Jets, helicopters and more will zoom over the skies of Chicago as the Air and Water Show gets underway on Saturday.
The long-awaited spectacle, which happens to be the nation’s largest show of its kind, will commence in the morning and last for several hours.
For those planning to head to the lakefront to catch the action, here’s everything you need to know:
When is the Air and Water Show?
The show will run from 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The full schedule, however, is decided the morning of the show by the pilots. NBC Chicago will post the schedule once it’s made available.
Where is the Air and Water Show in Chicago and where can you watch?
The event takes place with North Avenue Beach as a focal point, but the show can be viewed from anywhere along the lakefront from Fullerton to Oak Street.
Many rooftop bars and waterfront restaurants have unobstructed views, and several cruise companies offer special cruises on the day of the Air and Water Show. Choose Chicago has several recommendations for those looking for unique vantage points.
Planes take off and land at the Gary/Chicago International Airport in Gary, Indiana.
“The Chicago Air & Water Show is conducted in an extremely safe and conscientious way,” the city said. “Safety precautions are taken at all times before, during and after the show… All pilots perform stunts over the water in a set safety area. When a plane does fly over buildings, it is merely doing so in its flight path to return to the show area or the airport.”
NBC Chicago’s resident daredevil Matt Rodrigues got a chance to fly with the Golden Knights parachute team for Friday’s rehearsal ahead of the Chicago Air and Water Show.
Who is appearing?
While one fan-favorite won’t be present, another is set to be this year’s headliner.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights are set to headline the show for 2025. Last year, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels were in the lineup, with the Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds headlining biannually.
Here’s the full lineup for the 2025 show, which includes military performers and civilian performers. Performers are subject to change:
- U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
- U.S. Army Parachute team Golden Knights
- U.S. Air Force C-17 Demo – 15th Airlift Squadron
- Illinois Air National Guard KC-135-126th Air Refueling Wing
- Maryland Air National Guard A-10’s-104th Fighter Squadron
- U.S. Coast Guard Search & Rescue Demo
- U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 (Osprey) Demo-Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365
- Bill Stein Airshows
- Coleman Aerosports – Kevin Coleman
- Folds of Honor Biplane – Ed Hamill
- Mini Jet Airshows – Tom Larkin
- Muscle Biplane Machaira – Bob Richards
- Super Stearman “Big Red” – Susan Dacy
- Warbird Thunder Airshows
- Chicago Police Department Helicopters
- Chicago Fire Department Air / Sea Rescue
- Marine Corps Air Station New River
- Indiana Air National Guard – 122nd Fighter Wing
- Indiana Air National Guard – 182nd Airlift Wing
- U.S. Air Force Reserve – 434th Air Refueling Wing
What else to know
The Chicago Air and Water Show first started in 1959. The multi-day event has since evolved to be a mainstay of summer in Chicago.
The event features “daredevil thrills in the air and on the water” at North Avenue Beach and along Chicago’s lakefront.
The show will be narrated by Herb Hunter, who has served as “the voice of the show” for over two decades.