Blue Angels thrill Brunswick crowd with strong Maine connections
Blue Angels pilots and crew from Freeport, Durham and Bowdoinham gave Brunswick's air show a distinctly local edge as thousands packed the airport.
The Great State of Maine Air Show drew one of the biggest crowds in Brunswick over the weekend, and the loudest response came when the U.S. Navy Blue Angels swept through their 45-minute routine at Brunswick Executive Airport. The show mixed national-level aviation with a Midcoast identity, thanks to several Maine connections that put familiar names on the flight line.
The official schedule placed the event at Brunswick Executive Airport on July 11 and 12, with tickets sold online only. General admission, premium box seats and Flight Line Club options were offered, while general parking was free and limited VIP parking was available. The airport sits on the former Naval Air Station Brunswick site, now Brunswick Landing, which is managed by the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority after the base closure.
The Blue Angels brought the kind of precision that has made the team one of the Navy’s best-known demonstrations since its founding in 1946. The team now flies F/A-18 Super Hornets and includes more than 150 active-duty Sailors and Marines. In Brunswick, the routine featured synchronized takeoffs, close passes, rolls and head-on maneuvers that kept spectators watching the sky from start to finish.
What made the show feel especially close to home was who was connected to it. Lt. Cmdr. Connor O’Donnell is a Freeport native, Sgt. Bryan Riquier of Durham works on the Blue Angels’ support aircraft, and Kaleigh Temple, originally from Bowdoinham, helped maintain the Super Hornet jets. That gave the weekend a Sagadahoc and Midcoast feel even as the performance itself came from one of the country’s most recognizable military flight teams.
The event’s reach went beyond the flight line. Organizers expected tens of thousands of spectators and an estimated $20 million boost for the Midcoast economy as visitors filled hotels, restaurants and other businesses. The 2026 lineup also included the Royal Air Force Red Arrows and the U.S. Air Force F-35 Demonstration Team, which made its first-ever Maine appearance. The show was also the only air show in New England to feature a U.S. military jet team for America’s 250th birthday year.
Security remained part of the story throughout the weekend. Officials said drones were detected over the air show on Saturday, creating a safety concern at a former military airfield that once served as one of Maine’s most important naval installations.
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