The 2026 Columbus Air Show is shaking things up this June. For the first time in the show’s modern history, the evening sky will light up with pyrotechnics and fireworks. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are returning to headline the three-day event at Rickenbacker International Airport, and they’re bringing company: the Canadian Forces Snowbirds—the first international jet demo team to ever perform at Columbus.
The show runs June 19–21 at Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio. Friday and Saturday introduce a brand-new concept called the Twilight Pyrotechnics format. Gates open at 1:00 p.m., flying kicks off around 3:30 p.m., and the evening wraps up with ground pyrotechnics and fireworks before closing at 9:00 p.m. Sunday sticks with tradition: gates open at 9:00 a.m., flying runs from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and there’s no evening show.
The Thunderbirds’ F-16 Fighting Falcons are the star attraction. “I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary than to see those six beautiful red, white and blue F-16’s go roaring across the sky,” said Herb Gillen, president of Herb Gillen Air Shows and producer of the Columbus show. The Thunderbirds last performed here in 2024, which helped earn the show the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) Civilian Show Site of the Year award—a major achievement in the competitive air show world across North America.
Then there’s the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. Flying the CT-114 Tutor jet trainer, they represent something historic for Columbus: the first international demo team ever and the Snowbirds’ first Ohio performance since 2003. Major Maciej Hatta, Snowbird 1 and team lead, spoke to the partnership: “Sharing the sky at Rickenbacker International Airport for the Columbus Air Show alongside our brothers and sisters of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and an outstanding group of performers is a privilege for our team. Events like this highlight not only aviation excellence, but also the enduring relationship between Canada and the United States, one shaped by decades of collaboration, trust, and friendship. Case in point: I even went to Test Pilot School with Thunderbird 6!”
Beyond the headliners, the lineup is packed. The USAF F-35A Lightning II Demo Team will showcase the world’s first operational stealth, supersonic, multi-role fighter—capable of 1,200 mph and equipped with the most advanced helmet-mounted display system in existence. The USAF KC-135 Stratotanker from the home-based 121st Air Refueling Wing will demonstrate aerial refueling operations. Vintage warbirds round out the historic aircraft: the P-51 Mustang “By Request,” which honors the Tuskegee Airmen stationed at Rickenbacker between 1946 and 1949, plus a P-40 Warhawk and a fully restored B-25 “Rosie’s Reply.”
Aerobatic acts include Skip Stewart in his Pitts S-2S biplane, Bob Carlton flying his jet-powered FoxJet Sailplane, and the Third Strike Wingwalking Team. The U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute demonstration team and the U.S. Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter round out the aerial performances. On the ground, expect a Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Truck and static displays of Sherman M4 tanks.
ScottsMiracle-Gro is presenting the show as part of the America 250 bicentennial celebration season. According to Gillen, “The 2026 show will stack up to any air show in the nation, and for families and air show enthusiasts looking to celebrate our nation’s birthday in style, the gates can’t open soon enough.”
Tickets are available exclusively at ColumbusAirShow.com. Air Show Insights members got early access on December 20, with general public sales beginning December 23. All performers are scheduled to fly all three days, though the show reserves the right to modify the lineup without notice.
Sources
- Columbus Air Show Official Website
- Rickenbacker International Airport
- Official press releases, Columbus Air Show & Herb Gillen Air Shows (December 2025–May 2026)
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