Air Show

Experience the thrill of the skies at the Vidalia Onion Festival Air Show! Get ready for an unforgettable day featuring the spectacular Blue Angels, the precision of the Georgia State Patrol's flying team, and an array of incredible aerial performers. Dive into the excitement with available rides that bring you face-to-face with the clouds. Ensure your spot at this must-see event — tickets are selling quickly. Don’t miss your chance to witness aviation excellence and daring stunts that will leave you in awe. Check below for time, date, and ticket details to be part of this high-flying adventure.
Saturday April 27 and Sunday April 28
Gates open at 9 am
Show begins at 12pm

The Blue Angels

The Vidalia Onion Festival is thrilled to host the awe-inspiring Blue Angels Air Show, marking a highlight of our annual celebration. This year's festival is especially significant as we proudly serve as the only show site in Georgia for the Blue Angels, the United States Navy's flight demonstration squadron renowned for their precision flying and breathtaking aerial maneuvers. The appearance of the Blue Angels in Vidalia offers a rare and exciting opportunity for festival-goers to witness first-hand the skills and daring of some of the best pilots in the world.

As the Blue Angels soar through the skies of Vidalia, attendees will be treated to a display of aerobatic excellence that symbolizes the courage, commitment, and teamwork of our armed forces. This exclusive engagement underscores the Vidalia Onion Festival's commitment to bringing unique and unforgettable experiences to our community. It's a testament to the festival's stature and appeal, not just within Georgia, but nationally. We invite you to join us for this spectacular show, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the Blue Angels perform right here in Georgia, amidst the festive spirit and camaraderie that defines the Vidalia Onion Festival.

Additional performers 

Titan Aerobatic Team

For four decades, the TITAN Aerobatic Team has thrilled audiences all over North and Central America ​with their tight formations, billowing smoke systems and attention-getting radial engines. The Titan Team thrills millions every year, and has become one of the most recognizable and well-known air show performance teams in the world.

GSP Aerial Swat Demo Team

The GSP Aviation Division was created in 1974 and provides aerial support to state, federal and local agencies in support of public safety interest of the citizens of Georgia. The division has grown into a diverse rotorcraft unit and has developed unique capabilities to assist in saving lives.

Buck Roetman

Buck Roetman, with over 42 years of flying experience and more than 18,000 flight hours, boasts a diverse aviation background. Holding multiple FAA certificates and being typed in various aircraft, including Learjet, Westwind, Citation, Astra, CJ, and Hawker, he is also an Airframe and Power plant mechanic. Roetman's fabricating expertise, initially honed in the racing industry, has led to the construction and modification of over 10 airplanes. As the president of Wild Horse Aviation, based in Luthersville, Georgia, he specializes in aircraft acquisition, maintenance, fabrication, and export. Additionally, since 1998, Roetman has been an air show performer, flying a modified Pitts S2S with a Lycoming AEIO-540 engine. His sponsors include Grand Rapids Technology, MT-Propellers, Softie Parachutes, Whelan Engineering, Tempest, and Graham Aircraft Engines.

Skipper Hyle

John "Skipper" Hyle, a seasoned aviator with a diverse flying career, joins our airshow's acrobatic performances. His journey began with a strong ambition to become a fighter pilot, leading him to join the United States Air Force and fly F-16s, followed by instructing in the T-38. Beyond military service, Skipper's passion for flight took him to commercial aviation, where he's now a senior Captain with Southwest Airlines. With over 14,000 flight hours and multiple aircraft types under his belt, including warbirds and acrobatic planes, Skipper brings unparalleled expertise and thrilling aerial displays to our airshow.

Scott Francis

Scott Francis has been flying in airplanes for as long as he can remember. Born and raised in Wichita, KS, he flew often with his father who was an experimental test pilot. Scott received his private license in high school, and has gone on to earn his commercial, instrument, multi-engine, and Airline Transport Pilot certifications. He has logged over 7,000 flight hours in more than 40 types of aircraft and is type rated in the Dash 8, King Air 350, and Boeing 737. Scott is a Captain for a major U.S. airline.
Scott began flying aerobatics and competing in aerobatic competitions in 2003. He rapidly moved up from Sportsman level, to Intermediate, Advanced, and finally the top level -- Unlimited. Scott has been performing in airshows since 2006, starting with a Pitts S-1T, then moving on to a Giles 202, and currently flying the ultra-high performance MXS aircraft.
Today, Scott possesses a surface level aerobatic waiver and flies in more than 30 airshows each year. He particularly enjoys interacting with spectators before and after each show. When he isn't flying an "away show", he can be seen performing at the Flying Circus in Bealeton, VA every Sunday from May through October.

Scott Yoak

Scooter is a 2008 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach Campus with a major in Aviation Maintenance Science. While attending school at ERAU, Scott obtained his Commercial Single and Multi Engine Land, Single Engine Sea, Flight Instructor, and Airframe and Powerpant Mechanic. In between all of the school flying, he built hours by banner towing and instructing in the family T-6 Texan before checking out in the P-51 at the age of 20.

After Graduation, Scooter moved back to West Virginia, obtained his Inspection Authorization, and has picked up the family restoration and fabrication business. He currently holds a Surface Level Aerobatic waiver in the P-51 and performs in 20-25 shows a year. His current Total time is 6,500+ hours and over 1000 in P-51’s.  

Commemorative Airforce Corsair

The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought’s manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and Brewster-built aircraft F3A. From the first prototype delivery to the U.S. Navy in 1940, to final delivery in 1953 to the French, 12,571 F4U Corsairs were manufactured by Vought,in 16 separate models, in the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U.S. history (1942–53).

Visit Us

100 Vidalia Sweet Onion Dr Vidalia, Ga 30474

Subscribe

Want the sweetest Vidalia Onion Festival news and updates? Sign up for our newsletter!

© 2023 Vidalia Onion Festival. All rights reserved.