Want to attend Chicago Air and Water Show this year? Check venue, time, schedule, drinks and food available

Are you ready for the stunning Chicago Air and Water Show 2025? This year's Chicago Air and Water Show, a longstanding tradition for more than six decades, is one of the city’s most spectacular and beloved summer events. The Lake Michigan spectacle is the largest free show of its kind in the country.

At the Chicago Air and Water Show the US Air Force Thunderbirds headline with the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights and the U.S. Navy Leap Frogs also performing. However, the Blue Angels are not performing this year.

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.

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When is the Chicago Air and Water Show?

The free event over Lake Michigan is set for August 16 and 17, organizers told NBC Chicago, with more than one million spectators expected to attend. According the city, the Chicago Air and Water Show, with the skyline as the backdrop, is the largest free admission air and water exhibition of its kind in the country. According to the schedule, rehearsals take place on Aug. 15

What time is the Chicago Air and Water Show?

The Chicago Air and Water Show will run from 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. each weekend day. The full schedule, however, is decided the morning of the show by the pilots.

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.

You can look for waterfront watch parties, the best beaches, stunning rooftop bars to watch the Air and Water Show. From rooftop bars with sweeping skyline vistas to waterfront restaurants offering front-row seats, Chicago knows how to stage a show. On the day of the Air and Water Show, select cruise companies even set sail for special viewing experiences. “Choose Chicago” has rounded up the city’s top spots for those seeking unforgettable vantage points.

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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."

Who will attend the Chicago Air and Water Show?

While one fan-favorite won't be present, another is set to be this year's headliner.

The US 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.

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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

Food & Drink specials for Chicago Air and Water Show

Castaway's Beach Club – North Avenue Beach

You can attend the show at the North Avenue Beach viewing party, complete with indulgent breakfast and lunch buffets plus an open bar.

Sunday: 9 AM – 3 PM. Tickets start from $199

Whispers – Oak Street Beach

You can join the outdoor buzz with festive giveaways, refreshing cocktails, a sizzling beach barbecue buffet, and plenty of photo-worthy moments.

Saturday–Sunday: 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM. Tickets start from $25

Miru – St. Regis Hotel, Lakeshore East

Savor a Japanese-inspired brunch while taking in breathtaking views from Miru’s 11th-floor terrace. Timings might vary for weekend at the St. Regis Hotel in Lakeshore East.

Robert's Pizza and Dough Co.

Heading outdoors? Grab a gourmet picnic-to-go featuring award-winning pizza, a bottle of wine, flavorful appetizers, and fresh salads—perfect for lakeside lounging. Packages start at $110.