The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will return to Milwaukee’s skies this weekend to headline the 10th annual Milwaukee Air & Water Show.
The event, taking place July 27 and 28, annually draws thousands of spectators to the city’s lakefront. Both days will kick off with the Water Show from 9:30 to 11 a.m., followed by the Air Show from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Thunderbirds squadron will perform Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m., demonstrating both formation flying and solo routines. Pilots perform about 40 aerial maneuvers during each demonstration. The Thunderbirds also headlined last year’s show.
This year’s Water Show acts include the Badgerland Water Ski Show Team, the Muskego Water Bugs Water Ski Team and a spray demo by Milwaukee Fire Department’s Trident Fireboat.
The air show features the F-35 Demonstration Team, U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk Helicopter, Army Golden Knight Parachute Team and Wisconsin Air National Guard 128th Air Refueling Wing, among other military and civilian aircrafts, that will perform a variety of stunts and demonstrations.
Free and open to the public, the Milwaukee Air & Water Show will also include food and beverage vendors along North Lincoln Memorial Drive and a “Kidz Fun Zone” at the center of the event grounds.
Reserved and VIP seating and parking options are available for purchase at the show’s website.
Several aircrafts are scheduled to run pre-show flight sequences on Friday.
This year’s event, which will be sponsored for a third year by Wauwatosa-based WaterStone Bank, also includes precision aerobatics, water ski teams, jet ski stunts, and power boats.
The company’s sponsorship brought the show back in 2017 after a one-year hiatus.
