California Airshow Includes Beach Runway

Scores of attendees, aircraft and performers will again flock to Huntington Beach this fall for the Pacific Airshow—a cornerstone event for Southern California and the largest airshow in the U.S. by attendance. 

To commemorate its return to Surf City Oct. 4-6, event officials made history by landing two aircraft on the beach—a preview of what’s to come as this year’s airshow marks the first time a temporary runway will be built on the sand giving spectators an up-close look at the action. The airshow is held right on the beach so aircraft launch and recover from a nearby airport.

“Our team is relentless in our pursuit of innovation and our commitment to continually evolve this event. This year is no exception as we will build the very first temporary ocean-front runway at an Airshow,” said Kevin Elliott, Pacific Airshow’s executive director. “Our vision has always been to bring the Airshow to the people and this new infrastructure will allow us to bring the public closer to our world than ever before.”

In addition to dozens of military and civilian performers, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team and the A-10 Demo Team are a few of the show’s most anticipated headliners. 

2024 marks the eighth year Pacific Airshow will return to Huntington Beach. According to the event, last year’s three-day gathering drew in an estimated 700,000 spectators with thousands more watching from nearby homes, rooftops and balconies from surrounding cities. 

“Pacific Airshow is a tentpole event on the City of Huntington Beach’s annual calendar,” said Gracey Van Der Mark, mayor of Huntington Beach. “The Airshow drives tremendous economic impact for our local businesses and provides a global exposure platform that attracts visitors throughout the year.”

More information can be found on the event’s website.