Dates revealed for return of Atlantic City Airshow
Atlantic City is once again preparing for takeoff. The 2025 airshow is back on after the city said late last year the event was canceled.
As Mohammad Ikram prepared his store on the boardwalk for the upcoming season, he said the return of the airshow will be a needed boost for his business.
"It's very busy, a lot of people come, thousands of more people come into town," Ikram said.
Last year's show was canceled after a major act pulled out, and the city announced in December the airshow would be taking a "strategic pause" in 2025.
This week, Visit Atlantic City announced the summer spectacle will be back after all, and takeoff is set for July 15 and 16.
"We are reimagining this event and incorporating a festival concept. It's different than the larger airshow we put on in 2023," said Karina Anthony, the executive director of marketing for Visit Atlantic City.
Visit Atlantic City will fund the new show, which will now be called the Visit Atlantic City Soar & Shore Festival. Visit AC is partnering with Herb Gillen Airshows for the big event.
Anthony said the airshow is expected to bring in $23 million for the local economy, which is half the amount from the larger show in 2023.
"I just think it's going to bring a lot of people together again. I mean the beach gets packed and it's a wonderful thing and everybody just has fun," said Dawn Miller, who was walking the boards Wednesday.
"The Airshow is important for our casinos, businesses, and for our tourism and hospitality industry as a whole," Mayor Marty Small said in a news release.
When Atlantic City first announced its 2025 show was canceled, Wildwood organized its own airshow and festival, which is set for September. Officials there tell CBS News Philadelphia most of the acts have been secured and they're still moving full steam ahead.
Despite the changes, Ikram said he's excited the popular event is coming back to Atlantic City.
"Good news, good news for everybody for the city," Ikram said.
Visit Atlantic City said it's working to secure acts for the new airshow and festival, and the goal is to get back to the larger scale airshow in 2026.
