Every year, Paine Field throws open its gates to families, aviation buffs, and curious Everett neighbors who want to get closer to the aircraft that define this community — and on Saturday, June 6, 2026, the third annual Paine Field Community Day does exactly that. From 9 AM to 5 PM, the Snohomish County airport hosts a free, youth-focused aviation day featuring military jets, hydrogen-electric technology, Young Eagles flights for kids, and the kind of tarmac access most airports charge a premium for.
For a community whose economy is inextricably linked to Boeing, Paine Field, and the 42,000 aerospace workers who call Snohomish County home, Community Day is more than an air show. It is an annual reminder of what is actually being built in the industrial corridors north of Everett — and a rare chance to bring kids, neighbors, and newcomers into direct contact with the machines and the people who make them.
What to Expect on June 6
Paine Field Community Day 2026 runs 9 AM to 5 PM at Paine Field Airport, 3220 100th Street SW, Everett. Admission is free. There is no on-site parking — free parking is available at 9902 24th Place West, Everett, WA 98204, with continuous shuttle service to the event throughout the day.
The event draws attendees from across Snohomish County and beyond, offering a program that blends aerospace education, aircraft displays, and community connection in a setting most people never otherwise get to access — the working ramp of one of the most aviation-dense airports in the United States.
Featured Aircraft: A Navy Growler, a Hydrogen HyperTruck, and Historic Warbirds
The 2026 event lineup includes some of the most technically interesting aircraft on the Pacific Northwest aviation circuit:
- U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island — the electronic warfare version of the F/A-18 Super Hornet that defines Puget Sound skies. Getting up close to a Growler on the ramp, without the roar of an airshow flyby, is a different experience entirely.
- ZeroAvia HyperTruck — a mobile ground testing platform used to develop systems for ZeroAvia’s 40-80 seat hydrogen-electric powertrains. ZeroAvia operates a 136,000-square-foot Propulsion Center of Excellence at Paine Field, marking its two-year anniversary at the site in April 2026. The HyperTruck is one of the clearest windows into what Paine Field’s aviation future might look like beyond the Boeing era.
- Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum aircraft — the Paul Allen-founded collection in Everett brings meticulously restored World War II aircraft to Community Day each year, offering a counterweight to the cutting-edge technology on display elsewhere on the ramp.
- Flight school and training aircraft — Paine Field hosts multiple fixed-base operators and flight schools, and Community Day gives prospective pilots a chance to sit in cockpits and talk to instructors without an enrollment pitch attached.
Young Eagles: Free Flights for Kids Aged 8-17
The single most popular element of Paine Field Community Day is the Young Eagles program, run by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). On June 6, approximately 30 volunteer pilots and planes will fly an estimated 300 youth — ages 8 to 17 — on free introductory flights from Paine Field.
Young Eagles registrations are expected to open soon through the Paine Field website at painefield.com. Slots fill quickly. If you have a child in the target age range and even a passing interest in aviation, register as soon as registration opens — the Young Eagles program has a documented record of sparking aerospace careers, and Snohomish County needs the next generation of that pipeline to show up.
That workforce context matters. The Aerospace Futures Alliance has documented a projected shortage of more than 5,200 aerospace workers in Snohomish County through the end of 2026, concentrated in CNC operators, composites technicians, and quality inspectors. A free flight over Paine Field at age eleven is not a hiring solution — but it is where aerospace careers begin.
The Paine Field Setting: Why This Airport Is Worth Understanding
Paine Field is not a typical general-aviation airport. It is the home of the Boeing Everett Factory — the largest building by volume in the world — and the primary assembly site for the 767, 777, and 777X widebody jets. The North Line, Boeing’s new fourth 737 MAX assembly facility, is scheduled to open this summer at the same Everett campus, adding capacity for production rates above 47 aircraft per month. Alaska Airlines’ new nonstop to Portland launches from the commercial terminal on June 10 — four days after Community Day — as part of a network that now spans nine destinations.
The Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Center, located at the Paine Field entrance, now operates seven days a week with updated exhibits including Wisk autonomous air taxi displays and a space exploration wing. Community Day visitors who want to extend the experience can book a factory tour before or after the event through the Future of Flight website.
