As the roar of aircraft engines faded into the sunset on Sunday, April 6, the 51st Annual Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo concluded a wildly successful week at Lakeland Linder International Airport. For six days, from April 1 to 6, aviation enthusiasts, families and industry pros filled the skies and airport grounds, marking another unforgettable chapter in what the aviation community calls “Spring Break for Pilots.” With an estimated crowd of over 200,000 attendees, this year’s event not only showcased jaw-dropping airshows and cutting-edge exhibits but also pumped millions into Florida’s economy.
The Sun’ N Fun Expo is the largest aviation event in Florida and the second-largest in the United States. Each year, pilots from all over the country fly to Lakeland to camp out under the wings of their airplanes and to meet and talk with other aviation enthusiasts about their shared passion. But Sun N’ Fun is so much more—for both pilots and the public, who turn out each day en masse. An “airshow on steroids,” Sun N’ Fun offers a full roster of over 500 vendors, technology demonstrations, workshops and even job recruiters for anything and everything aviation-related.
Daily airshows are the heartbeat of Sun ‘n Fun, with everything from small aerobatic planes to the latest high-tech fighters like the F-35 Lightning II taking to the skies daily. A crowd favorite, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels made a daily appearance from April 4 to 6, performing precision aerobatic maneuvers that left jaws dropped and kids pointing skyward.
One of the Expo’s signature events, night airshows, was held just after sunset on Wednesday and Saturday. An insane combination of airplanes, drones and fireworks all shared the night sky at the same time, presenting a dazzling display unlike anything you’ll see anywhere else in the world…