AirshowStuff Forums

Chicago Air and Water show 2017
August 18-19-20, 2017
Lake Michigan Lakefront
Chicago, Illinois USA
https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/d ... rshow.html

Performers:
-USN Blue Angels
-USAF F-22 Raptor Demo team
-USMC AV-8 Harrier Demo
-USAF A-10 Heritage flight
-Aeroshell Aerobatics Team
-Bill Stein Edge 540
-Rob Holland
-Sean D. Tucker
-Susan Dacy Super Stearman
-Golden Knights Parachute Team
-Leap Frogs Parachute Team

I plan to go to Chicago at the Chicago Air and Water show and would like some advice from those who have attended. I heard that it was filled with people on the weekend, so I counted on Friday practice to avoid the big crowd. Do all performers usually participate in Friday practice?

Paging @RFDGuy

Been a while since I've been to the Friday show at Chicago, but if memory serves. All the mil demo teams will fly (hornet demos twice if ther'ye there). Blues will fly. Most civilian stuff will at least go up for a bit, but not all. Friday is definitely the time to go for Chicago. We have a couple friends from the Chicago area, well see if we can have them chime in.

Most of the time everyone does fly. Last year we did not see the jumpers but did get to see the Thunderbirds two times. We did have weather issues for the Friday practice last year but most of the jets went up.

Ive gone every year for a few years. Friday is fun. Whole show typically and lots less crowd as said. As with any beach show...prepare and be patient. We usually sit on north ave beach or north of it. The weekend draws crowd for sure. Lets note the ground show as well

As for lens ...go big... I shoot 500mm f4 but have done well with 400. The most important thing is have fun !!!

pm me with other questions. I have several galleries on my personal site as well at tfrmedia.com

Thank you all for the good advice! I will definitely try to go on Friday. Is there narration on Friday?
Is the schedule on Friday 10am to 3 pm, like the weekend?

Yes there is narration on Friday. Herb Hunter is the voice of the Air and water show. I can say that the last couple of years the Friday show ended a little early.

The performers list was just updated on the website. I am a bit skeptical of the military performers as they have the F-35 heritage flight listed along with the F-16, but neither of those teams have Chicago on their schedules. I realize maybe they could have fly-bys of those aircraft, but the F-16 for example has been listed as a performer the last 3 years (if my memory serves me correctly) and hasn't been there for any of them.

I for one would really like to see them bring back more of the military fly-overs. B-1's, B-2's, multiple F-15's, 16's, A-10's, T-38's used to be common at this show. I realize with the budget cuts this is not as easy as it used to be, but select shows (Thunder Over Louisville, Miami, and Atlantic City in a few weeks) have made it happen so it's still possible with some effort.

Even without these performers the military line-up is certainly solid for this day and age. One thing I really I really wish is that they would mix up the civilian performers a bit. It has literally been the EXACT same line-up for the past 3-4 years. Granted, the one's they have are a lot of my favorites, but I just think it gets a bit stale after a while.

Well the Show is this weekend and the weather is looking great so far. Was at Gary airport today and there is a lot of construction in and around the airport. There is a new building going up close to where the Blues usually park. If they park in the same place all you are going to see is the planes taxing in and out. I am planning on going to the beach Friday and was planning on going to Gary Sunday but changed my plans and am going to Selfridge Sunday.