BILOXI — The thrust of high performance military jets and the aerobatics of top warbirds will perform above the Mississippi Gulf Coast this weekend as the Navy’s Blues Angels headline the Blues Over Biloxi air show.
The Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team, and more will perform on Saturday and Sunday (July 21/22) over an aerobatic box centered above Deer Island. Local U.S. Coast Guard aircraft will also demonstrate special maneuvers over Biloxi Bay.
“We are very excited about Blues Over Biloxi and we are so proud of the city from bringing this here for the citizens,” Air show spokesperson Jerry Taranto said on Wednesday. “People who come out will not be disappointed.”
The Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron known as the Blue Angels will perform today and Sunday beginning at 2:30 p.m. Lead by Boss CDR Eric “Popeye” Doyle, their six blue and gold F/A-18 Hornet jets will perform slow passes, high speed aerobatics, and close out with their popular delta formation.
An Air Force KC-135 and an Army UH-60 Huey will also perform several fly-bys across northern Biloxi Bay. The World War II AT-6 Texans of the AeroShell Aerobatic Team will demonstrate their maneuvers on Saturday only.
The beach front air show begins at 1 p.m. and is free to the public each day. Visitors can also purchase tickets on-site to watch from a special hospitality chalet at the show center. Over 20 top food trucks and vendors will be on site on the Great Lawn and across the beach region.
The prime public viewing locations are along Beach Blvd just north of Deer Island. Biloxi Mayor Andrew Clitch expects over 100,000 visitors to arrive from across the region to watch the first air show on Mississippi’s coastline.
“The traffic plan is starting on Saturday around 7 a.m. all the traffic signal from Porter Ave. to just south of the Biloxi Bay Bridge will be in the flashing mode,” City of Biloxi spokesperson Cecilia Dobbs Walton said on Wednesday. “Police officers will be at each intersection to allow pedestrians to cross at those intersections.”
City officials are expecting traffic arriving on both days to be heavy and encourage the public to leave early and plan ahead. “Park in public parking areas — do not park on sidewalks, do not park on medians,” Walton added. “Get there early and expect to leave late.”
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
