For some heart-pounding, adrenaline-filled entertainment, sometimes the movie theater doesn’t cut it. If you’re looking for something that goes above and beyond the typical entertainment fare and gives you a lot more visceral thrills, an air show might be for you. Air shows feature some of the most incredible feats of engineering on display, as high-speed fighter jets roar through the sky. Brave and skilled pilots perform death-defying stunts in front of a wowed audience in one of the most thrilling shows you can find.
Not all air shows are created equally, with some being much bigger than others. There is one massive air show mere weeks away from its 40th annual iteration. This one includes much more than just jets and stunt pilots, with a huge array of adrenaline-inducing performances that will delight audiences. The air show in question is the 40th annual California International Air Show.
The event takes place in Salinas, a mid-sized town in North-Central California. Salinas is a town of just over 160,000, but that population swells with tourists every year as the international air show nears. This year, the international air show will ring in the fall season with a bang. Taking place on October 30th and 31st, there will be two days of explosive action.
Tickets for the event start between $15-25 in the General Admission category. General Admission will be free for active military with a valid idea. For a more elite experience, you can pay $150 for Friday Night tickets in the Maverick Lounge. The Maverick Lounge is complete with food, drinks, live music, and dancing. The air show will take place at Salinas Municipal Airport.
If you’re wondering what the buzz is about, a lot is going on at the air show. For one, there will be vendors throughout selling delicious food and keeping you well fed. But that isn’t why you go to an air show. You go to see incredible stunts that look like action movies come to life. And the California International Air Show has mind-blowing performances in spades.
The air show will have some of the stunts you’d expect from an event like this, and some you wouldn’t. The U.S Air Force Thunderbirds will be flying, and they’re a team of elite army flight pilots that fly fighter jets synchronized through the air. Another demonstration from the army will be the U.S Navy F-35C. This is an aircraft that is used in U.S missions around the world. Seeing this plane in action will give you a sense of the power of these incredible machines.
This type of fare is awe-inspiring and exciting, but it is par for the course at a typical air show. If you’re looking for some entertainment that is a little more different from the standard, the California International Air Show has you covered there as well.
There will be drag racing, with Brendan Murry bringing his drag racing performance to the Salinas show for the first time. There will also be monster trucks mashing together in a showcase of the might of these gigantic vehicles. There will also be a visit from Hot Streak 2, a modified Chevy pick-up truck that shoots flames and can reach speeds of 350+ MPH. To top it all off, there will be skydiving. Jess Rodriguez, a military contractor who specializes in the art of throwing yourself out of a plane, will be performing for the spectators of this event.
There is something for everyone at this show, and if you enjoy fast cars, high-flying jets, and skilled stunt people, chances are you’ll have a good time at the California International Air Show. The California International Air Show is just one example of how increasingly popular air shows are becoming around the country. While air shows have existed for many years, their appeal as a lifestyle only seems to be increasing.
There are hundreds of air shows in the United States every year, and they are an accessible form of entertainment that just about everyone can enjoy. They also help bring in money to the local economy. People across California and the United States flock to Salinas for this event, bringing in tourism to a place that may not attract many tourists. The California International Air Show has also helped raise over $8 million for charities over its 40 years.
Air shows are a wild and exciting time, and the California International Air Show is sure to be a particularly thrilling one. If you live in the area or are looking to travel, there’s still time to buy tickets to this event. Air shows are a lifestyle attraction that appeals to American’s love of adventure, and the California International Air Show is sure to be an adrenaline-inducing ride.
