Estrella Warbirds Museum honors veterans with Salute to Our Heroes weekend

By Camille DeVaul · Fri Nov 14 2025

Tribute supported the museum’s mission and operations

PASO ROBLES — The Estrella Warbirds Museum rolled out the red carpet for military members, first responders, and their families during its annual Salute to Our Heroes tribute weekend, a celebration filled with music, cars, history, and family-friendly activities. Formerly held in May, this year’s festivities began on Friday, Nov. 7, with a dinner dance featuring local favorite Unfinished Business, followed by a full day of events on Saturday, Nov. 8.

The weekend opened with an evening in the museum’s newly renovated Hangar 1, where guests enjoyed a tri-tip and chicken dinner listening to Unfinished Business’ covers of rock ’n’ roll classics spanning the ’50s through the ’80s.

Saturday’s main event offered a tribute to veterans and first responders through an array of experiences. Attendees enjoyed a Show ‘n Shine car show, historic military vehicles, and watched reenactments and paratrooper drops throughout the day. A kid zone provided hands-on activities, such as model-building make-and-take projects, while local food vendors, beer, and wine kept everyone fueled.

"We had to compete with so many other different car show events around," explained Estrella Warbirds Museum Vice President John Couch. "We decided to move it to another time ... to do something more along the lines of the mission of our museum so that we could honor veterans right before Veterans Day. So it's a perfect mix."

One of the weekend’s highlights was the parachute team, featuring jump-qualified military veterans who continued their craft post-service.

"They're all military jump qualified. Some of them have hundreds or maybe even thousands of jumps," said Couch. "They were trained in the military in an airboard unit, and then they continue on after they've gotten out. It's their own organization, and they travel around different places and do the jumps. We just have to provide the aircraft."

In addition, organizations like the Association of the United States Army and Veterans Affairs set up informational booths.

"We have such a good participation from the different first responders and military organizations ... it's really cool to see all that kind of representation out there," Couch shared.

Couch emphasized that all funds raised from the weekend directly supported the museum’s operations.

"This event today is raising funds solely for Warbirds [Museum] for operations," he explained. "It keeps the lights on and doors open because we have a lot of different accounts for certain things, restoration, facilities, all that kind of stuff, but the operation side of things, it pays salaries of several people, and it pays all utilities, insurance, everything that goes along with that."

Restoration projects and facility improvements are typically funded through separate sponsorships, but the Salute to Our Heroes weekend was essential for keeping the doors open and lights on.

Couch added that the Estrella Warbirds Museum is looking forward to continuing the event in future years, likely keeping the November date.

For more information on the Estrella Warbirds Museum, visit ewarbirds.org

Feature Image: Attendees to the Salute to our Heroes event pose with veterans and one of the planes on Nov. 8 at the Estrella Warbirds Museum. Photo by Rick Evans/PRP