Seattle made aviation history in 1916 when William E. Boeing and Navy Lt. Conrad Westervelt formed the Boeing Airplane company and hired self-taught aviation tinker Herb Munter to build the company’s first aircraft, the B&W seaplane. Read more about Boeing and Early Aviation in Seattle at historylink.org, and the feature stories that follow to chronicle Seattle’s love affair with aircraft and aviation. The love affair continues to this day. Listed below are some of the major air shows and related events of special interest to aviation aficionados in every corner of the Puget Sound region.
Seafair 2010 Boeing Air Show acrobatic plane Photo by Carole Cancler
Air Shows in the Puget Sound region
(Listed in date order throughout the year)
Paine Field Airport | Facebook Aviation Day returned in 2024 after a five-year hiatus. FREE youth-focused event filled with aviation education, impressive aircraft displays, military planes, and food vendors. When: May.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) Armed Forces Day (armymwr.com) at McChord Field. Open to the public, free admission, and free parking. *Non-DoD ID cardholders, attending without a DoD ID cardholder sponsor in the vehicle, must complete online preregistration before attending the event. Activities for all ages. Explore static military aircraft, vehicle displays, and weapons displays. See living history encampments representing military life. Look for stage entertainment, roving entertainers, military dog demonstrations, games, food and craft vendors, and more. More info: JBLM MWR | Facebook. When: May.
Olympic Air Show at Olympia Regional Airport features four hours of aerobatic performances by many renowned air show performers in a variety of noted historical aircraft. Free parking at the airport fills very quickly, then use street parking in the surrounding areas of the airport– likely some distance from the entrance. When: Father’s Day Weekend.
Seafair in Seattle includes one of the most impressive air shows in the country, in no small part due to the performance of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. The Seafair air show also includes acrobatic thrills and other military, vintage, and specialty aircraft along with festival action on the ground all weekend. When: 1st Sunday in August. For ways to save on tickets, read our post on discount tickets for Seafair Weekend. Also check our list of locations where you can watch the Blue Angels for free.
Arlington SkyFest is a Drive or Fly-In Festival. Note there are no walk-ins allowed. Overnight camping may be purchased in addition to admission. When: August.
Cancelled air shows
Bellingham Airfest has not been held since 2019. More info: Events Calendar Bellingham | Whatcom County and Port of Bellingham | Official Website
Gig Harbor Air Show “Wing & Wheels” was cancelled as of 2022.
Air Shows around Washington State
(Listed in date order throughout the year)
Skyfest Airshow at Fairchild AFB in Spokane. Team Fairchild opens its gates to the public for a free event to showcase Pacific Northwest’s airpower. When: May or June (alternate years).
Felts Field Neighbor Day in Spokane. Organized by Historic Flight Foundation, the Experimental Aircraft Association, and the Washington Pilots Association. This event will showcase many of the aircraft that in recent years have graced the tarmac of Vintage Aircraft Weekend. The event also will draw on the considerable inventory of vintage aircraft based in and around Felts Field. A “fly-out” Saturday afternoon will feature spot landing and flour bombing at Deer Park Airport. The public will be invited to tour the flight line and meet the pilots. Rides will be offered in several aircraft. Admission will be by donation. T-shirts and aviation retail will be offered. When: June.
American Heroes Air Show is the nation’s premier, helicopter–only, FREE aviation event designed to educate visitors about rotary-wing aviation’s diverse capabilities. Learn how helicopters play an important role in law enforcement, fire service, public safety, communications, national defense and homeland security. When: Travels to different cities every year.
Calendar of car shows, air shows, and train events
The following events on our calendar include car shows, air shows, train excursions and other car, aviation, and train events around the Puget Sound region.
