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The basics:

• Soar & Shore Airshow returns May 29–31, 2026, as summer kickoff event
• 2025 debut drew 150K attendees, generated $15M economic impact
• Headliners include F-22 Raptor, F-35B Lightning II demo teams
• Free beach and Boardwalk event with premium seating options available

The Soar & Shore Airshow Presented by Visit Atlantic City will return this spring for its second year following a strong debut. In 2026, organizers have moved the event to late May as an unofficial kickoff to the summer season.

Scheduled for May 29–31, 2026, the free, family-friendly spectacle will once again bring high-speed aerial performances to the skies above the beach and Boardwalk. Last year’s inaugural edition took place in mid-July as a reimagined replacement for the former Atlantic City Airshow.

Visit Atlantic City and Herb Gillen Airshows organize the event.

That first Soar & Shore Festival, held July 15–16, 2025, drew approximately 150,000 attendees and generated an estimated $15 million in economic impact. The figures highlight early success for the revamped event. Organizers replaced the long-running Atlantic City Airshow with this new concept, expanding it into a broader festival-style experience while maintaining its core aviation appeal.

“Last year, we reimagined the Atlantic City Airshow into something that completely exceeded all expectations and we’re excited to see how the Soar & Shore Airshow Presented by Visit Atlantic City thrives over new dates,” said Gary Musich, president and CEO of Visit Atlantic City. “By moving the Soar & Shore Airshow to May, visitors and locals can kick off the summer in Atlantic City, while experiencing a diverse lineup of entertainment, alongside everything that makes our destination special from our beaches and Boardwalk to local businesses, restaurants and casino resorts.”

Looking up

This year’s event will again be free to attend. Premium seating options are available for purchase in catered tents.

Early ticket access opens March 28 for Airshow Insights and Visit Atlantic City email subscribers. General public sales begin March 31 through the event’s website. The show will run daily from approximately noon to 3 p.m. along the beach and Boardwalk.

Headlining the 2026 show are two of the military’s most advanced aircraft: the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo Team and the U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II Demo Team. Additional performances are slated to include the USAF F-16C Fighting Falcons from the 177th Fighter Wing, a Soviet-era MiG-17F, aerobatic displays from Paul Bennet’s Wolf Pitts Pro, Warbird Thunder featuring the SNJ Texan, and Wingwalker Sam’s high-risk aerial stunt performance. Organizers note the lineup remains subject to change.

“You would be hard pressed to find a more exciting kickoff to summer event anywhere than experiencing firsthand the world’s most sophisticated aircraft soaring over the boardwalk and beaches of Atlantic City,” said show producer Herb Gillen. “Atlantic City has a well-earned national reputation for its top-quality entertainment and the Soar & Shore Airshow will provide the thrills and excitement that people have come to expect from this city.

“We expect families from across the region to flock to the beach this May for this incredible and free show.”

More information is available here.