A U.S. Navy Blue Angel flies over Chicago. Photo courtesy of the City of Chicago

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights headline along with a wide variety of military and civilian demonstration teams

The 57th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show, presented by Shell and the City of Chicago, will return Aug. 15 and 16 along the lakefront from Fullerton to Oak Street, with North Avenue Beach serving as show center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Strong in tradition and one of the largest free admission events of its kind, the show headliners include the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights.

“The Chicago Air and Water Show is a summertime favorite, providing exciting family entertainment in the skies above Lake Michigan,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “For more than half a century, this event has grown into a spectacular display of aviation’s finest pilots in a unique setting making it a destination for residents and visitors alike.”

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels have been astounding audiences since 1946 with their gravity defying flying, commanding presence and supersonic maneuvers in their F/A-18 Hornets. The brave men and women of the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights and the U.S. Navy Leap Frogs will inspire spectators as they jump out of an aircraft 12,500 feet above the earth’s surface, racing to North Avenue Beach at speeds exceeding 120 mph, making a perfect landing.

NEW for 2015, the Breitling Jet Team will perform in Chicago for the first time during their debut tour of the United States. The seven plane team will wow crowds in their L-39 C Albatros jets that can reach speeds of up to 565 mph. The team is widely recognized for their precision and seamless coordination displayed throughout high-speed aerobatic performances, the France-based team brings their unmatched flying to North America for the first time.

The popular lakefront event features a wide variety of military and civilian aerial demonstration teams with daredevil pilots performing their stunts in the skies above Chicago.

For more information about the 57th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show, please visit chicagoairandwatershow.us. To plan your trip to Chicago for the show, visit choosechicago.com. For updates, like us on Facebook (Chicago Air and Water Show) and follow us on Twitter and Instagram, @ChicagoDCASE (#ChiAirandWater).