F-22 Raptor Demo Team Confirmed for North Star and Arctic Thunder — Rare Fighter Jet Act Headlines Twin Weekend Performances

The U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team is headed to two of North America’s biggest summer air shows. The team will perform at the North Star Air Show in St. Cloud, Minnesota on August 1–2, and then fly to Arctic Thunder Open House at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska for August 2–3. These consecutive weekend bookings highlight just how rare the Raptor demo truly is—the team performs at fewer than 12 shows annually across the continent.

North Star Gets Its First Raptor Demo in Over a Decade

St. Cloud’s first major air show in more than 10 years will take place at St. Cloud Sky Central Airport on August 1–2. Gates open at 9 a.m. each day, with aerial performances kicking off around noon. Alongside the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team, the lineup includes the NextGen Eagles aerobatic formation team, the RE/MAX Skydiving Team, and at least 16 current and vintage aircraft. Spectators can walk the flight line for up-close views of the planes.

Captain Nick “Laz” Le Tourneau will pilot the Raptor—he’s the only F-22 pilot in the world currently certified to fly the demonstration profile. Le Tourneau earned his certification in January 2025 and has logged over 750 hours in the Raptor, including combat deployments to the Middle East and Indo-Pacific. He took over from Major Samuel “RaZZ” Larson, stepping into a role that represents the next chapter of Air Force aerial demonstration. The F-22 Demo Team, based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, now has 14 members total—pilot, safety officer, superintendent, crew chiefs, avionics specialists, and support personnel.

Arctic Thunder Stacks the Deck — Blue Angels, F-22, and Golden Knights

A week later, the Raptor arrives in Anchorage for what may be the most stacked military air show of late summer. Arctic Thunder Open House runs August 2–3, with public days on August 2–3. The event will feature the F-22 Raptor Demo Team, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flying F/A-18 Super Hornets and C-130J “Fat Albert,” and the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team. The Blue Angels haven’t appeared at JBER since 2016—nearly a decade away, which has heightened excitement across Alaska’s aviation community.

“As we look to celebrate the 250th birthday of America, we thought it was time to bring them back,” said Col. Matt Tarnowski, 3rd Wing deputy commander at JBER, on the timing of the Blue Angels’ return.

The event is expecting upwards of 200,000 attendees. General admission and parking are free, though premium seating with dedicated flightline views is available for those who want to avoid the crowds. Arctic Thunder is biennial—held every other year—so this convergence of Blue Angels, F-22, and Golden Knights won’t happen again until 2028.

The Raptor’s Signature Performance

Le Tourneau’s demonstration showcases the F-22’s thrust-vectoring control and post-stall maneuverability. Spectators will see high-alpha passes where the aircraft appears nearly suspended nose-high above the runway, pedal turns, rapid pitch transitions, and the signature split maneuver—all at altitudes and G-loads that would push fourth-generation fighters past their limits. The display pulls directly from combat operations doctrine, underscoring why the Raptor remains unmatched in air-to-air dominance.

What’s Next

After Anchorage, Le Tourneau and the team continue their demanding summer circuit. The full 2026 F-22 schedule runs March through November, marking 20 years of continuous Raptor demonstrations. For ticketing and logistics at North Star and Arctic Thunder, visit each show’s official website.

Sources

• Air Shows Calendar — airshows.aero
• Commemorative Air Force Events
• North Star Air Show Official Press Release — December 9, 2025
• Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Arctic Thunder Official Announcement — January 9, 2026
• U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team Official Materials
• 3rd Wing Public Affairs — JBER