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Planning Underway For 2023 Guardians Of Freedom Airshow In Lincoln

By Tom Stanton Nov 21, 2022 | 3:51 PM

Two members of the Navy Blue Angels team flew into Lincoln on Monday to begin preparations for the 2023 Guardians of Freedom Airshow.  After attending a news conference at the Nebraska Air National Guard Base, Lt. Commander Thomas Zimmerman and Lt. Commander Brian Vaught met with city and airport representatives along with officials with the Nebraska Air National Guard and Offutt Air Force Base.

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Jason Ball says it will be the first first time the Blue Angels have appeared in Lincoln since 2016. “We’re really thrilled to welcome the Blue Angels back.  If were going to come back we’re going to do it with a bang.”

Ball says there is a lot of planning that needs to be done over the coming months to make sure the show is a success.  “It’s extensive.  Thereis team planning, there’s a financial planning component that we have to get right, there’s safety considerations, there’s a partnership with the City of Lincoln. So there’s a lot of moving parts,” Ball says.

Ball says the two day event on August 26-27 could bring up to 300,000 people to the city.  “Some of them driving in for the day.  Those folks are at least going to fill up on gas and maybe get a few snacks on the way out of town.  Some of them are going to stay for the weekend, they’ll be staying in our hotels and hopefully spending some time shopping in some of our stores.”

The 2023 show will be the first time the first time the 155th Air Refueling Wing in Lincoln has collaborated with the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base.