MOUNT VERNON — The Outland Airport in Mount Vernon will be the site of three days of exciting aviation events starting Friday and concluding Sunday when over 70 unique aircraft start the race of more than 400 nautical miles.

The race destination is Wausau Downtown Airport in Wausau, Wis.

All activities are weather dependent. Saturday, July 18, AirVenture Cup Race participants, in partnership with Mount Vernon Outland Airport, will host an airport open house from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and EAA Young Eagles Event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., where kids between the ages of 8 and 17 can experience aviation first hand through free airplane rides.

Over two hundred youth are expected to participate. The air race begins at 9 a.m. on July 19, when more than 70 aircraft are expected to travel the course of 409 nautical miles from Mt. Vernon Outland Airport to Wausau Downtown Airport.

The race helps kick off the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in and convention. Participation in any of the events is free, and spectators are asked to bring items to donate to Lifeboat Alliance Homeless Shelter.

Items needed include trash bags, paper towels, paper plates, copy paper, and coffee, sugar and creamer. Collection bins will be located throughout the airport or donations can be made directly to Lifeboat Alliance. Additional press releases, logo files, and photos are available for media use on the Media page at airventurecuprace.com.