For a few hours this September, young people will be able to get closer to aviation than watching airplanes pass overhead.
The San Luis Obispo County Department of Airports is bringing Girls in Aviation Day back to Oceano Airport for a second year on Sept. 19, giving children and teens a chance to climb up close to aircraft, meet pilots and first responders, and learn about careers that keep the aviation industry in the air.
The free event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to the community, with hands-on activities geared toward youth ages 3 and older.
“We had a great response to last year’s inaugural event,” county Department of Airports Public Information Specialist Joe Goble told New Times in an email interview. “It was exciting to see the curiosity from so many young people as they explored the aircraft, asked questions, and got a firsthand look at the world of aviation.”
The local event is part of Girls in Aviation Day, a global initiative organized by Women in Aviation International to introduce young people to aviation and aerospace and the range of jobs available in industries where women have historically been underrepresented.
At the Oceano Airport, that introduction is intended to be tangible. Elementary, middle, and high school students can explore aircraft up close and talk directly with people working in aviation, from pilots to first responders and other industry professionals.
“Those moments of curiosity can spark an interest in aviation and help young people begin to see themselves as part of the industry someday,” Goble said.
And for some local students, that curiosity now has somewhere to go after the event ends.
Through a partnership between the county and Lucia Mar Unified School District, Arroyo Grande High School has launched an Aviation Career and Technical Education pathway that allows students to explore aviation and aerospace through hands-on learning and industry-focused coursework.
The program uses the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Foundation’s “You Can Fly” high school curriculum, exposing students to fields that extend beyond the cockpit, including aircraft maintenance, air traffic control, and aerospace engineering.
County Airports Director Courtney Johnson said events like Girls in Aviation Day can help young people make the connection between seeing an airplane and imagining themselves building a career around one.
“Giving youth the chance to see aircraft up close, meet aviation professionals, and explore the many careers that make flight possible can turn curiosity into a future career,” Johnson said. “We’re proud to continue creating those connections right here in our community.”
Girls in Aviation Day takes place at the Oceano Airport, 561 Air Park Drive in Oceano. Admission is free. Learn more at oceanoairport.com/events.
Fast facts
• Travel Paso is looking for local organizations with big ideas for Paso Robles’ 2027 event calendar. Applications are now open for its Community Event Grants, which provide funding and marketing support for cultural, recreational, and community events that draw visitors and locals together. Last year, Travel Paso supported 22 organizations with marketing assistance and awarded more than $80,000 in grants to 15 groups. Recipients ranged from the Paderewski Festival and Studios on the Park to the Paso Robles Distillery Trail and Estrella Warbirds Museum. Applications for events taking place in 2027 are due Oct 16. For more information and to apply, go to travelpaso.com/community-event-grant.
• For singles tired of swiping, Found Matchmaking is bringing face-to-face dating back to San Luis Obispo with a laid-back speed-dating night at Humdinger Brewing in SLO on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. Designed for singles ages 40 to 55, the event pairs participants for a series of five-minute conversations with attendees marking down who they’d like to see again. If the interest is mutual, Found Matchmaking exchanges contact information after the event, leaving the rest up to the matches. More information available at foundmatchmaking.com/event-list. ∆
Reach Staff Writer Chloë Hodge at chodge@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Sept 17-24, 2026.
