If you’re excited about the Chicago Air and Water Show, you’re not alone. Set to take place this August, it appears that this year will feature a repeat performance.
Chicago Air and Water Show returns this August with a surprising lineup shift
Typically, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds alternate as headliners for Chicago’s annual Air and Water Show. Since the Thunderbirds headlined the event alongside the U.S. Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights, in 2025, it was expected that the Blue Angels would take the lead in 2026.
However, according to NBC Chicago, the Thunderbirds’ schedule indicates they are set to visit Chicago on the same dates this summer, though it does not confirm whether they will participate in the Air and Water Show. At the same time, the Blue Angels are scheduled to perform at the Oregon International Air Show in McMinnville, Oregon.
While city officials plan to release the Air and Water Show lineup in mid-July, the current scheduling suggests that spectators will once again see the Thunderbirds soaring through Chicago’s skies this summer on August 15 and 16.
