Love it or hate it, the Chicago Air and Water Show is back this weekend — and this year’s event will take place with temperatures expected to climb into the high 80s or low 90s, according to the National Weather Service.

Organizers are encouraging spectators to bring extra water, keep sunscreen handy and even consider popping into the air conditioned “cooling buses” at North Avenue Beach.

The annual event regularly draws more than one million people to Chicago’s lakefront. Ann Hickey, deputy commissioner at the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, said part of the draw is that the event is free.

• RELATED STORY
• Curious City

What Are The Costs Of Chicago’s Air And Water Show?

read more

“An entire family can actually come out and make a day of it and be affordable,” she said. “There’s something really for everyone to enjoy just being able to look and watch the planes.”

For the first time since 2018, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline the show, along with the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights.

Whether you are eager to watch the dozens of air acts in amazement or are among those already loathing the decibel hike, here’s what you need to know.

When is this happening? The festivities (and noise) kick off on Friday with practice flights and will continue through Sunday afternoon at North Avenue Beach. The show will start at 10:30 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Where can I watch? The center of the show is North Avenue Beach, but the viewing area stretches from Oak Street all the way to Fullerton Avenue. For a prime seat, spectators should arrive early in order to beat the crowds — the viewing area opens to the public at 6 a.m. on both days of the show.

How do I get there? Public transit is the way to go, mostly because there is no public parking at the beach over the weekend and limited parking at nearby Lincoln Park Zoo. Extended routes and additional buses and trains will be added to accommodate the crowds — see detailed plans here. If you must drive, park in the Millennium Park garages, which will have free shuttle buses running to and from North Avenue Beach.

What should I bring? Plan for a day at the beach: Pack plenty of water, wear sunscreen and bring a hat to shield you from the sun. Ear plugs and binoculars are recommended. Prohibited items include pets (service animals are allowed), grills, alcohol, drones, fireworks, tents or canopies, balloons, kites and flagpoles.

What if I’m a total newbie? If you want to check out the festivities, but know nothing about planes, Herb Hunter will be there to guide you through it. As the “voice of the show” for more than 35 years, his narration of each performer’s choreography will play throughout the viewing area for novice and seasoned spectators alike. The show will also be broadcasted live on WBBM Newsradio 780 / 105.9.

For the love of Pete, how can I escape the noise? Leave town immediately. And you’ll want to go farther than Northwest Indiana because the planes take off and land at Gary/Chicago International Airport. More information can be found on the official event website.

What’s notable this year

The big headline of this year’s event is the return of the Thunderbirds. The Air Force team will be in Chicago for the first time since 2018.

“We’re super excited to have them back,” Hickey said. “The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds were one of the first military performances to be part of the Air and Water Show.”

Fan favorites returning this year include the Army parachute team floating down to earth from thousands of feet above.The U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight will also be back, along with rescue demonstrations from both the Coast Guard and the Chicago Fire Department.

This year’s show will feature a wide variety of both vintage and modern aircrafts. While the specifics of the schedule is determined the morning of the show, here are some of the military and civilian acts slated to appear this year:

• U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds: The Air Force demonstration team is celebrating its 70th year and will bring its formation and solo flying to the show this weekend in Fighting Falcons jets.

• U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights: Members of the parachute team will jump out of an aircraft from 12,000 feet above the ground and land on North Avenue Beach.

• U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight: The heritage flight team offers a trip back in time. This year, the Air Force will bring a P-51 Mustang to Chicago’s sky. The single-seat aircraft was first introduced during World War II.

Civilian performers include: Susan Dacy, a stunt pilot who performs barrel rolls and other maneuvers in her vintage biplane “Big Red;” The Chicago Fire Department Air/Sea Rescue; and the Chicago Police Department helicopter.

Hey, history buffs: Did you know?

The city’s Air and Water Show is a summertime staple and the longest running show of its kind. But when it first got off the ground in 1959 it was a much humbler affair — beginning with a budget of just $88.

The first year the show was held there were “rowing contests, a watermelon-eating contest, and there was a greased pole kids could climb,” Gerry Souter, who wrote The Chicago Air and Water Show: A History of Wings Above the Waves, told Curious City in 2018. He added that “everyone had a pretty good time.”

WBEZ’s Mark LeBien contributed to this report.

Courtney Kueppers is a digital producer/reporter at WBEZ. Follow her @cmkueppers.