For six days in April, the sky above Lakeland Linder International Airport belonged to the jets. SUN ‘n FUN 2026 — the aerospace expo that has grown from a fly-in campout to America’s second-largest aviation gathering — drew an estimated 200,000 visitors to central Florida for a programme that ran the full spectrum from homebuilt biplanes to the F-22 Raptor at full afterburner. This year’s edition coincided with America’s 250th anniversary, and the organisers leaned into the theme with military demonstrations, patriotic flyovers, and a Saturday night show that ended with fireworks and a formation of vintage warbirds. The daily airshow ran from 1 PM to 5:30 PM, and the headliners did not disappoint. The USAF Thunderbirds closed the programme on multiple days, threading their F-16s through diamond passes and opposing knife-edge crosses at speeds that turned the Florida humidity into visible condensation trails. The F-22 Raptor Demo Team — arguably the most dramatic solo act in military aviation — demonstrated why fifth-generation performance translates into airshow spectacle: vertical climbs from walking speed, pedal turns that seem to defy inertia, and high-alpha passes where the jet hangs on its thrust vectoring like a 40,000-pound hummingbird.

Military Metal Over Florida

The military demonstration slate was one of the deepest in recent SUN ‘n FUN history. Beyond the Thunderbirds and F-22, the Navy sent its F/A-18 Rhino Demo Team — flying the Super Hornet through high-speed passes and vapour-pulling breaks that reminded the crowd why the Rhino remains the backbone of carrier aviation. A C-17 Globemaster III demonstrated short-field performance that defies its size, dropping onto the Lakeland runway with a ground roll that would embarrass many regional turboprops.

For aviation photographers, the Florida light — flat, bright, and unforgiving — is both a challenge and a gift. The military jets painted contrails of condensation in the humid air, creating photographic opportunities that drier climates cannot offer. Social media lit up with images of Thunderbirds trailing white streamers against the deep blue Florida sky.

The Civilian Side

SUN ‘n FUN has always been a two-headed event: military spectacle in the afternoon, grassroots aviation everywhere else. The fly-in camping area — where pilots land, park their aircraft, and pitch tents under the wings — was packed as usual. Homebuilders, vintage aircraft restorers, and experimental aviation enthusiasts filled the static display with everything from meticulously polished Staggerwings to carbon-fibre canards with glass cockpits.

This year introduced a dedicated Composite Airshow, reflecting the industry’s accelerating shift toward advanced materials. Carbon fibre, Kevlar, and glass-reinforced plastics have moved from exotic to standard in both certified and experimental categories, and SUN ‘n FUN gave builders a dedicated stage to show what modern composites can do. The civilian aerobatic programme featured veterans like Bob Carlton in his jet-powered sailplane, Melissa Burns and the Shooting Stars, and the Titan Aerobatic Team. The Trojan Thunder formation — six North American T-28 Trojans in close formation — delivered a warbird performance that bridged the gap between the military and civilian worlds.

Saturday Night Under the Fireworks

The Saturday night show has become SUN ‘n FUN’s signature event. Pyrotechnic-equipped aircraft — trailing fireworks and LED light systems — flew against the dark Florida sky while ground-based fireworks synchronised to music. The effect is part airshow, part concert, part Fourth of July. An opening-night concert earlier in the week featured country artists Angie K, Cooper Alan, and Thomas Mac, cementing the expo’s evolution from pure aviation event to full-spectrum outdoor festival.

Why SUN ‘n FUN Matters

In a world of multi-billion-dollar defence contracts and billion-dollar business jets, SUN ‘n FUN is a reminder that aviation still belongs to the people who build, fly, and love aeroplanes. The kid who gets free admission and watches a Raptor demo at age ten is the airline captain or aerospace engineer of 2046. The retiree who spent three years building a RV-10 in his garage and flew it to Lakeland is the reason general aviation survives. Two hundred thousand people came to Lakeland in April to watch jets, eat funnel cakes, and remember why humans first looked at birds with envy. That is not a niche hobby. That is a movement. Sources: SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, AVweb, WTSP, Vintage Aviation News