After eight years, the wait is finally over.
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will return to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in mid June for a weekend of fascinating flight performances and educational exhibits.
“One of the missions for this air show specifically is, because it has been so long, is to showcase what Pax River is all about,” said Commander Stephen Porter, Base Air Operations officer and air show coordinator. “A lot of the tenant commands here on base will have aircraft around the event space that people can get up close to and take a look at and take pictures of.”
The last Blue Angels airshow in St. Mary's County was in 2018, and the group used to perform at Naval Air Station Patuxent River every two years. The pandemic put the bi-annual show on hold until the organization reached out two years ago about its return.
“It really is a team effort, and we’re lucky that we have a lot of subject matter experts here that can make this happen, especially because it’s a community event. We want everybody, as many people as can come, to see it,” Patrick Gordon, public affairs officer, said.
The weekend’s performers include Blue Angels, F-16 Viper Demo Team, Larry Kelley’s B-25 Panchito, Greg Colyer Ace Maker, RJ Gritter, Mike Goulian, U.S. Naval Academy’s “Sky Goats” Parachute Team and French Acrobatic Patrol.
“It’s great to see the things that we do every day through the eyes of someone that doesn’t do it every day and be reminded of how incredible this job is,” Porter said. “Seeing a kid watch an airplane fly by that I’ve seen fly by hundreds of times and kind of lose that thrill, but then you see the kid [saying] ‘Wow, that’s awesome’ … it’s a good reminder.”
Along with the aerial performances, the weekend event will provide visitors with insight into the base’s history and daily responsibilities, Porter said.
“It really gives the community who might not have an opportunity to come on board every day [and] really get to see behind the curtain what it is we do day to day,” Gordon said. “These are some of the cool things that you might see in the air right in front of you.”
Gates will open at 9 a.m. for the show on Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21, and the Blue Angels are set to end their performance at 4:30 p.m. both days. Afterward, they will sign autographs and meet with audience members before the event ends at 5:30 p.m.
The event is free to attend with plenty of activities catered toward children, including demonstrations, interactive stations and a bounce house. Individuals can purchase premiere seating, meal packages and merchandise if interested.
“A good relationship between both the community and the Navy is paramount to the success of any organization,” Porter said. “We understand also that we impact the community both in a positive way and in a negative way … so any chance that we have to give back to the community as well is a good thing.”
