Blue Angels' Saturday show canceled as high winds hit Seattle's Seafair weekend
High winds forced organizers to cancel the U.S. Navy Blue Angels' Saturday performance at Seattle's 2026 Seafair Weekend Festival, disappointing thousands of spectators gathered along Lake Washington, though officials said the.
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels' Saturday performance at Seattle's 2026 Seafair Weekend Festival was canceled because of high winds over Lake Washington. Organizers announced the decision on the afternoon of August 1, 2026, and said the air show and hydroplane racing schedule were expected to resume Sunday, the festival's final day.
The Blue Angels canceled their Saturday performance at Seattle's Seafair Weekend Festival after high winds swept over Lake Washington. Organizers announced the decision on the afternoon of August 1, 2026, according to local reports, citing dangerous wind conditions. The cancellation grounded the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team on what was scheduled to be the second day of a three-day air show run. Seafair is Seattle's annual summer festival, anchored by hydroplane races and the Boeing Airshow over Lake Washington, where the Blue Angels fly six F/A-18 Super Hornets. The 2026 festival opened July 31 at Genesee Park, with the Navy jets having flown practice runs over the lake on the Thursday before the weekend, reports said. The scrubbed show disappointed thousands of spectators gathered along the lakeshore, according to local coverage. A Seafair meteorologist defended the call as the right decision, and Seafair President and CEO Emily Cantrell said the air show and racing schedule would resume Sunday, the festival's final day.
High winds ground the Blue Angels' Saturday show
The Blue Angels did not fly over Lake Washington on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Organizers of the Seafair Weekend Festival announced that afternoon that the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron's Saturday performance was canceled because of high winds, according to news reports. The announcement was made on social media, with organizers citing dangerous wind conditions, reports said.
The cancellation cut short what had been planned as a three-day run for the Blue Angels at Seafair, the annual summer festival that draws crowds to Genesee Park and the shores of Lake Washington for hydroplane races and the Boeing Airshow. The squadron, which flies six F/A-18 Super Hornets, is traditionally the festival's headline attraction.
Thousands of spectators who had gathered along the lakefront to watch the performance were left disappointed, according to local news coverage. The festival itself, which began July 31, continued with its other scheduled events.
Why organizers called it off
According to reports, a Seafair meteorologist defended the decision to ground the Saturday show, saying canceling was the right thing to do. Organizers cited dangerous wind conditions over Lake Washington, but did not disclose the specific wind speeds or weather thresholds that forced the call.
The cancellation cut into what was planned as a three-day run for Seafair's Boeing Airshow, scheduled from Friday through Sunday. The Blue Angels, the show's main attraction, fly six F/A-18 Super Hornets. The jets had already been over Seattle earlier in the week, conducting practice flights above Lake Washington on the Thursday before the festival weekend opened.
With Saturday scrubbed, the team's remaining scheduled appearances rested on the Friday and Sunday slots, leaving the precise shape of the weekend's flying programme uncertain as organizers weighed conditions day by day.
A festival weekend already on edge
The 2026 Seafair Weekend Festival opened on July 31, 2026, at Genesee Park in Seattle, drawing crowds to the shores of Lake Washington for hydroplane races, live music, food and beverage vendors, and the air show overhead. Seafair is the city's signature summer festival, a tradition stretching back to the first Torchlight Parade on August 12, 1950, and its centerpiece events now include the Seafair Cup hydroplane races and aerial performances that often feature the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.
This year's edition unfolded under a shadow. According to local reports, security concerns were heightened after a deadly shooting at the Bite of Seattle event in the week before the festival weekend. Spectators still gathered along the lake to watch the races and the jets, but the violence days earlier left organizers and attendees on edge as the festivities began.
First Torchlight Parade
Deadly shooting at Bite of Seattle event
Blue Angels practice flights over Lake Washington; activist groups protest the air shows
2026 Seafair Weekend Festival begins at Genesee Park in Seattle
Organizers announce cancellation of Saturday Blue Angels performance due to high winds; Seafair meteorologist defends the decision; thousands of spectators disappointed
Seafair President and CEO Emily Cantrell says air show and racing schedule will resume; organizers indicate Blue Angels expected to fly; FOX 13 Seattle plans Sunday broadcast coverage
Sunday schedule expected to resume
Organizers were looking ahead to Sunday even as Saturday's show was grounded. According to reports, Seafair President and CEO Emily Cantrell said the air show and racing schedule would resume on Sunday, the final day of the festival, and organizers indicated the Blue Angels were expected to fly. Whether that performance ultimately took place had not been confirmed at the time of reporting.
The planned resumption would restore the centerpiece of Seafair's weekend, with hydroplane racing on Lake Washington alongside the Navy jets. FOX 13 Seattle planned to broadcast coverage of the festival on Sunday, according to reports, giving those who missed Saturday's show another chance to watch.
Frequently asked questions
Why was the Blue Angels show canceled at Seafair 2026?
The Blue Angels' Saturday performance at the 2026 Seafair festival was canceled because of high winds. Organizers announced the decision on the afternoon of August 1, 2026, citing dangerous wind conditions. According to reports, a Seafair meteorologist defended the call, saying canceling the show was the right thing to do. The cancellation disappointed thousands of spectators gathered along Lake Washington.
Did the Blue Angels fly on Sunday at Seafair 2026?
Organizers indicated the Blue Angels show was expected to proceed on Sunday, August 2, 2026, the final day of the festival. Seafair President and CEO Emily Cantrell said the air show and racing schedule would resume on Sunday after the weather disruptions. Whether the Blue Angels actually flew on Sunday has not been confirmed in the reporting available.
When and where was Seafair Weekend 2026 held?
The 2026 Seafair Weekend Festival began on July 31, 2026, at Genesee Park in Seattle. The festival ran through the weekend, with Sunday, August 2, as its final day. Events included hydroplane races, live music, food and beverage vendors, and the Boeing Airshow over Lake Washington, which was scheduled to run Friday through Sunday and featured the Blue Angels.
What is Seafair and what events does it include?
Seafair is an annual summer festival in Seattle, Washington, featuring boating events, an air show, and neighborhood events. Its main attractions include the Torchlight Parade, first held on August 12, 1950, the Seafair Cup hydroplane races, and an air show that often features the Blue Angels. The Blue Angels fly six F/A-18 Super Hornets as the headline act of Seafair's Boeing Airshow.
Was there a shooting before Seafair Weekend 2026?
Yes. According to reports, a deadly shooting occurred at the Bite of Seattle event in the week before Seafair Weekend 2026. Spectators gathered along Lake Washington to watch the hydroplane races and Blue Angels performances with security concerns heightened after the shooting. Details of the shooting, including the date and casualties, have not been confirmed in the reporting available.
Compiled from reporting by 7 independent outlets. How we source our reporting.
