The Vero Beach Air Show is a Top Flight Operation

In a couple of weeks, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will blaze across our sky. Other daring pilots, as well, will soar and dive above Vero Beach Regional Airport as the seventh Vero Beach Air Show thrills audiences and benefits the entire community.

What makes this air show so remarkable is the fact that it is an all-volunteer affair, probably one of the largest and most successful all-volunteer community events on the Treasure Coast. It all happens without a hitch due to the men and women in the community—virtually all with full-time jobs, by the way—who spend 18 months planning and executing the show, recruiting more than 1,000 volunteers to train and then work the three-day extravaganza.

Most of the top volunteers and their recruits return show after show because of their love of aviation and the satisfaction they get from giving back to the community. Many of the performers also return, having developed relationships that can be attributed to the professionalism and hospitality from the show brass. In addition, they point to the reception from spectators, many of whom are young and inspired by the experience.

Proof of this relationship comes from the Blue Angels, the show’s main attraction since 2014. In 2024, they named Vero Beach the Civilian Air Show of the Year.

Todd Howder, who has been fascinated with aviation since he was a boy growing up in Vero Beach, spearheaded the air show over a decade ago. He put together a board of directors, and they formed a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of supporting children in the community and honoring the military. The first show was staged in 2013; it was held again in 2014 but has been biennial ever since, with the exception of 2020, when it was canceled due to the COVID outbreak.

Referring to the initial launch of the show, Howder admits, “It was a big risk. Would we make any money from sponsorships and attendees? Would we get blowback from the community about noise?” These were some of the concerns that proved unfounded. “The sponsors, such as Piper Aircraft, put their faith in us and the community supported us.”

The following year, the Blue Angels agreed to participate, and the success of the Vero Beach Air Show in the ensuing years has been undeniable. Attendance now tops 25,000.

“Having the Blue Angels in such a small town is amazing,” Howder says, “and having them in such proximity to the crowd really sets us apart from other air shows.”

Rob Lucas, president of the air show and a pilot for over 30 years, extols another distinguishing feature: “We are a nonprofit, all-volunteer event. When a commercial company produces an air show, guess what? When they leave, the money goes with them. Our air show has donated in excess of $250,000 back to the community through different nonprofit organizations.” These beneficiaries include the Veterans Council of Indian River County; two service clubs that focus on children: the Exchange Club of Indian River and the Exchange Club of Vero Beach; and HALO No-Kill Rescue.

In addition, 20-plus nonprofit groups that run the food, beer, and novelty concessions during the show keep 10 percent of their sales, plus donations they receive on-site.

Howder explains that the three-day air show also generates an estimated $1.3 million infusion into the local economy with spending from show officials and visitors on hotels, rental cars, food, fuel, and more. And that’s just the beginning. He adds, “Beyond the financial impact to our nonprofits and the community, look what the air show brings with this event: everyone comes together and is energized. We show our patriotism and appreciation for the military, people are having fun, and children are inspired by what they see and by talking to the performers, including the Blue Angels.”

Volunteers work the show in such capacities as manning concessions, parking, ticketing, directing people, and assisting in the VIP tent.

“There are a lot of moving parts to make it work,” says Kim Prado, concession committee volunteer chair. “We now have a reputation, and people come to us because they want to be a part of something this big. In addition, we make sure they are taken care of during the event, and we show our appreciation.” Indeed, two appreciation events are held following the show, one for the concession volunteers at the Heritage Center, where checks are presented to the participating nonprofits, and one for the rest of the volunteers at the Majestic 11 theater.

Volunteer coordinator Michelle Dion echoes Prado’s sentiment. “We listen to them and make changes. For example, they asked if they could work shifts, and we said, ‘Yes, good idea!’”

Dion now uses a digital volunteer app that allows her to schedule shifts and send messages to volunteers according to their job categories. “I absolutely love them, and they come first while they are working, because there is no show without them.” She is also known to keep in touch with her steadfast volunteers throughout the year, sending them birthday and Christmas messages.

The performers also enjoy the personal touch. Tony Remudo flies a MiG-17 military airplane in the show, a real crowd-pleaser. “It’s a great air show,” he says. “What I enjoy most is the energy of the people who attend and want to fly. Air shows, especially in Vero Beach, are an open door for the young or anyone who might want to be involved in aviation to talk to the performers. This is the rewarding part of flying in an air show, because you are most likely going to change someone’s life.”

These opportunities for interaction go beyond the show itself, extending to the Saturday night Food Fest in Riverside Park, which is open to the public. The performers delight in mingling with local residents and one another while sampling the food truck fare.

“The event is unusual in that they bring the crowd to meet us,” says Remudo. “Also, they treat us like family here.”

The person responsible for much of this attention is Joel Scher, the air show’s director. “My primary responsibility is coordinating the performers and working with the FAA and air traffic control to make sure everything is done properly and everyone is safe,” he explains.

Hospitality for the performers is another big part of the job, but he is quick to emphasize that it is a team effort. “We want to make the performers feel welcome and to have a good time,” Scher says. “Yes, they are here to do a job, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have fun while doing it. So we try to do little social events for them. We make sure they never want for anything, that they are always fed, have transportation, and the hotel is ready for them.”

He adds, “We strive to make us stand out, and the performers notice that.”

Performer Jerry McCart agrees: “The relationship with the folks at the Vero Beach Air Show extends beyond a professional relationship. We have become friends.”

The 2026 air show will bring the Blue Angels to Vero Beach for the fifth time. (They were absent in 2016, having stood down for a time after the tragic Tennessee crash that killed No. 6 pilot Captain Jeff Kuss.) Vero Beach is a short journey for the F/A-18 Super Hornets from their Pensacola home base.

Considering that hundreds of cities submit requests to host the Blue Angels each year, and that only about 30 are selected, it is clear that just making it onto their itinerary every other year is an impressive feat. But being named Civilian Air Show of the Year in December 2024 was a particularly meaningful honor for an air show that takes place at the precise location of Naval Air Station Vero Beach, the core of our local World War II heritage.

Jeff Devlin, who serves as the show’s liaison for the Blue Angels, was on hand at the International Council of Air Shows Convention in Las Vegas with the team to accept the award. “Just some of the reasons they like Vero Beach and why we
won the award include the timely and accurate completion of administrative and logistical requirements, preparedness by the board of directors, and community friendliness and support,” he explains.

He adds, “They really enjoy the Saturday night Food Fest in Riverside Park and the chance to interact with the public.”

The 2026 Vero Beach Air Show will take place May 15 to 17, with Piper Aircraft as the presenting sponsor. Check out the website, veroairshow.com, to see all the latest information and to purchase tickets.