Warbirds Over Scone named Best Regional Event in Australia

The Warbirds Over Scone airshow has been crowned Best Regional Event at the 2026 Australian Event Awards. The event, held at Scone Airport in the Upper Hunter region, drew more than 20,000 attendees in March, a figure more than triple the town's population of approximately 6,000.

Organisers reported that nearly three-quarters of visitors travelled from outside the region, including participants from every Australian state and territory as well as international guests. The airshow, which features rare historic aircraft, is credited with delivering millions of dollars in economic benefits to the Upper Hunter area.

Founder Paul Bennet stated that the award recognizes the collective efforts of the team, volunteers, local businesses, and the community. The event was selected as a winner from a finalist field that included major festivals such as Vivid Sydney, Canberra's Floriade, and Melbourne's Moomba Festival.