HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — It’s been an iconic display of patriotism and American military might every two years, but the Warriors Over the Wasatch air show is hitting the pause button in 2026, just two months before it was scheduled to take off.
Air Force officials made the decision after what they said was a thorough review of “Operational Commitments.”
And while the news is disappointing to the hundreds of thousands of folks who attend every two years, it’s also an economic blow for those in the local business community. It's an especially big hit for small business owners like Leilani Bugtong.
Bugtong said she got the news Tuesday afternoon.
“We were kind of bummed because we were expecting, you know, it was gonna be our big break," she said.
For nearly a decade, Bugtong has operated Dakine Grindz restaurant and food truck.
Bugtong said she and other locals were going to be a key part of the latest edition of Warriors Over the Wasatch.
Kevin Ireland, the executive director of the Utah Air Show Foundation, said that was the goal.
“Yeah, a lot of local businesses had been involved. In fact, they were going to help this year with a lot of the food services we were doing," Ireland said.
Leilani Bugtong said she was ready to roll.
“Our food truck was going to be at the airshow — inside the base at the air show. So that was kind of a big deal because they had never done food trucks before and this time our food truck got picked," she said.
That meant she and the other food truck operators were guaranteed a steady stream of hungry and thirsty paying customers.
Not only are those potential profits now on hold, Bugtbut ong said she also canceled several June catering jobs to make sure she and her truck were available.
“Yes, double whammy! I had a double whammy, but you know what, it’s all good. We can’t do anything. There’s nothing we can do," she said.
But Ireland said those involved are very aware of who and what the main priorities are.
“As everyone who lives in the area knows, the mission comes first for the Air Force, and we have to support that, first and foremost," he said.
But Bugtong said the impact on the local economy can be a very close second.
“It sucks, but there’s nothing we can do. It is what it is," she said.
