About the time the kids in your neighborhood stop shooting off fireworks, the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels and an array of other aerial acrobats will roar across the skies over Pensacola Beach as the annual Pensacola Beach Air Show kicks off next Wednesday.

The four-day event, highlighted each day by Blue Angels’ performances, is hosted each year by the Santa Rosa Island Authority (SRIA).

“Every year we look forward to hosting this world-class air show along our world-class beach to really showcase our hometown heroes, the Blue Angels,” said Leigh Davis, Executive Director of the SRIA. “It’s an awe-inspiring tradition that tens of thousands of locals and tourists alike gather to enjoy the spectacle every summer.”

The Blue Angels will open the show with “Breakfast with the Blues” on Wednesday. About 8 a.m., the Blue Angels will arrive and circle overhead to “mark the show’s coordinates and center points along Pensacola Beach,” according to a release from the event.

Thursday, at 2 p.m., the Blue Angels will practice over Pensacola Beach, with a full dress rehearsal on Friday with flight demonstrations and civilian aerobatic performances starting at noon, with the Blue Angels to follow at 2 p.m.

The “official” Pensacola Beach Air Show kicks off Saturday, following the same schedule as the rehearsal the day prior. Starting at 11 a.m., air show attendees can expect to see the following:

• Pilot Julian MacQueen flying his vintage 1943 Grumman Widgeon seaplane overhead.
• Pilot Gene Valentino flying his ICON A5 Amphibious light sport plane.
• U.S. Coast Guard pilot Lt. Cmdr. Mark Currier, from the Aviation Training Center in Mobile, flying his HC-144 Ocean Sentry large turbopop aircraft.
• Training Squadron Ten (VT-10) from NAS Pensacola in a formation fly-by in their T-6 Texans aircraft.
• VeriJet, a private airline, will fly by in a three-ship formation of Cirrus SF-50 Vision Jets.
• Navy pilot Tanner Matheny will be flying over in his 1946 North American Navion airplane named Olivia.
• U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue (SAR) demonstration from the back of a HH-60J Blackhawk helicopter piloted by Lt. Travis Rhea.

At noon Saturday, actress and singer Kara Kimmer will perform the National Anthem, with flight demonstrations resuming after, including:

• The Red Bull Air Force team will perform a synchronized flag-carrying skydiving formation, landing at the show center next to the Pensacola Beach Pier. New to the air show this year, the Red Bull Air Force team is assembled from the most accomplished aviation experts on the planet who continually push the limits of human flight.
• The Veteran’s Flight team in their bright yellow, vintage World War II-era biplanes, will be making several passes over Casino Beach. Organized by Pensacola attorney and pilot Roy Kinsey, about a dozen Stearman pilots from all over the Southeast are flying in the show to pay tribute to all WWII and Korean War vets.
• Another new addition to this year’s air show is MiG-17F pilot Bill Culberson with Fighterjets Inc. Culberson has been in love with military aviation as long as he can remember. His classic 1950s-era MiG-17F can maintain 8g turns with a max speed of 715 mph.
• Pilots Ken Rieder and Adam Baker with Redline Aerobatic Team take to the skies at approximately 12:45 p.m. in their signature red and black planes to perform opposing stunts, inverted maneuvers and fun formations directly overhead.
• Skip Stewart performs his high-skill passes and jaw-dropping maneuvers from his famous red, white and black-checkered bi-plane, Prometheus. His signature inverted ribbon-cutting pass over the Pensacola Beach Pier is a highlight of the performance.
• After a brief intermission, at approximately 1:05 p.m., the Red Bull Air Force team will resume the show at 1:30 p.m. Consisting of helicopter pilot Aaron Fitzgerald, aerobatic pilot Kevin Coleman in his Extra 300 SHP plane, and the Red Bull Air Force jump team – the trio will perform a joint aerial demonstration that will last approximately 25 minutes.

Then, at 2 p.m., the familiar blue and gold F-18 Hornets will appear on the horizon and make their way over Pensacola Beach.

For 45 minutes, spectators will see the Blue Angels perform aeronautic maneuvers like the Diamond Dirty Loop, the Double Farvel, the Vertical Pitch, the Fleur-de-Lis, the Opposing Knife-Edge pass, and the crowd-favorite Sneak Pass.

In addition to the aerial performances, the air show will feature interactive exhibits, military recruitment stations and a Blue Beachside Bazaar vendor market.

The use of drones during the air show is prohibited, according to the SRIA. In addition, glass is always prohibited on the beach and leashed dogs are permitted only at the two designated dog beaches on either side of Santa Rosa Island.

Visitpensacolabeach.com has a bevy of “pro tips” for viewing. Among them, it says the prime viewing spot is at center point, just east of the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier at Casino Beach — but the Casino Beach parking lot may be full by sunrise on Friday and Saturday. The most direct route from the west is to take U.S. 98 across Pensacola Bay to Gulf Breeze, then continue south on Pensacola Beach Road to Pensacola Beach; but as parking fills and congestion builds, backups on this route will become extensive. Carpooling and early arrival are highly recommended.

In addition, if the Casino Beach parking lot is full, trolleys will be running all day to take people to and from Casino Beach.

A few other important points to know before you go:

• Attending the air show is a long day in the sun. Bring plenty of water, snacks, hats, sunscreen and other essentials. Umbrellas, beach chairs, and towels are also recommended. Given the recent wave of extreme heat, these items are even more critical than normal.
• Lifeguards will be on duty and can provide needed first-aid. There will be mist stations next to the public safety building and restrooms.
• During the civilian stunt plane acts, starting about noon, lifeguards will instruct all beachgoers to remain out of the water. Once the civilian acts have concluded (about 1 p.m.) the water will be reopened until the start of the Blue Angels show at 2 p.m.
• Don’t be in a rush to leave, unless you enjoy sitting in traffic. When you do leave, remember to “leave only your footprints behind.” Don’t leave trash or other debris behind.