The Kāneʻohe Bay Air Show returns this Friday, Aug. 8 through Sunday, Aug. 10, at the Marine Corps Base Hawaiʻi. Friday is military appreciation day and is open to active and retired military service members, as well as Department of Defense employees and first responders, plus their families. The free event is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday.
“Of course, the headliner of the show is the U.S. Navy Blue Angels,” said Janna Herrington, a marketing specialist with Marine Corps Community Services Hawaiʻi. “They are the show headliners. They usually will be the last one to go up in the air in the afternoon. But there are a whole lot of things happening.”
Aloha State Daily compiled a few things to know ahead of the event expected to draw at least 100,000 people over three days:
Come early. Bring water bottles. The air show grounds open at 9 a.m. and the grandstands open at 10 a.m., according to the event’s website. “Come early,” Herrington said. “The earlier, the better.” Water bottles are allowed into the venue. Prohibited items include pets, personal drones and outside food or drinks (except water).
Catch featured performances. Groups include the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor, KC-135 Stratotanker (92nd Ops Group), Pacific Air Forces C-17 Globemaster III, and the U.S. Special Operations Command's “Para-Commandos” parachute team, as well as the B-52 Stratofortress (307th Bomb Wing), Fat Albert, MV-22 Osprey, MH-60 Seahawk, KC-130, AH-64 Apache and The Flying Leathernecks.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels (MCCS Hawaiʻi) 
The Kāneʻohe Bay Air Show features a variety of performances, including one from the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. (MCCS Hawaiʻi) 
U.S. Navy Blue Angels (MCCS Hawaiʻi) 
U.S. Navy Blue Angels. (MCCS Hawaiʻi)
Look inside military planes. Attendees of the event can walk up to planes, including military and commercial ones. “Even Hawaiian Airlines is coming, and they're bringing some of their planes,” Herrington said. “There's just going to be a lot of different options where people can go and check it out up close and personal.” The military airplanes on display will include ones that people can walk into, so they can see what it looks like from the inside.
Check out the car show. The three-day event also features a car show with vintage and muscle cars, plus racing cars, such as Lamborghinis.
Eat food. People can purchase food and drinks from vendors. There will also be a STEM Zone for keiki, with free interactive activities. The activities will be hosted by groups such as Hawaiʻi FIRST Robotics, Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy.
Listen to the band. The event also includes live music, including a performance from the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific Band.
Remember to carpool. Combining multiple families into one car is recommended. “We definitely encourage people to carpool, because it is going to be busy,” Herrington said. “And people have to be patient because they're going to be waiting in line to come onto the base and then going into the air show grounds.
Wear good shoes. Finally, Herrington encourages good walking shoes to make it easier to take advantage of all the activities. The event is free, but preferred ticketed seating closer to the performances is also available. Details.
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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
