The Abbotsford Airshow began in 1962 when the Abbotsford Flying Club held an airshow to promote flying from the Abbotsford Airport. The Flying Club partnered with the Abbotsford Rotary Club who provided $700 to fund the event. The first show was a success, attracting 15,000 people. By 1965 the Abbotsford Airshow had become the largest airshow in Canada.
In 1967, the Abbotsford Airshow was included as an official Canadian Centennial project and featured the RCAF Golden Centennaires and the US Navy Blue Angels, along with a broad range of aircraft from Canada, the United States and Britain’s Royal Air Force. Upon conclusion of the 1967 show, the ad hoc Centennial Air Show Society re-formed permanently as the Abbotsford International Air Show Society.