Thunder Over the Waves Airshow to Return to Wildwood

The Thunder Over the Waves Airshow will return in 2026.

Event organizers said next year's aerial spectacle plans to offer an expanded lineup of performers and enhanced entertainment, building on the success of its debut this year.

The Thunder Over the Waves Airshow in the Wildwoods, New Jersey, has scheduled Sept. 11, 2026, as a practice day and Sept. 12 for the main event.

According to the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA), this year's inaugural airshow attracted more than 133,000 visitors and featured 15 headline aerial acts. The show included military and custom aircraft aerobatics, parachuting, and aerial stunts, along with multiple events that took place on Sept. 5 and 6.

Organized by the GWTIDA, which also served as the primary sponsor, the 2025 Airshow generated an estimated $33.2 million in economic impact. 

“The debut of our inaugural Thunder Over the Waves Airshow exceeded all expectations. Our goal was to present a family-friendly event that would entice visitors to return to our island the weekend after Labor Day. The Airshow rivaled the attendance and excitement of our largest midsummer weekends,” said Louis M. Belasco, GWTIDA executive director, told The Patch of Ocean City, New Jersey.

For more information about the 2026 Thunder Over the Waves Airshow, contact GWTIDA at 609-729-9000 or email info@wildwoodsnj.com.