JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – With the Blue Angels set to soar over the skies of Jacksonville Beach again this year in October, the Jacksonville City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve $200,000 in funding for the Sea & Sky Air Show.
The council had removed the allocation from its budget when it appeared the Blue Angels would not be returning for this year’s show.
So, a proposal to set aside the $200,000 for the popular event was approved Tuesday.
Those funds help cover the costs of bringing the Blue Angels to town, paying other performers, taking care of the massive shuttle system to get people to the beach and back to their cars, helping with crowd control, and advertising for the show -- among other needs.
The show is slated for the weekend of Oct. 25-26.
Bruce and Barbara Mize are among the countless people who are relieved to know the Blue Angels are coming back.
“It’s good history that they’re from Jacksonville, originally,” Bruce Mize said. “They get so close, and their formations are just perfect.”
City Councilman Rory Diamond, who represents the beaches, said the show provides a great return on investment for Duval County.
“You name it. The hotels will be full, all the bars will be bumping. The restaurants will be full. People come from all over the world, literally all over the world, and they come see the Jacksonville beaches. They get excited about our community and will come back,” Diamond said.
Initially, Jacksonville Beach was not on the schedule for the Blue Angels in 2025, but a show scheduled for Lake Charles, Louisiana, was canceled and the squadron will perform in Northeast Florida instead.
“The Sea & Sky Air Show will bring families, neighbors, and visitors together to experience an unforgettable display of skill and teamwork,” said Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan. “We are grateful to the Blue Angels for their service, for their role as ambassadors of goodwill, and for bringing the thrill and magic of naval flight back to our proud military community.”
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels, known for their precision flying and dynamic aerial maneuvers, are a hometown favorite and their free annual shows are always packed.
The United States Navy Flight Exhibition Team’s first demonstration took place on June 15, 1946, at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, which was also the squadron’s first home base.
The free, family-friendly air show will also feature award-winning civilian and military aerobatic performances over the Atlantic Ocean.
The executive director for the city of Jacksonville’s Office of Sports and Entertainment, Alex Alston, said the event comes at a good time. One week later, the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs will go head-to-head at their iconic yearly matchup in Jacksonville.
The Blue Angels performed at NAS Jax on Oct. 19-20 last year.
The city will share more details as the event approaches, including the complete list of activities, parking options, shuttle services, and road closures.
For more information about the 2025 Sea and Sky Air Show, visit jaxseaandsky.com.
The squadron will also perform in Florida at these locations in 2025:
- Key West from March 29-30
- Lakeland from April 5-6
- Fort Lauderdale from May 3-4
- Pensacola Beach from July 12-13
- Punta Gorda from Nov. 1-2
