About Us
Our Fourth Annual
Founder, Ryan Trowbridge, started a concert production company with his father, Rod Trowbridge, in 2000. During their six year run with the business one of the feathers in their cap included the Wheatland Music Festival, including popular rock music acts REO Speedwagon, Boston and Poison as main attractions. Little did Ryan know at the time that 20 years later, he would be producing a memorial event FOR his father as well.
Unfortunately, when life throws some not-so-chosen episodes into the mix, we step up to the challenge and do what we do best for some of the best reasons that exist. In the case of Ryan, the unexpected passing of his father took place during a pandemic when all were on quarantine lockdown and unable to gather for his father's funeral. As the regulations lifted on public gatherings, Ryan chose to convert the inability to gather for a funeral, into an opportunity for the masses to gather in memorial, and celebrate his father's life in a way more suitable to the life he had lived.
For the first annual Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Airfield Fly-in, many of the masses joined in the festivities from both the local Wichita area as well as from afar. As a pilot, Rod Trowbridge enjoyed many hours in the air, and many hours on the ground bonding with his fellow pilots from around the country. In a true celebration of the life of Rod Trowbridge, friends, family, pilots that Rod has known, and pilots that he didn't are all invited to join in the camaraderie of our annual event.
"We truly hope we can capture the spirit of life my Dad always had to offer," says event founder, Ryan. "Our event is based on the loves of life my Dad had for himself and for his family. We are hoping we can create great memories for others and their loved ones just like my Dad used to share with me. We would often be sitting outside on the deck overlooking beautiful scenery. Whether it was the family farm in Arkansas or his summer home on the lake in Minnesota, he'd be taking a drink of his bourbon, smacking his lips saying "oooooh Ryan it just doesn't get any better than this."
Welcome to the Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Airfield Fly-In, and we hope you will feel the same!
Our Mission:
It's our mission to produce a fun, quality, destination-based community event to honor the lives lost over the past year, with many suffering losses due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Our Goal:
Our goal is to create an event with food, music and games for the families of our community to gather around and enjoy.
"It doesn't Get Any Better Than This!"
Our Event:
Packed with a full day of great events, prizes and sponsorship entact, we welcome you to register for any and all of the events taking place:
Airplane poker run.
Top prize Costa Rica trip for 4.
Sponsored by Crosswinds Aviation
Motorcycle poker run
top prize a trip for 4 to Costa Rica.
Stops at Madrocks sports bar, Buster's sports bar, the Derby VFW, the Haysville VFW.
$40 entire
$20 for an additional hand (rider).
Includes a barbecue meal at the event.
Additional prizes Sponsored by Smith chiropractic.
Cornhole tournament.
2 divisions: pro and redneck.
Pro Top prize: Costa Rica trip.
Redneck Prizes for 1st thru 4th on both divisions
Sponsored by Freedom counseling.
BACKYARD BBQ competition.
Sponsored by Lee Noel insurance agency.
Sanctioned by KANSAS CITY BARBECUE SOCIETY
Car show
Sponsored by Razz Macarty
For those wishing to participate in activities listed, please register for your entry.
Our Inspiration:
It's our most sincere hope for this event to create something for friends and family, young and old, as an attraction for our entire region, with our invite to join us and participate, every year.
In the words of the founder, "Everything taking place at this event is on the list of things my Dad (Rod Trowbridge) loved.
He could cook-up anything and fix everything. His passion for flight, his love of music, his obsession of making the perfect meal, and living for himself the magic feeling a person gets when they ride their motorcycle is just the beginning of life that my Dad loved. And we are just scratching the surface!"
Our Memorial:
ABOUT
Rod Trowbridge
He was friends with so many people," says Ryan Trowbridge, "and a part of so many different groups and organizations, that as we work towards building this amazing memorial event, during all of our preparations and meetings for this event, my father's legacy continues to grow! People are starting to call him 'The Godfather' LOL."
