Florida International Air Show Returns to Punta Gorda Nov 7-8: MiG-17 and A-4 Skyhawk Headline Lineup
Punta Gorda Airport in Charlotte County, Florida, hosts the 2026 Florida International Air Show on November 7-8. According to the organizers, this year's show is themed around the 250th anniversary of the United States: gates open at 9 a.m. on both days, flying begins at noon, and the show runs rain or shine, with free parking included in admission.
The published lineup, per the organizers and the Charlotte County Economic Development office, features a Cold War-era MiG-17 fighter and a Vietnam-era TA-4J Skyhawk trainer, alongside aerobatic pilots Kevin Coleman and Australia's Aarron Deliu, Franklin's Flying Circus and The Chuters jump team. The county office also notes that the U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team has withdrawn from this year's show following a military decision; performers and the flying order remain subject to change on the day.
The Florida International Air Show has run at Punta Gorda Airport since 1981 and is staged by an all-volunteer nonprofit; the 2023 edition drew a record crowd of nearly 45,000. The 2024 show was canceled after Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck Florida, and the 2025 federal government shutdown grounded several military acts, making this year's edition a bid for a full return after two disrupted years.
For families, the organizers, Charlotte County Community Services and the Charlotte Community Foundation have launched the 'Jet-Set & Read' challenge, through which schoolchildren can earn free admission by completing aviation-themed reading. The airport is at 28000 A-1 Airport Road, Punta Gorda; organizers advise arriving early, as traffic around the airport is heavy on show days.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 米格-17「壁画」战斗机飞行中（资料图）。Eric Friedebach 摄，CC BY 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / A MiG-17 'Fresco' in flight (file photo). Photo by Eric Friedebach, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
