” Tolbert said.

So not only will their acrobatic pilots be back, but so will the warbirds, Paul Allen collection and military camp, along with major suppliers.

Tolbert said they had hoped on Labor Day weekend, until they found out about a major air show in Boise.

“We didn’t want them to have to choose one or the other,” she said.

Another consideration was the hot air balloon pilots, who have a circuit they like to follow. This year the balloon glow will feature three special entries – a butterfly, cartoon alarm clock and speedy bird. And you can’t beat the $20 a carload price.