Multiple regional outlets confirmed it simultaneously yesterday, April 23 — the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will perform an aerial review above the Port of New York and New Jersey on July 4, 2026. It’s one of the most consequential air show assignments in the team’s 80-year history. The performance anchors the Sail4th 250 International Aerial Review, staged as part of the national America250 semiquincentennial celebration marking the United States’ 250th birthday.
The Blue Angels will lead more than 100 aircraft overhead while roughly 30 Class A and 30 Class B international tall ships, 40 gray-hull naval vessels, a British aircraft carrier, and Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 parade through New York Harbor below. The U.S. Coast Guard Barque Eagle leads the Parade of Sail. Eight million spectators are expected to line the shores of New York and New Jersey for what organizers are calling the largest international maritime gathering in modern American history.
A Historic Week on the Water and in the Air
Sail4th 250 President Chris O’Brien didn’t mince words about the scale of it at the Intrepid press conference earlier this year:
“On July 4, 2026, this port will serve as the world’s home port as we bring so many nations together to mark this milestone of America’s 250th.”
“We expect the Semiquincentennial celebration in New York to surpass the previous historic OpSail events from 1964, 1976, 1986, 1992, 2000, and 2012.”
The July 4th aerial review will be part of the seventh International Naval Review in U.S. history — only the fourth ever hosted in the Port of New York and New Jersey, following reviews in 1976, 1986, and 2000. Fleet Week New York has been rescheduled from its traditional Memorial Day slot to coincide with the July 4th anniversary week, running July 3–8.
The evening closes with the 50th anniversary of Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks lighting up the Manhattan skyline — a capstone for what organizers are billing as the largest synchronized Independence Day celebration in American history.
The Aircraft and the Team
The Blue Angels are now in their sixth year flying the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet — the F/A-18E for the six-jet demonstration, the F/A-18F two-seater for the #7 narrator aircraft and for the #4 Slot Pilot during practice routines. The modified Super Hornets’ control sticks are tensioned with 40 pounds of force, leaving pilots virtually no margin for uncommanded input.
Commanding Officer CAPT Adam “Gilligan” Bryan leads the 2026 team. The roster includes Lt. Cam “Starlazer/Hatfish” Schneider among the demonstration pilots and Lt. Commander Connor O’Donnell flying jet #5 in his third and final year on the team. Navy Cmdr. Lily Montana serves as Events Coordinator as Blue Angel #8. CAPT Olivia Bair, USMC, is flying the team’s C-130J Super Hercules on the 2026 tour.
Bryan has noted in media appearances that his wingmen’s wingtips can sit as close as 18 inches apart — jets flying at speed just 12 inches beneath his wingtip. He has publicly acknowledged the weight of the 2026 season, both as the team’s 80th anniversary year and as the nation’s 250th birthday, calling the New York Harbor assignment exactly the kind of moment the Blue Angels were built for.
“For eight decades, the Blue Angels have been defined by an unwavering commitment to mission, an exceptional work ethic, and a relentlessly positive attitude. The 2026 season also coincides with a historic milestone: the 250th birthday of the United States of America.”
— Blue Angels official 80th anniversary statement
Jones Beach — July 5 and 6
The Blue Angels don’t leave Long Island after July 4th. The FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach State Park follows immediately on July 5–6, with a practice day on July 3rd. The show traditionally runs Memorial Day weekend but moved to Fourth of July weekend to align with Fleet Week’s rescheduled dates.
Confirmed performers include the U.S. Army Golden Knights — their 20th appearance at Jones Beach — along with the U.S. Navy F-35C Tac Demo Team, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the U.S. Coast Guard, the 106th Rescue Wing NY Air National Guard HC-130/HH-60 Demo Team, the American Airpower Museum Warbirds, the Farmingdale State College Flying Rams, the Skytypers, aerobatic champion Aarron Deliu, and Mike Goulian. The 2024 Jones Beach show drew 459,000 attendees over three days, the event’s highest recorded total.
Ticketing information for the FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach is available through the official Jones Beach State Park event page. The July 4th Harbor aerial review is a free public event viewable from shorelines throughout the New York and New Jersey waterfronts.
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