Aviation enthusiasts in Prairie du Chien and the surrounding area have plenty to get excited about this summer.

In August, the Prairie du Chien Municipal Airport plans to host the Young Eagles Fly Free Event and Wings of Prairie, but before that, the city will be a stop on this year's Air Race Classic (ARC), a four-day, women's cross-country competition that takes place every June.

This year's event is the 49th Classic and marks the 97th anniversary of the first Women's Air Derby in 1929.

The race is open to women between the ages of 17 and "90+," according to their website. Racers enter the ARC with different levels of experience; some are students, while others are teachers, professional pilots or hobbyists. According to the race website, there are 46 teams competing in three classes at this year's event.

"Just as the original participants of the 1929 Women's Air Derby represented some of the best women aviators of their day, the lady racers who participate now embody some of the finest female aviators alive today," wrote ARC President Donna Harris.

The race will take place from Tuesday, June 23, to Friday, June 26, covering approximately 2,400 statute miles with nine timing points. Once the first plane leaves the start point, all racers have four days to complete the race and arrive at the terminus location.

Each year, the race goes across the country to different airports. In the past, stops have included Spokane, Wash., Fairhope, Ala., and everywhere in between. Prairie du Chien is an en route stop this year, meaning it will serve as a spot for refueling, overnight stays and checkpoints for contestants.

The route for this year's race was announced on July 29, 2025. Participants will begin at St. Louis Regional Airport in East Alton, Ill., and will visit Capital City Airport in Frankfort, Ky.; Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport in Spartanburg, S.C.; Douglas Municipal Airport in Douglas, Ga.; Pryor Field Regional Airport in Tanner, Ala.; McComb-Pike County Airport in McComb, Miss.; Russellville Regional Airport in Russellville, Ark.; Rosecrans Memorial Airport in St. Joseph, Mo.; and Prairie du Chien. The race terminates at Mt. Vernon Outland Airport in Mt. Vernon, Ill. 

Airports participating in the Classic have to meet criteria for their runway, taxiway and ramp configuration as well as the availability of hotels and other amenities to qualify, according to the event's website.

Prairie du Chien is listed as the eighth and penultimate stop on the route.

According to PdC Airport Manager Todd Berry, the Air Race Classic had previously considered Prairie du Chien as a stop; however, the arrangement fell through for some reason, and the stop was moved to Decorah, Iowa.

Berry said he learned about the race from the airport manager in Decorah. "I knew nothing about the Air Race Classic before that."

Berry asked whether the organizers would reconsider Prairie du Chien for one of the stops and credited others vouching for the city as the reason the race will be coming this year.

Hosting the race is one way the city can promote itself to a wider audience and, hopefully, attract more people to the Driftless Area.

"Prairie du Chien gets recognition for being part of the race; we get a write-up in the race program," said Berry. "All the racers have their own social media websites or blogs, so they're posting when they come in. When a team does stop here, they're going out in the community, going to restaurants and staying in hotels. That's a direct impact to the city."

Competitors are expected to start reaching Prairie du Chien some time on Wednesday, June 24. Volunteers will be present at the airport to record data, serve as hospitality for racers that choose to stop in the city.

Berry said the airport is still looking for volunteers to help during the race. Those interested can contact the airport to see what blocks of time and duties are available. 

He also noted that the event won't be the kind of race that brings the spectacle of an airshow. "When you say, 'A race,' people expect to come out to the airport and see airplanes flying by, but that isn't it. It's individual planes coming around, getting timed and maybe coming back to stop at the airport and maybe they just fly by."

The Air Race Classic is a 501c3 nonprofit that promotes women in aviation and preserves the history of women's contributions to the industry.

For more information and to see teams' progress, visit www.airraceclassic.org.