Frequently Asked Questions

Core Event FAQs

  • Aire Craft Festival is a four-day outdoor festival in Issaquah, Washington celebrating free flight, street arts, and outdoor culture. The event features live performances, circus arts, interactive experiences, and a signature Sky Parade costume contest of costumed paragliders flying from Tiger Mountain into downtown Issaquah.

  • The inaugural Aire Craft Festival takes place August 13–16, 2026, with programming scheduled across four days from Thursday through Sunday.

  • The Aire Craft Festival is held in Issaquah, Washington, centered around the Issaquah Community Center and the nearby Rainier Trail.

  • Yes, entrance is free! However some activities require a low barrier ticket fee and we will be asking for donations to help keep the festival accessible to everyone. Many Aire Craft Festival activities, including outdoor performances and community experiences, are designed to be accessible to the public. Additional details about ticketed events or premium experiences will be announced closer to the festival date.

Know Before You Go

  • Issaquah is located just east of Seattle and is accessible by car via I-90. Keep an eye out for local transportation options, parking details, and potential shuttle services as the event approaches.

  • Parking information for the Aire Craft Festival will be provided closer to the event date, including public parking areas and recommended transportation options in downtown Issaquah.

  • Visitors are encouraged to bring comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, and a sense of adventure. Since many events take place outdoors, we also recommend sun protection and reusable water bottles. We will have food and drink available on site, with a multitude of restaurants along Front Street, just a couple blocks away.

Experience & Activities FAQs

  • Festivalgoers can enjoy live street performances, circus arts, family-friendly art activities, outdoor film screenings, workshops, and interactive experiences. The highlight of the festival is the Sky Parade community costume contest, featuring costumed paragliders flying into the city from Tiger Mountain.

  • The Sky Parade is a signature event where skilled paragliders launch from Poo Poo Point on Tiger Mountain wearing creative costumes and glide into downtown Issaquah for a paragliding costume contest, combining aviation with performance art.

  • Absolutely! Aire Craft Festival offers a variety of family-friendly activities, including art workshops, performances, and interactive experiences suitable for all ages.

  • Yes, live performances take place throughout the festival at the Issaquah Community center plus along Rainier Trail and other outdoor spaces, featuring street theater, circus arts, music, and headline flying trapeze shows.

Organization & Background FAQs

  • Aire Craft Festival is co-produced by Culture Tug and Clown Garage, in partnership with Visit Issaquah, Northwest Paragliding, and the City of Issaquah.

  • Culture Tug is an Issaquah-based street theater and arts organization focused on transforming public spaces through live performance. The group aims to make arts more accessible by bringing theater outdoors and engaging communities through creative placemaking. Culture is supported by 4 Culture through the Launch Grant.

  • Aire Craft Festival is the first event of its kind in North America to combine free-flight aviation, street arts, and outdoor culture into a single immersive experience, inspired by European festivals like Coupe Icare and Festival Des Rias