DAVIS COUNTY — Those Air Force people really know how to throw a party.

The Salt Lake City area (which includes Davis County) was chosen this year to host the Air Force Week celebrations scheduled for June 1-6. Several of the activities will be held in Davis County, including student programs, a symposium, concerts by Air Force bands, and a two-day open house and air show featuring a performance by the Thunderbirds.

“It’s anticipated that 300,000 people are going to be there,” said Barbara Riddle, head of the Davis Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, about the two-day open house and air show. “It’ll be the biggest event in Utah, and we’re excited to have it in our county.”

The focus of Air Force Week is to provide “a big picture of the Air Force mission and way of life,” according to the official site (www.airforceweek.af.mil).

“We’re very excited,” said Valerie Burke, Chief of Community Relations at Hill Air Force Base. “We just feel very honored that the chief of staff selected us as one of the host cities.”

The week kicks off on June 1 with the Air Force Association’s “Focus on Defense” Symposium, an invitation-only event that will be held at the Davis Conference Center. An event that brings together aerospace and defense experts, this year’s event will include an all-day symposium followed by a two-day golf tournament.

Falcon handlers from the Air Force Academy will also be appearing at Davis County schools throughout the week with their birds. The falcons, which are the academy’s mascot, perform at the school’s home and away football games. The handlers will be explaining some of the training, health and care of the falcons.

There will also be free concerts by three separate Air Force bands. The Falconaires, a more jazz-based group, will be performing at the Ed Kenley Amphitheatre in Layton on June 3 at 7:30 p.m., while the harder and more contemporary Max Impact will be performing at Bountiful City Park on June 5 at 7 p.m. The Tops in Blue, a performing group that gathers the most talented from the entire Air Force, will perform on Saturday at 5:30 p.m at Hill Air Force Base. (For more Air Force concert information, see page A9).

All of this surrounds the main event on Saturday and Sunday, the free open house and air show that will be from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on both days at Hill Air Force Base. The crown jewel of the two day event will be afternoon performances by the airplane acrobatic group the Thunderbirds.

“They’re a wonderful aerobatic team,” said Burke. “They’re just breathtaking. You stand there watching them with your mouth open.”

The Thunderbirds, however, won’t be the only thing in the sky. Both days will be filled with sky performances by various groups, and the public will also be able to see planes on the ground and a variety of food booths.

Other Air Force Week events, including movies and concerts, will be held from Ogden to Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. A complete listing of activities can be found online at the Air Force Week official site (click on Salt Lake City, then the individual days).

jwardell@davisclipper.com