The organizers of the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo have officially released the airshow schedule for the 2026 event, which will take place April 14–19 at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida. Widely regarded as one of the most anticipated aviation gatherings of the year, the event continues to serve as the traditional start of the North American airshow season and draws hundreds of thousands of aviation enthusiasts annually. First held in 1974 as a modest fly-in for sport aviation enthusiasts, SUN ‘n FUN has grown into one of the world’s largest aviation events and Florida’s largest annual convention. Today the week-long Aerospace Expo attracts more than 200,000 visitors and features a massive aircraft fly-in, hundreds of exhibitors, workshops, educational forums, and daily aerial demonstrations by military and civilian performers.
New Composite Airshow Debuts on Wednesday
One of the major changes for 2026 is the introduction of a new “Composite Airshow” on Wednesday evening. Traditionally, Wednesday’s programming included a daytime airshow from 1:00–5:00 p.m. followed by a separate night airshow from 7:00–9:30 p.m. This year, organizers are combining those performances into a single continuous show beginning at 5:00 p.m. and running through 9:30 p.m. The new format is designed to give visitors more time during the day to explore the expansive event grounds while still enjoying the dramatic transition from daylight flying to nighttime aerial entertainment. According to event organizers, the change will also benefit pilots flying into the Expo. The arrival and departure window for fly-in aircraft on Wednesday will now extend from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with departures required to taxi for takeoff by 4:30 p.m. Visitors will also have additional time to explore the more than 500 exhibitor booths, attend workshops and forums, watch STOL demonstrations at Paradise City, and enjoy activities on the Warbird Ramp.
2026 Airshow Schedule Overview
The daily airshow program will take place throughout the week, featuring a wide variety of performers, warbirds, aerobatic teams, and modern military demonstration aircraft. The Aerospace Expo opens on Tuesday, April 14, with the first afternoon airshow, launching a week of aerial performances. On Wednesday, April 15, the event introduces the new Composite Airshow from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., combining traditional daytime flying with sunset and night acts in a continuous program. The afternoon airshows continue on Thursday, April 16, with aerobatic performers, historic aircraft demonstrations, and modern military displays, followed by Friday’s program on April 17, highlighted by major military demonstration teams and headline performers. Saturday, April 18, typically one of the busiest days of the Expo, features a full day of flying that culminates in the evening night airshow with illuminated aerobatic routines and pyrotechnics. The event concludes on Sunday, April 19, with the final afternoon airshow of the week. Among the major military participants expected to appear are the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team, the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet Demo Team, and the U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III demonstration. Click HERE for a detailed schedule.
More Than an Airshow
While the daily flying displays remain the centerpiece of the event, SUN ‘n FUN offers much more than airshow performances. The event includes a large aviation trade show with more than 500 exhibitors, educational forums for pilots and maintainers, and hands-on workshops covering aircraft building and maintenance skills. The Expo also hosts STEM activities, a career fair for aspiring aviation professionals, family-oriented attractions, and special aircraft display areas featuring vintage aircraft, homebuilts, warbirds, jets, aerobatic aircraft, and light sport aircraft. Pilots arriving by air are greeted by the impressive sight of hundreds of aircraft parked across the expansive SUN ‘n FUN campus.
Supporting Aerospace Education
SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In, Inc., the nonprofit organization that operates the event, uses proceeds from the Aerospace Expo to support the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE). Through its educational programs, learning centers, scholarships, and summer camps, ACE engages more than 50,000 students each year while promoting careers in aviation and aerospace. ACE also operates the Florida Air Museum—Florida’s official aviation museum—and the Lakeland Aero Club, the largest high school flying club in the United States and a leading producer of licensed teenage private pilots. With its newly announced airshow schedule and a full slate of aviation activities, SUN ‘n FUN 2026 once again promises to deliver a week-long celebration of flight that brings together pilots, enthusiasts, and industry professionals from around the world. For more information, visit www.flysnf.org.
