2026 Chicago Air & Water Show practice begins as weather threat lingers over weekend festivities
High-flying pilots began practicing for the 2026 Chicago Air & Water Show Thursday in Gary, Indiana, but a continued weather threat hangs over the weekend.
Both military and civilian flight teams and performers convened in Northwest Indiana to start their practice, including the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team.
But Gary is still cleaning up major storm damage and trying to restore power after a line of severe thunderstorms and a derecho pummeled it and surrounding communities Tuesday. The weather system spawned five confirmed tornadoes so far.
NIPSCO, the electric and gas company serving Northwest Indiana, said more than 235,000 people are still without power as of Thursday afternoon, including more than 28,000 customers in Gary.
Severe weather threats also remain on the horizon. Rounds of flooding rain and severe storm return at times on Saturday and Sunday, according to CBS News Chicago First Alert meteorologists, and anyone attending the Air & Water Show will need to stay weather-aware and know where the nearest indoor shelter is.
The main Air & Water Show rehearsals will be held Friday.
Thunderbirds pilot preparing for Chicago Air & Water Show, rain or shine
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bryce Turner is an F-16 pilot with the Thunderbirds.
"We are the Air Force's premiere air demonstration squadron," he said.
He'll be flying in his first Chicago Air and Water Show this weekend.
"The best description I can say is it's like riding a rollercoaster. You don't see where the track is though," he said. "We've been meticulously studying which buildings we need to fly around to get on our perfect lines."
While there is heavy rain expected Saturday morning, there should be less rainfall by the scheduled start of the Air and Water Show through Saturday afternoon, although low clouds could still be an issue. Rain is also likely on Sunday, although it's not yet clear if it will impact the Air and Water Show.
If only a pilot could control the forecast like he does a fighter jet.
"Right now, the weather supports a flight. It may get a little wet, and the clouds may be a little low, but as long as we can see all the buildings and fly above them, we'll be good to go," Turner said.
The city is watching the weather closely, too.
"We're certainly going to try our best to keep the show as scheduled, and if we have to do any type of shifts or delays, we're going to try to keep it all on Saturday and Sunday, for sure," said Bria Purdiman, deputy commissioner of marketing and communications at the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
Turner was born for this. That's why his callsign is "Triple."
"I'm a third-generation fighter pilot. So, my grandad flew F-4s in Vietnam, and my dad flew F-16s in Desert Storm and retired flying the F-22," he said.
Whether his own kid ends up in the cockpit is still up in the air. They already call his 2-year-old son "Quatro."
"I wouldn't mind him flying airplanes," Turner said.
But it's Triple's turn now to bring some thunder to Chicago.
"I'm looking forward to it. We're keeping the vibes high. It's going to be a good weekend," Turner said.
The Thunderbirds are headlining the show this year. They're back for a second straight year due to a scheduling conflict with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.
When is the 2026 Chicago Air & Water Show?
This year's show will be held on Saturday Aug. 15 and Sunday Aug. 16 at North Avenue Beach and along the Chicago lakefront from Fullerton Avenue to Oak Street.
The show hours are 10:30 a.m. through 3 p.m. both days. It is free to attend.
Who is performing at the Air & Water Show?
The headline performers at the Air & Water Show this year are the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team.
Other military performers include the U.S. Air Force 15th Airlift Squadron demonstrating a C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft; the Illinois Air National Guard KC-135 126th Air Refueling Wing' the U.S. Coast Guard performing a search and rescue demonstration; the F-22 Raptor demonstration team; the U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II demonstration team; and four F-16 Fighter Wing pilots from the Arizona National Guard.
The civilian performers are pilot Kevin Coleman with the Red Bull Air Force; Susan Dacy performing in the Super Stearman "Big Red" biplane; retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Ed Hamil performing in the Folds of Honor biplane; the Trojan Phlyers flight demonstration team; Chicago Police Department helicopters; and Chicago Fire Department air/sea rescue teams.
How to get to the Air & Water Show and what to know before you go
Pick up and drop off locations for the show are at the intersection of LaSalle Drive and Inner Lake Shore Drive. The city strongly encourages attendees to use public transit to attend the show, and there will be additional buses and trains in service to accommodate what the city estimates will be 2 million attendees.
You can take the CTA Red Line to Chicago/State or Clark/Division, both of which are in walking distance of North Avenue Beach. The CTA #72 North Avenue bus also runs directly to North Avenue Beach.
There is no parking available at the beach, but there is limited paid parking available at Lincoln Park Zoo. There is also paid parking available at Millennium Park Garage, where a free shuttle is available to take people to and from the beach on show days.
The free shuttle picks up and drops off in front of 1550 North Lake Shore Drive and at Millennium Park Garage at 6 S. Columbus Drive.
Play-by-play coverage of the show ill be broadcast on WBBM News Radio.
Information about what items are and are not allowed on the beach at the Air & Water Show are listed in the FAQ on the city's official event website.
