Cleveland National Air Show

If you’re in Cleveland on Labor Day Weekend, that deafening roar coming from above is not your imagination. And, it’s worth checking it out for yourself. The Cleveland National Air Show is a staple end-of-summer event on the Downtown lakefront and a popular yearly destination for locals and out-of-town aircraft enthusiasts.

What To Do There

• For the uninitiated, The Cleveland National Air Show is kind of like watching “Top Gun” but instead of a TV screen, you’re looking at the sky. And instead of your couch, you’re watching from a mind-blowing vantage point on the shore of Lake Erie. The three-day show is held at Burke Lakefront Airport, so on one side, you have the expanse of Lake Erie. On the other side, there’s the beautiful Downtown skyline.
• Oh, and up above you there are fighter jets doing sick tricks over the water. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are perennial favorites, but other branches of the armed forces send their own demonstration flying and parachute teams, as well.
• But the Air Show is more than just fancy flying, inside the gates fans can hear the incredible narration and feel the heat from explosive pyrotechnics. Plus ground attractions include interactive displays, kid-friendly activities, drones and unique display aircraft.

What Else To Do

• Visit the Marjorie Rosenbaum Aviation Plaza located at the entrance to Burke Lakefront Airport. It is a dramatic tribute to Cleveland’s prominence during the “Golden Age of Aviation” when it hosted the National Air Race (1929-1949) and current role as the location of one of the longest running Air Shows in the United States (1964-present).
• If you like planes, visit the Cleveland History Center which is also home of the Crawford Auto-Aviation Collection. Or for an awesome space experience, stop by the Great Lakes Science center home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center which includes galleries, interactive exhibits, fascinating artifacts and amazing NASA media.