Aviation Technical Services (ATS), Everett’s second-largest aerospace employer with roughly 800 workers operating a 500,000-square-foot maintenance facility at the south end of Paine Field, operates quietly behind the headlines Boeing dominates. ATS is the largest MRO facility on the U.S. West Coast and serves the same airframes Boeing builds — widebodies cycling through maintenance checks between deliveries. Community Day is one of the few times the full breadth of what happens at Paine Field becomes visible in one place.
Who Should Go
Paine Field Community Day draws a wide crowd, but a few groups in particular should mark June 6 on the calendar:
- Families with kids aged 8-17 — Young Eagles flights are the flagship offering and registration fills fast. Get in line when it opens.
- Boeing and aerospace workers — Community Day shows the broader ecosystem at Paine Field. Most line workers at the factory have never stood next to a Navy Growler or a ZeroAvia HyperTruck. The event is a reminder that this airport is more than one factory, even a factory the size of 98 football fields.
- New Everett residents — if you moved to Snohomish County recently and want to understand what the regional economy is actually built on, there is no better two-hour introduction than walking the Paine Field ramp on Community Day.
- Prospective aerospace students — local colleges including Everett Community College and Edmonds College have aviation programs, and training pipeline representatives will be on the ground. The event functions as an informal open house for Snohomish County’s aerospace education ecosystem.
How to Get There
Plan ahead on transportation: no on-site parking is available. Free parking with continuous shuttle service operates from 9902 24th Place West, Everett, WA 98204. Build in extra time for shuttle waits at opening (9 AM) and closing (5 PM). The shuttle drops off at the Paine Field main entrance. Bring water and sunscreen — June in Snohomish County is mild but the ramp is open and exposed.
For the most current event details including Young Eagles registration, confirmed aircraft, and any schedule updates, check painefield.com/198/Paine-Field-Community-Day directly. The event page is updated regularly in the weeks leading up to June 6.
The Bigger Picture
Paine Field Community Day exists because an airport at the center of a regional economy has an obligation to be more than a fence line people drive past on their way to work. The Snohomish County aerospace ecosystem — Boeing, ATS, ZeroAvia, the flight schools, the repair stations, the FBOs — generates tens of thousands of jobs, billions in annual economic output, and a supply chain that stretches across the Pacific Northwest. Community Day is the one afternoon a year when all of that comes down to earth, literally, and invites the neighborhood to walk up and touch it.
The event is free. The flights are free. The parking and shuttle are free. The Alaska Airlines Portland nonstop launch four days later means this first week of June is shaping up as a genuinely significant moment for Paine Field’s community profile. Two events in four days that together tell a story about what kind of airport Paine Field is becoming: not just a Boeing factory annex, but a real regional aviation hub with a community identity of its own.
Bring the kids. Register for Young Eagles early. And take a moment on the ramp to look up — because on June 6, the aircraft that build Everett’s economy will be close enough to touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Paine Field Community Day 2026?
Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 9 AM to 5 PM at Paine Field Airport, 3220 100th Street SW, Everett, Washington.
How much does Paine Field Community Day cost?
The event is completely free, including parking and shuttle service from the off-site lot at 9902 24th Place West, Everett.
Can my child get a free flight at Community Day?
Yes — the EAA Young Eagles program offers free introductory flights to youth aged 8 to 17. Registration is required and opens in advance at painefield.com. Approximately 300 flights are offered with around 30 volunteer pilot planes. Slots fill quickly.
What aircraft will be on display at the 2026 event?
The confirmed 2026 lineup includes a U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, the ZeroAvia HyperTruck hydrogen-electric ground test platform, and aircraft from the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum, among others.
Is there parking at Paine Field Community Day?
There is no on-site parking. Free parking is available at 9902 24th Place West, Everett, WA 98204, with a continuous free shuttle to the event throughout the day.
What is ZeroAvia and why is it at Paine Field?
ZeroAvia is a hydrogen-electric aviation company that opened a 136,000-square-foot Propulsion Center of Excellence at Paine Field in April 2024. The company is developing zero-emission powertrains for 40-80 seat regional aircraft targeting a 300-mile range by end of 2026. Its HyperTruck mobile ground test platform will be on display at Community Day 2026.
Can I tour the Boeing factory on Community Day?
Community Day does not include a Boeing factory tour, but the Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Center operates standard tours seven days a week. You can book a factory tour separately before or after the Community Day event. The Future of Flight is at the main Paine Field entrance.
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