Spectators show up for Chicago Air & Water Show despite second weather delay
The 2026 Chicago Air and Water Show was delayed again on Sunday due to inclement weather.
Just like on Saturday, Sunday's show kicked off at noon and ran through 5 p.m. to allow for the full schedule.
Attendees made their way to North Avenue Beach to catch the Thunderbirds show on Sunday after their portion of the show was canceled on Saturday. But to catch them, you need the right equipment.
Aviation photographers Houyu Dong, Bennett Sullivan, and Conner Vlaukat have the cameras and the knowledge. The three met through their shared hobby, traveling across the country to photograph air shows.
"You got to know what you want. You got to take a look at all the features, like how many pictures you can take per second, the type of autofocus, the range, all of it," Vlaukat said.
"This is zoomed in and you have to zoom out as they are going by," Sullivan said.
For the trio, the show is about the planes. The Thunderbirds, however, are the main event.
It's a highlight spectators here missed out on during Saturday's performance. The Thunderbirds circled the Loop for about an hour, but they couldn't complete the show because of the rain and clouds.
"I was kind of disappointed, but I understand it's really dangerous for them to perform in that weather," Dong said.
Which may be why North Avenue Beach felt more crowded on Sunday. But with clouds Sunday morning, Air and Water Show regular Annette Norwood noticed fewer people than years past.
"Usually times in the past, you couldn't even move on the sand, every little inch of sand, so I think the weather dispersed some people today," she said.
That didn't stop her and her family from setting up their tent at 7 a.m.
"We've been here in downpours. We've been here in sunshine. It doesn't ever matter for us," Norwood said.
When the Thunderbirds finally took to the skies, they were speedy, loud, and worth the wait. Indeed, a spectacle for everyone on the beach and all over the city.
"That's what I like in particular about the Chicago Air and Water Show because you can see the Thunderbirds passing that building and it's really cool and you can't see that elsewhere," Dong said.
Air and Water Show organizers were working with the Federal Aviation Administration and its partners to monitor conditions and ensure safety.
The core of overnight thunderstorm activity passed for Chicago early Sunday morning, but conditions remained overcast. Scattered showers were expected before a cold front was set to cross the area and make for a drier pattern.
