EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Offers a Buffet of Activities for Chapters

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 was once again a tremendous success, thanks in large part to the people, mentorship, volunteerism, and chapter community spirit that have defined EAA since its earliest days. For more than 70 years, EAA chapters, now nearly 900 strong, have provided aviation fellowship in communities across the country year-round. That same spirit of fellowship was on full display at AirVenture through numerous social, educational, and leadership opportunities for chapter members. If you're an EAA chapter member who has not yet experienced AirVenture, it truly belongs on your aviation bucket list.

In addition to our long-standing chapter traditions at AirVenture, opportunities for chapters to participate as groups continue to grow. Today, chapters can engage in four primary areas: the EAA Camp Scholler Chapters Pavilion, EAA Chapter Group Camping in Camp Scholler, the EAA Chapters Blue Barn, and the new EAA South 40 Breakfast Café. Let's take a closer look at these opportunities, along with several other chapter activities that make AirVenture such a rewarding chapter experience.

EAA Camp Scholler Chapters Pavilion

The Chapters Pavilion is a green space oasis in Camp Scholler and serves as one of the most popular gathering places for chapter members during AirVenture.

Beginning on the Saturday before AirVenture and continuing through the final Saturday of the convention, EAA chapters host daily pancake breakfasts that are open to everyone. Featuring pancakes, sausage, eggs, and more at a great value, these breakfasts provide an important fundraising opportunity. Participating chapters take home the proceeds, this year over $49,000 in total helping support chapter operations, educational programs, youth outreach initiatives, and community aviation events long after AirVenture concludes.

Beyond breakfast, chapters use the pavilion throughout the week to host lunches, dinners, and social gatherings that strengthen camaraderie and make AirVenture a true chapter experience. A special thank-you and congratulations go to every chapter that hosted a pancake breakfast or organized an event at the pavilion this year.

EAA Chapter Group Camping

Camping in Camp Scholler remains one of the best ways to experience EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, and it is even better when shared with your closest aviation friends.

The EAA Chapter Group Camping program helps chapter members secure shared camping locations, creating opportunities to strengthen relationships and continue the chapter experience beyond regular meetings. For many participants, camping together has become an annual tradition.

Group camping allows members to share meals, stories, and aviation experiences while building lasting friendships. A walk through Camp Scholler during AirVenture reveals the true spirit of EAA, with chapter banners, state flags, and evening campsite gatherings celebrating a shared passion for flight. Great stories and lasting memories are always part of the experience, so be sure to consider participating in chapter group camping in 2027.

The Blue Barn

The centerpiece of chapter activity during AirVenture 2026 was the Blue Barn, which serves as the primary gathering place inside the grounds for chapter leaders, volunteers, and members throughout the week.

The Blue Barn offers daily forums, chapter resources, networking opportunities, and access to expert guidance, including consultations with aviation-focused tax attorney and AirVenture volunteer Patti Arthur. Designed as a one-stop destination for chapter officers and members, the Blue Barn provides an opportunity to learn new ideas, share best practices, and discover tools that strengthen chapters back home.

Education remains a key focus of EAA's Chapters Office. Daily forums explored topics critical to chapter success, including leadership development, membership engagement, youth programs, scholarship initiatives, and volunteer recruitment. These discussions reflected many of the common characteristics found among highly successful chapters. The Blue Barn provides a unique environment where chapter leaders can exchange ideas face-to-face and return home inspired to implement new initiatives in their communities.

No discussion of the Blue Barn would be complete without mentioning the fun and friendly chaos surrounding EAA World's Fastest Cleco Contest. Be sure to stop by in 2027 and see if you have what it takes to challenge the reigning champions, and consider picking up a copy of the instructions to build a Cleco contest of your own.

A special thank-you goes to our Blue Barn volunteers, whose dedication makes the facility such a valuable resource for chapter members. I would also like to extend my appreciation to Blue Barn Chairman Ted Kirkpatrick, EAA 142682, and Mark Kolesar, EAA Lifetime 294238, for their outstanding leadership and management of this important chapter hub.

EAA South 40 Breakfast Café

New for AirVenture 2026 was the EAA South 40 Breakfast Café.

Improving services and infrastructure in the South 40 aircraft camping area was a key takeaway from 2025, and the new breakfast café successfully created another fundraising opportunity for an EAA chapter. EAA Chapter 944 of Chillicothe, Missouri, stepped forward to host the operation Monday through Friday, serving nearly 1,300 breakfasts throughout the week to South 40 campers.

Already planning for 2027? Good news: The South 40 Breakfast Café will be back!

Recognizing Outstanding Volunteers

Recognition and appreciation remain central themes at AirVenture, and honoring outstanding chapter volunteers is always a highlight of the week.

The annual Chapter Leaders Breakfast and Awards Ceremony provides an opportunity to recognize exceptional volunteers and celebrate chapters that exemplify the best of EAA. These awards honor individuals whose dedication and service make a lasting impact on their chapters and communities, reflecting the volunteer-driven culture that has defined EAA chapters since the organization's earliest years.

To see the complete list of award recipients, refer to the August 2026 edition of EAA ChapterGram for the article titled 2026 EAA Chapter and Young Eagles Volunteer Award Winners.

The Heartbeat of EAA

Perhaps most importantly, AirVenture 2026 reinforced the idea that EAA chapters are far more than hobby clubs. They are communities of builders, pilots, restorers, educators, mentors, and dreamers.

While attendees came to Oshkosh to experience world-class aircraft and air shows, many left inspired by conversations in the Blue Barn, chapter campsites, and pavilion gatherings. That spirit of connection has long been a hallmark of chapter life, where the stories often focus less on airplanes and more on the people whose dedication keeps recreational aviation vibrant.

In addition to the major activities highlighted above, chapter members participated in numerous other events throughout AirVenture. Volunteer appreciation corn roasts at the Chapters Pavilion celebrated the efforts of chapter officers, leaders, and program mentors. The EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship Corn Roast brought together scholarship recipients and coordinators to share their experiences and celebrate the freedom of flight in a relaxed summer picnic setting.

As AirVenture 2026 celebrated aviation in all its forms, EAA chapters demonstrated another enduring truth: aviation's future is built locally, one chapter at a time. Through education, mentorship, volunteerism, and friendship, EAA chapters continue to serve as the heartbeat of the association, ensuring that the values that inspired EAA more than seven decades ago remain strong for generations to come. We here in the EAA Chapters Office hope your EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 was a great one, and we hope to see you back in 2027.