The 13th Annual 1940s WW II Era Ball at Boulder Municipal Airport was the hottest ticket in town Saturday, June 17, with general admission costing $89 and VIP access with all its perks going for $250. Beginning at 4 p.m., decked out in their finest ‘40s attire and coiffed hairdos, around 4000 attendees were immediately immersed in the bygone decade.

A stroll down Victory Lane took you past Rick’s Café to the South Seas Club Stage where Polynesian musicians and dancers entertained. To the side sat 1940s airplanes and automobiles of every sort. One of them was a beautiful 1942 Boeing A-75 biplane with electric yellow trim and Swee’ Pea graphics. It had just been flown in that morning. Attendees could have their pictures taken at no charge posing beside the classic transports. One of the props was a military-issue Willys Jeep which many chose to sit in.

Surviving WW II veterans were honored and interviewed. Now in their late nineties, there were only five of them. Each had their own unique story to tell. Having lived through “The Big One’’ and proud of their service, none considered themselves heroes, humbly relating that, “Those were the times – it was war so we went.”

Skydivers landed on the runway followed by a rare 1943 Beechcraft 18 named the Sonoran Beauty with Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth, Carmen Miranda, Lucille Ball, and Frank Sinatra onboard. Bob Hope led them from the airplane to the grounds through a crowd of admirers.

The Glenn Miller Orchestra backed Tammi Savoy in her tender renditions of Billie Holiday’s “All of Me” and George Gershwin’s “Summertime” on the Main Stage. Always a highlight, the Satin Dollz stole the show again this year with their dance routines performed to songs like: “(I Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo,” and the Andrews Sisters’ “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Dancers in attendance packed the floor rhythmically spinning and bopping to the music. Slow dances to “Sentimental Journey” and other relaxed numbers were intimate.

A P-51 Mustang flew over the airport twice before Frank Sinatra took the stage. With the vigor of a young “Ol’ Blue Eyes,” he performed familiar hits such as: “Fly Me to the Moon,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” and “New York, New York.” With a cocktail in hand, his signature leg kick and hat catch were thrown in for free.

The Confetti Drop took place at 10:15 p.m., signaling the beginning of the end of a glorious evening that would last until 2 a.m.

For more information about the 1940s WW II Era Ball, see www.1940sball.org.