It’s been around for only five years; but it’s managed to capture Huntington Beach’s heart, nevertheless.
Ask just about anybody that lives in – or knows about – Huntington Beach, what special events take place in Huntington Beach, and the Pacific Airshow (or, rather, The Great Pacific Airshow) will be among the top 5 events they name.
Gif courtesy giphy.
And it’s not just Huntington Beach.
Over the almost five years of its existence, the Pacific Airshow has become one of SoCal’s most spectacular events, drawing huge crowds, capturing prime space on newspapers and news channels and trending on social media feeds.
Image courtesy Defence-Imagery from Pixabay.
Last year, as you might have guessed, the Show had to be cancelled, owing to…
Image courtesy PIRO4D from Pixabay.
But, this year, it’s back.
For the uninitiated – a brief history of the Pacific Airshow
Image courtesy Frank Becker from Pixabay.
The very first Pacific Airshow took place in 2016.
It was organized by Kevin Elliott, a Huntington Beach resident who had quit an IT job at Boeing to set up Code Four, a creative and design agency.
The 2016 Airshow was a major success.
Gif courtesy giphy.
So Kevin and his team at Code Four followed it up with the Pacific Airshow 2017.
And followed that up with the Pacific Airshow 2018.
And followed that up with the Pacific Airshow 2019.
And would have followed that up as well with the Pacific Airshow 2020, but as you know, COVID-19 got in the way.
And just how successful have previous Pacific Airshows been?
Image courtesy Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash.
Well…
- For 2 years running (2018 and 2019), it was judged by the USAF Thunderbirds as the best “Civilian Air Show Site of the Year”.
- In 2019, it was ranked among the top 10 best air shows by USAToday.
- In 2020, it moved a notch upwards, winning a spot among USAToday’s top 5 best air shows.
Worth taking a look at, right?
The facts about the Pacific Airshow 2021
Image courtesy Ximus from Pixabay.
It’s due to run from Friday, October 1st 2021, to Sunday, October 3rd 2021.
The flying events take place from 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM, each day.
And other festivities continue till 9 in the evening.
What’s on the cards?
Image courtesy Annie Spratt on Unsplash.
As a mega SoCal event, the Airshow will include everything from
- The aircraft display.
- VIP meet and greet.
- STEM exhibits.
- Live entertainment.
- Community events, beach festivals and so on.
Food and beverages from an assortment of local and other vendors will be available.
What about the aircraft display?
Image courtesy Todd MacDonald from Pixabay.
Friday is planned to be a sort of dry run, so the lineups on the weekend might be a little different to that you see on Friday.
Here’s a tentative list of the 2021 airshow performers…
- U.S. Navy Blue Angels
- Canadian Forces Snowbirds
- U.S. Air Force ACC F-35A Demo Team
- U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Osprey Demo Team
- U.S. Army Golden Knights
- U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler Legacy Flight Demo Team
- Red Bull Air Force
This is as per their official website.
Do you have to buy tickets?
Image courtesy Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay.
General entry (a.k.a. the “Drop zone” and “Beach seating”) is free. However, that restricts you to the beach.
You’ll have to arrange for your own seating, and compete with others for space.
Image courtesy Wil Stewart on Unsplash.
Entry to the Pier is ticketed, and entitles you to an unreserved seat on the Pier.
Further upgrades, such as getting a space right in front of the Airshow Show Center (“Premiere Club Seating”), and having an entire cabana/chalet to yourself are available, for higher-priced tickets.
You can book tickets on the Airshow Website.
Other important details
Gif courtesy giphy.
The main show will take place at Pacific Coast Highway & Huntington Street. The nearer you are, the better view you’ll have of the aircraft display.
Influencers and others wishing to video the proceedings please note, the area will be officially drone-free.
If you’re coming in an RV, you can check out the RV camp.
The Pacific Airshow 2021 – Final thoughts
Gif courtesy giphy.
Since its inception in 2016, the Pacific Airshow has become one of California’s most spectacular events.
After a 2020 COVID-19 hiatus, the Airshow is back in 2021, from October 1st to October 3rd.
They have a pretty fabulous air display lineup planned for this year, along with other festivities.
Based on how you’d like to attend, you can go for free general admission, or book tickets for better facilities.
And, if you’re looking for other great things to do in Huntington Beach, you can always check out Huntington Beach’s best loved escape room!
Based on this report, this blog, and the Airshow website.
Banner image courtesy Todd MacDonald from Pixabay.