If your family loves airplanes, Chick‑fil‑A cows, outdoor fun, or simply a good community adventure, mark your calendar for the annual Operation Cow Drop taking place Saturday, May 2nd at Hanover County Airport!
Hosted by Chick‑fil‑A Virginia Center Marketplace and Chick‑fil‑A Center of the Universe, this beloved event asks the question every kid secretly wants answered:
What happens when 1,500 Chick‑fil‑A cows fill the sky?
Event Details
Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Hanover County Airport, 11152 Air Park Rd, Ashland, VA 23005
Admission: Free admission & free parking /🎟️ Tickets available for purchase for games and activities
What to Expect
From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, the Hanover County Airport transforms into a festival space where kids can explore, play, and watch the skies.
Free Activities
- Family Friendly entertainment on the main stage
- Live music
- Horse Petting Area
- Rides on the RVA Express Train
- Archery Area courtesy of Green Top Sporting Goods
- Face Painting (more stations open this year)
- Balloon Art
- Event-wide scavenger hunt with 12 challenges
- Touch-a-truck area with tow truck, firetruck, police vehicles & RIR NASCAR Pace Car
- Walk-thru hot air balloon area and hot air balloon basket display
- Aviation Area with Civil Air Patrol, VCU Life Evac Helicopter, & more
- Skydivers - Air activity beginning at approximately 1pm as 1600 parachute cows take flight out of a helicopter (there will be two drops back-to-back; each drop releases 800 cows).
- Large vendor area-come ready to shop for special gifts
- Visits from the Chick-fil-A Cows
Activities Requiring a Fee
- Large Kid's Zone with extraordinary bouncy houses ($10 wristband gets you all day access)
- NEW THIS YEAR......Airfield Collect-a-Cow Experience ($10 entry onto the airfield to choose a plush parachute cow to take home after they safely land)
- Purchase Raffle tickets from Grace Christian School for a chance to win Chick-fil-A for a year for a family of four (tickets $10 each. We will draw for several other prizes too. See raffle tab on home page for more information)
- Come hungry! Several Chick-fil-A registers will be open to serve up some customer favorites
- Kona Ice, Westray's Finest Ice Cream, and other dessert vendors will be on site to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Our Experience
Last year, my youngest son and my husband had the chance to attend, and my son absolutely loved it! His favorite part was getting to climb inside one of the Civil Air Patrol helicopters and, of course, watching the cow drop and snagging one of the Chick-fil-A Cows. He’s been counting down the days to this year’s event, so they’ll definitely be back. Hopefully, you’ll be there as well!
