The Jesolo Air Show is back, and the sky above the shoreline fills up: eighteen entries between display teams, fighters, helicopters and historic aircraft. The moment everyone waits for is still the flypast of the Frecce Tricolori (the aerobatic display team of the Italian Air Force, the Aeronautica Militare), with the tricolour traced across the sea. Admission is free.
One clarification worth making straight away, because it is the question that comes up most: this is not a Saturday-and-Sunday event. Flying takes place on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 September — Friday is the full dress rehearsal, Saturday the official display. There is nothing on Sunday.
Friday or Saturday: which day to choose
Saturday 12 is the event proper, the one with live television coverage and tens of thousands of people on the sand. It is the "right" day, but also the one when the beach is fullest and finding a parking space is a struggle.
Friday 11 is the full dress rehearsal, at the same times. It is not a cut-down version: the teams fly the complete programme, and those who want to see the aircraft without Saturday's crowds often choose the Friday. The difference lies in everything around it — Saturday has the atmosphere of the event, Friday has the display with more space around you.
The flying programme
Eighteen entries are on the programme, between display teams, military units, state corps and historic aircraft.
The village, the exhibition and the commemorative postmark
The Villaggio Jesolo Air Show is set up on the beach at piazza Brescia, with the Aeronautica Militare stand, exhibitors and merchandise.
In piazzetta Casabianca there is the static exhibition with the official Aeronautica stand, and from 10.30am to 7pm a counter is open with the special commemorative postmark dedicated to the Air Show — the kind of thing collectors look for, and it exists only on those two days.
What changes on the beach
For safety reasons, along the stretch involved in the displays — between the Faro area and piazza Torino — access to the water's edge and swimming are suspended from 2.30pm to 6.30pm on both Friday and Saturday. The rest of the shoreline operates normally.
For the whole weekend it is also forbidden to fly drones along the coast: the ban applies to everyone, not only to the area of the show, and is there to avoid interference with aircraft flying at low altitude.
Thirty years of the Frecce above the sea
The Air Show is not a recent initiative. It began in 1996, when Jesolo's town council and the newly formed local Frecce Tricolori Club decided to celebrate the town's ties with the Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale. For the first few editions the Frecce were the only aircraft in the sky.
The international turn came in 1999, with the first display by the Patrouille de France: from then on the event has hosted teams from all over the world, becoming one of Italy's most important air shows. The twenty-sixth edition was held in 2024.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Jesolo Air Show 2026 take place?
Friday 11 September with the full dress rehearsal and Saturday 12 September with the official display. On both days flying is expected roughly from 3pm to 6.30pm. Nothing is scheduled for Sunday 13.
How much does it cost?
Nothing: you watch for free from the beach and the seafront promenade.
Where is the best place to watch from?
The centre of the show is on the beach at piazza Brescia, where the village is as well: that is where the crowd and the closest manoeuvres are concentrated. But you do not have to be at that exact spot — since these are aerobatics at altitude, the aircraft can be seen along the entire shoreline, roughly from piazza Marina to piazza Manzoni. If you want to avoid the crush, a quieter stretch of beach works just as well.
Can you swim?
Not along the stretch involved in the displays, where the water's edge and swimming are closed from 2.30pm to 6.30pm on both days. There are no restrictions on the rest of the beach.
Can I use a drone to film the aircraft?
No. Flying drones is banned along the entire shoreline for the whole weekend, for flight safety reasons.
Is it shown on television?
Yes. Live coverage on Rai 1 is announced from 4.40pm to 6.30pm on Saturday 12. Television schedules can change: it is worth checking the listings on the day.
Is it worth arriving early?
Yes, especially on Saturday. This is an event that brings tens of thousands of people to the shoreline: car parks and the promenade fill up in the early afternoon, well before the displays begin. Anyone coming from out of town and looking for somewhere to stay for the weekend would do well to move early.
