Watch Highlights From Soar & Shore Festival Atlantic City July 2025 Air Show

A Grand Start Over the Beach

This July, Atlantic City skies came alive with the Soar & Shore Festival air show, held on July 16 and part of a week of festive events. The show kicked off at noon with the Misty Blues Parachute Team, an all-women skydiving group whose precise formations are a rare sight in the sky. Next, Nathan Hammond’s Super Chipmunk pulled off a high-energy aerobatic routine, twisting and rolling in a lively display.

The Coast Guard MH‑65 Dolphin helicopter followed with a search-and-rescue demo, showing how crews might save lives at sea. Soon after, four F‑16 jets from New Jersey’s 177th Fighter Wing roared overhead in tight formation, their flybys echoing across the boardwalk. A B‑25 Mitchell bomber, a well-known World War II plane, appeared next, its presence a reminder of earlier air warfare.

Diverse Aircraft and Thrilling Acts

The festival also featured a Vietnam‑era UH‑1H Huey, joined by the character Smokey Bear, linking aviation to famous public messaging. Warbird Thunder, an aerobatic team, dazzled the crowd, and the KC‑46 Pegasus tanker appeared, showing how modern jets get fuel while flying. Third Strike Wingwalking offered a unique twist with two performers walking on the wings while the plane flew, then shifting to a solo act.

A restored FM‑2 Wildcat, flown by Thom Richard, brought back a classic U.S. Navy fighter’s look in action. Skip Stewart, an award‑winning aerobatic pilot, followed with daring maneuvers that showed off his skill. The closing act came from a Cold War‑era Soviet MiG‑17 jet, providing a rare glimpse of a different aviation lineage.

The all‑free event drew families to the beach, offering food, entertainment, and special offerings at Bally’s Beach Bar. It was part of a weekend filled with fireworks, car shows, silent films, and more, creating a lively festival atmosphere across Atlantic City.

Keep going for the video below: