The Blue Angels are back for an expanded version of one of Pensacola’s biggest events of the year — the Pensacola Beach Air Show.
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Blue Angels and the 250th anniversary of the United States, the air show will feature an expanded roster of performers. The team will headline Friday and Saturday’s shows following 15 other military and civilian performances, as well as a practice performance on Thursday.
Expanded performances will kick off the Blue Angels Pensacola Beach Air Show a bit earlier than usual. Fans should also keep an eye on weekend weather conditions, which could see a few storms pop up.
Here’s what to know about the 2026 show.
Blue Angels 2026 Pensacola Beach Air Show will start earlier
Due to the expanded schedule this year, flight demonstrations will begin earlier than usual. Lifeguards and public safety personnel will clear spectators and vessels from Gulf waters inside the marked aerobatic box at 10:35 a.m. Friday and Saturday, ahead of the opening act at 10:46 a.m. Spectators will later have a brief 20-minute water break from 1:30 to 1:50 p.m. before the Gulf is cleared again for the Blue Angels’ 2 p.m. performance.
Weather forecast for Blue Angels weekend
Pensacola is forecast to see stormy conditions earlier this week, with a soggy weather pattern expected to hang around through Wednesday.
The National Weather Service says that drier air will move into the Gulf Coast on Thursday and Friday, which should reduce the number of showers and storms. Saturday and Sunday’s forecast is less concrete.
An upper level trough is forecast to develop over the Southeast, which increases the chance of rain and thunderstorms, according to the NWS. Widespread storms aren’t expected, but isolated weather events that could interrupt the air show can’t be ruled out.
Above normal temperatures will also be a concern. Heat index values are expected to range between 100 and 107 degrees over the weekend, according to the latest NWS forecast discussion.
Blue Angels Pensacola Beach Air Show week schedule
The Blue Angels Pensacola Beach Air Show schedule for the week remains unchanged from previous years. The Blue Angels will perform their first Pensacola Beach flyover for the show at “Breakfast with the Blues” on Wednesday. This lets the team get a feel for the area and mark their flight paths before the show.
Thursday’s practice flight will feature the Blue Angels performing the same maneuvers fans will see on Friday and Saturday. It’s a great option for anyone who just wants to see the Blue Angels perform. There will be fewer crowds, but don’t expect an empty beach.
The full air show takes place on Friday and Saturday, with flight demonstrations starting 30 minutes earlier than they normally do. The air show on Friday is nearly identical to Saturday’s, with a couple of exceptions marked in the daily schedule below.
Blue Angels 2026 Pensacola Beach Air Show schedule
The 2026 Blue Angels Pensacola Beach Air Show will start at 10:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, which is about 30 minutes earlier than usual, due to an expanded lineup. The Blue Angels are still set to fly at 2 p.m.
When will the Blue Angels fly?
The Blue Angels will perform between 2 and 2:45 p.m. this year.
Will Fat Albert perform at the air show?
Fat Albert isn’t performing at the Pensacola Beach Air Show this year. The Blue Angels’ support plane is grounded for the 2026 air show season to undergo maintenance on its center wing box.
Installing the new center wing box, produced by Lockheed Martin, should extend Fat Albert’s life by over 20 years, according to Marshall. If the component is not repaired, Fat Albert would need to be grounded indefinitely.
What time should you head to the Pensacola Beach Air Show?
If you’re hoping to get a parking spot at Casino Beach’s main parking lot on Saturday, you’ll almost need to camp out. Escambia County Sheriff’s Office reported that the main lot closed between 3-3:30 a.m. in 2024, more than an hour earlier than it closed in 2023 (4:37 a.m.).
Friday’s show is usually just as packed as Saturday’s, but finding parking can be a bit easier. Last year, the main lot closed at 6:45 a.m., which is later than previous years.
Blue Angels 2026 Pensacola Beach Air Show lineup
The Blue Angels will return over Pensacola skies alongside 15 military and civilian aerobatic performances. Here’s a look at who you will spot this weekend.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Blue Angels return with bigger Pensacola Beach air show. What to know
Reporting by Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
