COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will soar over the skies of Colorado Springs this week.
The Thunderbirds will be part of the iconic graduation ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy Thursday morning and have practice flights scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Class of 2023 Graduation Ceremony takes place Thursday, June 1, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at Falcon Stadium.
President Joe Biden will serve as commencement speaker for the ceremony.
The graduation ceremony is open for in-person attendance for ticket-holding members of the public. The ceremony will also be live-streamed online.
Olympian Apolo Ohno is scheduled to fly with the Thunderbirds on Wednesday.
Thunderbirds schedule
Tuesday, May 30
- Thunderbirds arrive in Colorado Springs. The Thunderbirds will conduct a survey flight from approximately 12:20 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. before landing at Peterson Space Force Base.
Wednesday, May 31
- Thunderbirds are scheduled to fly a practice mission over the Falcon Stadium from approximately 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. and 2:15 to 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 1
- Thunderbirds are scheduled for a 30-minute performance above Falcon Stadium during the graduation ceremony from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m., just after the hat toss.
Viewing area
The best view of the Thunderbirds' post-graduation flyover will be east of Interstate near the Air Force Academy.
The Western Museum of Mining will hold a watch party nearby at 225 North Gate Boulevard. Tickets are $5 per vehicle and benefit the museum.
Traffic closures
- Wednesday: 10:15 to 11:30 a.m., 2:15 to 3:30 p.m.
- Thursday: 9 a.m. to approximately 2:30 p.m.
Closures include the Santa Fe Trail and roads under the show area:
- Stadium Boulevard - Pine Drive to North Gate Blvd
- Community Center Drive - Stadium Blvd. to E. Douglass Drive
- Academy Drive - Stadium Blvd. to Lot 6
- Santa Fe Trail from Tri-intersection Bridge to Parade Loop
This will be the only Thunderbirds performance in the region this year.
The 2023 Wings Over Warren airshow in Cheyenne was canceled earlier this year after the Thunderbirds canceled their appearance.
The 90th Missile Wing said this summer's airshow was canceled after the Thunderbirds determined that performing in Cheyenne "carries too much risk with lack of an approved emergency landing airfield nearby," F.E. Warren Air Force Base announced.
The airshow, which typically takes place during Cheyenne Frontier Days, had been scheduled for Wednesday, July 26. The Thunderbirds have been a staple of Cheyenne Frontier Days since their first demonstration in 1953. The team did not fly in 2020 due to cases of COVID-19 in the flight team.
The Thunderbirds' 2023 show schedule is available here.
Thunderbirds soar across Colorado
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