The California Capital Airshow celebrated its 20th anniversary in Sacramento, featuring aviation displays, family activities, and a farewell performance by the Royal Canadian Snowbirds.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
The California Capital Airshow returned to Sacramento this weekend, celebrating its 20th anniversary and coinciding with the United States’ 250th birthday.
Selena Lawrence, a third-year attendee, shared her excitement about the event. “It’s just for the great family time. It’s good to be out here. I know my husband enjoys it, my kids enjoy it, and it’s good to just be here,” she said.
For many families, the airshow provided an opportunity to experience aviation up close. Benny Chung, a C-5M co-pilot, highlighted the importance of inspiring the younger generation. “It’s awesome to see big smiles on their faces and hopefully get to inspire them to go into aviation maybe,” Chung said.
Others came to see their favorite performers take to the skies.
“When the actual show starts, probably the Thunderbirds once again. They’re just classics, very interesting to see,” said Frank Lawrence, another attendee.
The event also featured unique attractions, such as a UPS cargo plane that allowed visitors to explore the inside and learn more about the aviation industry.
One standout display was a bedazzled airplane, created by Anastasia Long, known as “Her Royal Flyness.”
“It was in a junkyard, and we decided, you know what? An airplane has never ever been bedazzled before. Let’s go ahead and do it. Nobody’s thought of this before, why not try it? Here we are about nine months later, still bedazzling,” Long said.
Long also emphasized the importance of inspiring young girls to pursue aviation.
“A lot of the times, you see these airplanes and there are men standing next to it, not women. So here a little girl sees this, it not only grabs their attention, but it gets them excited and want to get involved in aviation and learn about what it’s like to be a pilot,” she said.
Their goal is to add 1.7 million rhinestones to the aircraft. Currently at about 600,000, Long hopes to be done by 2027.
While some attendees enjoyed the airshow up close, others found creative ways to watch.
“Here with friends, figured they’re sold out today so it’s nice and easy to be able to park on the side of the road, put up a popup, pop up some chairs and watch,” said Colby Fleischer, who watched from the roadside.
Saturday’s sold-out show featured a special farewell performance in the sky. Darcy Brewer, representing the California Capital Airshow, explained the significance of the event.
“We have the Thunderbirds flying with the Snowbirds. Royal Canadian Snowbirds have chosen Sacramento to be their – it’s what’s called a fini-flight – it’ll be the last time they perform for the public in their beloved tutor jets after 55 years,” Brewer said.
While Saturday’s show was sold out, tickets for Sunday’s event are still available online. Each ticket covers one adult and up to six children, with parking included.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google