FAQs: Blue Angels

Naval Air Station Pensacola continues to be a phenomenal way to view the practice show. The museum's flight line provides an excellent vantage point to observe the practices. There are several other amazing spots to see the Blue Angels practice.

You can see them from the water by boat. There are several boat tour options along with the Pensacola Bay City Ferry. Fort Pickens is a lovely spot to view them, as you can drive to the National Seashore and get a great view of the Pensacola Lighthouse as well. A lot of their passes are directly over Fort Pickens. Don't forget about Navy Point - another great area. Click here for more information.

Typically the Blues practice during the week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between March and October, unless there is a weather cancellation. Weather cancellations can come from stormy/inclement weather or fog/low visibility in the skies. The Blue Angels Show and Practice Schedule is subject to change without notice. Click here for the full practice schedule.

If you're heading to Fort Pickens, be sure to get there before 10:00 at least, parking fills up pretty fast. There will be park rangers there to help direct you on where to go - just follow the crowd!

As for the other viewing locations, if you're headed to NAS Pensacola, gates open at 9:30 and the show starts at 10:30. Once you're on the base, follow the way to the National Aviation Museum.

The Blues will fly right after Fat Albert flies, so keep your eyes and ears to the sky!

Bring your lawn chair, beach chair, or towel! Sunglasses, a hat, and some sunscreen never hurt either. You can prop it up on the sand or concrete wall. Viewers congregate on the intracoastal side on the north side of the park. Some people love to make a whole day in the sun out of a Blues practice day.

Casino Beach is the show center. The best views will be from this beach, where all the big maneuvers will be performed. Our friends at Hellcat Productions, LLC, will be live streaming the show if you want to watch at home! You will NOT be able to see this Airshow from Fort Pickens or NAS Pensacola.

Early. Early. Early. Once the Casino Beach parking lot is full, you can park down at Park East and Park West, where the island trolley will pick you up and shuttle you down to Casino Beach. Passengers wishing to return to their vehicles as soon as the air show ends need to be on the first fleet of buses leaving Casino Beach post-show. Due to the gridlock immediately following the air show, riders should expect to wait 90 minutes or more for the trolleys or buses to return to Casino Beach if they are not on the first trip out. Pack your patience!

The civilian acts are stunt planes that fly and show off their skills starting at 10:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Expect to see the Red Bull Air Force Team, the Veterans Flight Multiplan Formation, and more!

Thursday: Blue Angels fly at 2:00 p.m. (no civilian acts)
Friday: Civilian Acts begin at 10:30 a.m. // Blue Angels fly at 2:00 p.m.
Saturday: Civilian Acts begin at 10:30 a.m. // Blue Angels fly at 2:00 p.m.

The Santa Rosa Island Authority (SRIA) is extending public transportation hours along the island on Friday, July 11, and adding extra buses to the schedule on Saturday, July 12, for the Pensacola Beach Air Show. See the trolley schedule here.

It’s no surprise that the beaches of Pensacola in the middle of summer are filled with sunshine and heat. Remember these essentials:

• Hats, sunglasses and sunscreen

• Beach towels

• Water to drink (Your choice of cold beverage is fine so long as it is not in a glass container!)

• Umbrella (trust me, you’ll want some shade)

• A small bag or container to keep cash, an ID and cell phone protected from the sand and water Also, let’s talk safety. At Pensacola Beach, you may notice colored flags flying at lifeguard stations and other beach entrances. These are part of the flag warning system designed to alert the public about surf conditions. You may see green, yellow, red or purple flags, and here’s what they mean:

• Drones are PROHIBITED

YES! There are no admission tickets for the Pensacola Beach Air Show.

Pensacola Beach is the place to be for the Airshow. Show center is at Casino Beach, so the maneuvers will be done from there. Places to stay nearest Casino Beach are always a great option. Click here to check out our places to stay on Pensacola Beach. Be sure to book your stay well in advance, lodging will fill up quick.

The Santa Rosa Island Authority, Escambia County Public Safety and Emergency Management, and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are in constant communication with the National Weather Service throughout the duration of the Pensacola Beach Air Show. The safety of our attendees, performers, and personnel remains our top priority during the show.

We are utilizing the same weather monitoring thresholds established in previous years to guide our safety decisions. Specifically, if there is a 30% or greater chance of lightning within a 15-mile radius, internal messaging will begin within our mobile command center, THOR. From that point, we will continue to monitor the storm closely and be prepared to issue an official delay or suspension notice if conditions warrant.

All decisions are made with public safety in mind and in accordance with established emergency protocols. We appreciate your cooperation and encourage all attendees to stay informed through our official social channels for the latest updates throughout the day.