Thunderbirds to make appearance at 2025 air show
SWANTON – A loud disruption forced emcee Senior Master Sgt. Beth Holliker to pause her speech during a press conference at the Grand Aire Hangar. A distant, low-rumble of an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet crescendoed and passed by before she resumed.
It was a fitting disruption during the press conference to announce the 2025 Toledo Air Show to be held in May at the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport in Swanton.
“Military aircraft come here all the time,” reacted Holliker, 180th Fighter Wing public affairs superintendent and chief enlisted manager, as she stood in front of an F-16 on display inside the hangar on Tuesday.
The press conference was led by Thomas J. Winston, president and CEO of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, Col. Curtis Voltz, deputy wing commander of the 180th Fighter Wing, and Lance Woodworth, president and CEO of Destination Toledo.
The press conference was kicked off with a short highlight reel that championed the unbridled power and spirit of pilots and aircraft.
Winston said the Toledo Air Show will be great for the community, and called it a celebration of innovation, skill and in the spirit of aviation.
“And we have secured the Thunderbirds!” he exclaimed. “We’re happy to have them back after nine years.”
Eight pilots make up the elite United States Air Force Thunderbirds squadron, and more than 100 supporting personnel help make the performance and precision of the Thunderbirds’ aeronautical stunts a memorable and safe occasion.
“We express interest every year,” Winston said about the Toledo Air Show committee’s dedication to bringing large acts to Toledo. He cited this tenacity as the reason for securing the Thunderbirds.
He noted that Toledo’s last air show was in 2019, and that scheduling and availability of flying acts dictate the frequency of the shows.
Other acts confirmed for the event on May 10-11 include performances from Toledo’s own 180th Fighter Wing’s New England pilot Rob Holland, the Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Show, and vintage planes associated with “Class of 45.”
Winston hinted that other potential air show acts were being considered, and that Toledo had representatives at the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) in Las Vegas, Nevada this week vying for other flyers to come to Toledo in May.
“This event is important for our region. It’s a boost to the local economy, showcasing our city and airport to a national audience” said Winston.
Woodworth estimated the event would pull in 50-70,000 people for the weekend, and figured about a $1 million in sales would be totaled, based off of the 2016 revenues from the last time the Thunderbirds were in town.
“While it is big fun, it is big business,” Woodworth said.
In the upcoming weeks, Woodworth said he is looking forward to preparing Toledo for the national stage. And for those who are new to Toledo, he described it as “a first date with our destination,” making it clear he intended to leave a good impression.
“Toledo is for everyone,” he said, citing Toledo’s “midwestern hospitality” as the city’s strongest asset. “It isn’t like that everywhere.”
Holliker explained that the civilian side of the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport will be working together with local first responders to make the event happen.
“We just pull them altogether in one event and it should be pretty seamless because we do this regularly,” she said.
The Toledo Air Show invites military and first responders in uniform and kids 3 and to attend for FREE.
To buy tickets and parking passes: Ticket Office
