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…