The Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) Aviation Museum, Lower Township, New Jersey, has released additional details for AirFest 2026, its signature annual event, which will return to Cape May Airport from September 3-6. Running daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the four-day festival will combine historic aircraft, aviation exhibits, live entertainment, educational programs, military vehicles, family activities, and food vendors. Historic aircraft remain the centerpiece of the event. Headlining this year’s lineup are the Tunison Foundation’s C-47 Placid Lassie, a combat veteran of the D-Day invasion, and the Military Aviation Museum’s flying Messerschmitt Me 262 reproduction, representing the world’s first operational jet fighter. Additional featured aircraft include the Commemorative Air Force Capital Wing’s TBM Avenger Doris Mae, Stinson OY-1 Sentinel Gayle Ann, Fairchild UC-61 Forwarder Miss Cherrie II, Aero L-39 Albatros, Beechcraft T-34 Mentor, Fuji LM-1, SNJ/AT-6 Texans, a South African Air Force-marked Harvard/T-6, Yak-52TD, PT-26 Cornell, Nanchang CJ-6, and a variety of visiting aircraft.
The Aero Club of Pennsylvania and EAA Fly-In will once again bring privately owned aircraft from across the region. Organizers note that one of the attractions of the fly-in component is the unpredictability of the visiting aircraft, which in previous years have included everything from a Republic Seabee and Beech 18 to Yaks and Piper Cubs. Public safety and emergency response organizations will also play a prominent role throughout the event. Visitors can expect displays and demonstrations from AtlantiCare Medevac, the New Jersey State Police, Cape May County Mosquito Control, and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Law enforcement and emergency services personnel will showcase specialized vehicles and equipment, including SWAT assets, drone operations from the Lower Township Police Department’s UAS unit, and a variety of fire and rescue apparatus.
Smokey Bear is also scheduled to make a special appearance. In addition to the aircraft displays, AirFest will highlight aviation and STEM education through participating organizations such as the New Jersey Wing Civil Air Patrol and the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center Aviation STEM Program. Several military, aviation, educational, and community groups will offer hands-on exhibits and interactive presentations throughout the event. Visitors will also have opportunities to explore military vehicles and historic equipment, meet living-history reenactors, watch historical tabletop wargaming demonstrations, and interact with visiting authors. Family-friendly attractions will include free face painting, caricatures, chalk art demonstrations by Samantha Dahlstrom, paddle boats, and opportunities to climb aboard participating fire trucks and emergency vehicles.
Historic Hangar No. 1 will serve as a hub for entertainment and historical programming during the event. Ted Schwartz’s 1940s-style radio show will feature period music alongside presentations focusing on WWII and the history of Naval Air Station Wildwood. The Magnolia Sadies Vintage Dancers will recreate the music and dance culture of the 1940s, while additional live entertainment will be provided by the John Walter Cape Community Band, Maddie Hogan, and Animal House. Guests will find a variety of food and beverage options throughout the festival grounds. Victory Scoops, located inside Historic Hangar No. 1, will serve ice cream, milkshakes, hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, and refreshments, while the AirFest Beer & Wine Garden will offer local beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Free parking will be available throughout the event, with shuttle service operating around the Cape May Airport complex on Saturday and Sunday.
AirFest remains primarily a ground-viewing and static-display event, giving visitors the opportunity to get up close to historic aircraft and meet the pilots and crews who operate them. Admission is $18 for adults and $14 for children ages 3-12. NASW Aviation Museum members, active-duty military personnel, and children ages 2 and under receive free admission. A complete daily schedule, including aircraft appearance windows, presentations, entertainment, and activities, is available on the museum’s website and will continue to be updated as the event approaches. If you want more up-to-date details, you can follow NASW Aviation Museum on social media. To support the NASW Aviation Museum, click on this link: usnasw.org/donation-opportunities.
