ROME, Ga. — The US Navy Blue Angels won’t be flying over the skies in Rome, Georgia this weekend.
The Wings Over North Georgia Air Show announced Thursday that the Blue Angels’ appearance has been canceled due to the ongoing government shutdown.
“The most recent vote today by the U.S. Senate did not result in an approved budget. Because there isn’t another vote scheduled until Monday, we do not see a reasonable path for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels to perform this weekend,” organizers said in a statement.
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The Wings Over North Georgia Air Show will continue Friday, Saturday and Sunday with performances from civilians and retired military pilots at the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.
“I don’t build a Blue Angels show, I build an air show,” President John Cowan said. “My show has a lot of moving parts and teams, so we’re going to get through this as if nothing happened.”
Organizers said ticket holders can receive a discount code for a future air show, but did not say how much the discount would be.
“Of course our military is a big part of our country, and it’s great to celebrate them, but it doesn’t mean the air show doesn’t go on, and we have a great celebration of aviation,” Ret. U.S. Air Force Col. Jerry Kirby said.
Kirby told Channel 2’s Tom Regan that he will perform an aerobatic routine in a 1950s military training plane.
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The Blue Angels’ 2026 schedule currently does not have a Rome date. They are scheduled to perform at the Atlanta Air Show in Peachtree City, whose show was also impacted by the government shutdown.
The US Air Force Thunderbirds had to cancel their appearance. The Atlanta Air Show is offering complimentary admission to the 2026 show for those who had 2025 tickets.
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