Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo Announces 2026 Airshow Schedule

By Kevin Wilkins

The organizers of the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo have officially released the airshow schedule for the 2026 event, which will take place April 14–19 at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida. Widely regarded as one of the most anticipated aviation gatherings of the year, the event continues to serve as the traditional start of the North American airshow season and draws hundreds of thousands of aviation enthusiasts annually. First held in 1974 as a modest fly-in for sport aviation enthusiasts, SUN ‘n FUN has grown into one of the world’s largest aviation occasions and Florida’s largest annual conference. Today the week-long Aerospace Expo attracts greater than 200,000 guests and encompasses a huge plane fly-in, tons of of exhibitors, workshops, academic boards, and every day aerial demonstrations by army and civilian performers. 

New Composite Airshow Debuts on Wednesday

One of the foremost modifications for 2026 is the introduction of a brand new “Composite Airshow” on Wednesday night. Traditionally, Wednesday’s programming included a daytime airshow from 1:00–5:00 p.m. adopted by a separate night time airshow from 7:00–9:30 p.m. This yr, organizers are combining these performances right into a single steady present starting at 5:00 p.m. and working via 9:30 p.m. The new format is designed to offer guests extra time in the course of the day to discover the expansive occasion grounds whereas nonetheless having fun with the dramatic transition from daylight flying to nighttime aerial leisure.  According to occasion organizers, the change can even profit pilots flying into the Expo. The arrival and departure window for fly-in plane on Wednesday will now prolong from 7:00 a.m. to five:00 p.m., with departures required to taxi for takeoff by 4:30 p.m. Visitors can even have further time to discover the greater than 500 exhibitor cubicles, attend workshops and boards, watch STOL demonstrations at Paradise City, and luxuriate in actions on the Warbird Ramp.

2026 Airshow Schedule Overview

The every day airshow program will happen all through the week, that includes all kinds of performers, warbirds, aerobatic groups, and trendy army demonstration plane. The Aerospace Expo opens on Tuesday, April 14, with the primary afternoon airshow, launching every week of aerial performances. On Wednesday, April 15, the occasion introduces the brand new Composite Airshow from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., combining conventional daytime flying with sundown and night time acts in a steady program. The afternoon airshows proceed on Thursday, April 16, with aerobatic performers, historic plane demonstrations, and trendy army shows, adopted by Friday’s program on April 17, highlighted by main army demonstration groups and headline performers. Saturday, April 18, usually one of many busiest days of the Expo, encompasses a full day of flying that culminates within the night night time airshow with illuminated aerobatic routines and pyrotechnics. The occasion concludes on Sunday, April 19, with the ultimate afternoon airshow of the week. Among the foremost army contributors anticipated to seem are the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team, the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet Demo Team, and the U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III demonstration. Click HERE for an in depth schedule. 

More Than an Airshow

While the every day flying shows stay the centerpiece of the occasion, SUN ‘n FUN provides rather more than airshow performances. The occasion contains a big aviation commerce present with greater than 500 exhibitors, academic boards for pilots and maintainers, and hands-on workshops overlaying plane constructing and upkeep expertise.  The Expo additionally hosts STEM actions, a profession truthful for aspiring aviation professionals, family-oriented points of interest, and particular plane show areas that includes classic plane, homebuilts, warbirds, jets, aerobatic plane, and light-weight sport plane. Pilots arriving by air are greeted by the spectacular sight of tons of of plane parked throughout the expansive SUN ‘n FUN campus.

Supporting Aerospace Education

SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In, Inc., the nonprofit organization that operates the event, uses proceeds from the Aerospace Expo to support the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE). Through its educational programs, learning centers, scholarships, and summer camps, ACE engages more than 50,000 students each year while promoting careers in aviation and aerospace. ACE also operates the Florida Air Museum—Florida’s official aviation museum—and the Lakeland Aero Club, the biggest highschool flying membership within the United States and a number one producer of licensed teenage non-public pilots. With its newly introduced airshow schedule and a full slate of aviation actions, SUN ‘n FUN 2026 as soon as once more guarantees to ship a week-long celebration of flight that brings collectively pilots, fanatics, and trade professionals from around the globe. For extra info, go to www.flysnf.org.