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topicnews · July 20, 2025

Admission, food, airshow times, exhibits

Admission, food, airshow times, exhibits


Daily tickets are $49 for adult EAA members and $68 for adult non-members. Veterans and active military members pay $49 while kids 18 years and younger are free.

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  • EAA AirVenture Oshkosh’s 72nd edition expects 700,000 visitors and 10,000 aircraft.
  • Attractions include daily airshows featuring Goodyear blimps, aerobatics and vintage aircraft.
  • Attendees can explore various aircraft areas, KidVenture activities and the EAA Aviation Museum.
  • Workshops, forums, a fly-in theater and a veterans’ salute are also offered.
  • Tickets, schedules and further information are available at AirVenture.org and the EAA Events App.

OSHKOSH – Look! Up in the sky!

Not Superman, but a blockbuster hit of a different kind.

The world’s biggest fly-in convention is back in town again, with the aviation world taking over Oshkosh’s skies for yet another week as the start of the 72nd edition of EAA AirVenture July 21-27.

Around 700,000 visitors are expected to touch down in the city over the next seven days after last year’s event attracted record-setting numbers in attendance (686,000), exhibitors (861) and international countries represented (98).

And planes. Lots of them!

Another 10,000 aircraft — from the smallest of one-seater homebuilt planes to two flying examples of the B-29 Superfortress — will be on display across Wittman Regional Airport.

Two Goodyear blimps are set to make their return to Oshkosh for the first time in four years, serving as the highlight of daily airshows and a pair of night shows July 23 and 26.

Those shows also include the best in aerobatics and aerial maneuvers from top air show performers like Randy Ball (MiG-17), Vicky Benzing (P-51), Bob Carlton (Jetfox twin-engine sailplane), The Chuters (skydiving), Class of ’45 (Corsair/P-51) and Greg Colyer (T-33).

In the spirit of Charles Miner, here’s a rundown of what else you can expect at this year’s convention.

More EAA AirVenture: EAA AirVenture Oshkosh’s economic impact on region exceeds $250M, new UWO study finds

Admission to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

Tickets can be purchased for the entire week or daily, while there are optional add-ons such as parking, camping and flight experiences.

Daily tickets are $49 for adult EAA members and $68 for adult non-members. Veterans and active military members pay $49 while kids 18 years and younger are free.

There are special prices for July 27, with adult members, veterans and active members paying $24. Adult non-members pay $29.

A special two-day offer of $110 is also afforded to adult non-members who plan to attend successive days.

Advanced tickets and camping reservations are available for purchase at AirVenture.org.

Patrons can access the daily schedule at or https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-airventure-schedule-of-events.

Aircraft rides at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

Patrons will have the chance to see the fly-in convention from the skies above on board one of the many aircraft rides at EAA AirVenture.

You can fly on the world’s first mass-produced airliner, the Ford TriMotor 4-AT-B; a World War II bomber, the B-25 Berlin Express; or on the M*A*S*H helicopter, the Bell 47.

Daily air shows at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

Two Goodyear blimps are set to highlight both the daily and nightly shows for this year’s convention, but they won’t be the only highwire acts in town.

AirVenture will feature a number of eyepopping feats of aerial maneuvers, aerobatics and unique airplanes on each day of the event.

Daily air shows start at 2:15 p.m. July 21-26 and at 1 p.m. July 27.

Both Goodyear airships are scheduled to appear during separate night shows slated for July 23 and 26. They begin at 8 p.m.

Aircraft areas at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

As expected, several different spots are dedicated to specific types of aircraft being displayed at AirVenture.

Boeing Plaza is the marquee display area, this year showcasing the Wisconsin Air National Guard, two flying examples of the B-29 Superfortress and a tribute to public benefit flying, among other major displays.

Tour the grounds to see historic World War II planes in the Warbirds section, visit the areas dedicated to the thousands of homebuilt aircraft flown into Oshkosh or get a look at some of the aerobatic performers before they take to the skies for the daily air shows.

You can also get a shuttle from Wittman Regional Airport to the Seaplane Base in a cove along Lake Winnebago.

Patrons will also have access to the EAA Aviation Museum at no additional charge.

KidVenture

Open daily from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Pioneer Airport, KidVenture provides children with several opportunities to explore aviation through hands-on activities like building projects, flying radio-control and control-line airplanes, riding flight simulators, and learning aviation and space history.

July 27 has special opening hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Buses run between KidVenture, the museum and the bus park daily.

EAA Aviation Museum

Aviation enthusiasts will be treated to various featured exhibits and presentations daily starting at 8 a.m.

Weekly AirVenture wristbands allow for unlimited museum admission while patrons with a daily wristband can only access the museum for that day of entry.

EAA members are free but will not be allowed admission to the convention grounds without a wristband.

Fly-In Theater at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

Avid moviegoers can enjoy classic Hollywood films, including fan favorites “Top Gun,” “Fly Away Home” and “Thunderbolt,” on a five-story projection screen every night at 8:30 p.m.

Each movie is free of cost and includes free popcorn.

The EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater will also host some film screenings.

Here’s the full movie lineup:

Saturday, July 19

  • 8:30-10:30 p.m.: “Top Gun” (1986), Fly-In Theater

Sunday, July 20

  • 8:30-10:30 p.m.: “16 Right” (2005) and “Living in the Age of Airplanes” (2015), Fly-In Theater

Monday, July 21

  • 8:30-10:30 p.m.: “Icon in the Sky” (2025) and “Thunderbolt” (1947), Fly-In Theater

Tuesday, July 22

  • 8:30-10:30 p.m.: “The Bridges at Toko-Ri” (1954), Fly-In Theater

Wednesday, July 23

  • 2:30-3:45 p.m.: “Honor in the Air,” EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • 8:30-10:30 p.m.: “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” (1965), Fly-In Theater

Thursday, July 24

  • 1-2:15 p.m.: “Saman Balus: The Flying Canoe,” EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • 8:30-10:30 p.m.: “Devotion” (2022), Fly-In Theater

Friday, July 25

  • 8:30-9:45 a.m.: “Heroes of Old Hickory,” EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • 2:30-3:45 p.m.: “Heroes of Old Hickory,” EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • 8:15-10:30 p.m.: “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen: M*A*S*H” (1983), Fly-In Theater

Saturday, July 26

  • 10-11:15 a.m.: Documentary: “Crosswinds,” EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: “Bridge of Spies,” EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • 8:30-10:30 p.m.: “Fly Away Home” (1996), Fly-In Theater

Veterans’ activities at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

A day-long Salute to Veterans July 25 starts with a complimentary breakfast and includes a parade and the Old Glory Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

That annual parade of veterans begins at 12:30 p.m. at the “Warbirds in Review” ramp, where former servicemembers will assemble for a special patriotic tribute.

The Old Glory Honor Flight, which takes Vietnam veterans to tour war memorials and monuments in Washington, D.C., returns to AirVenture around 6 p.m.

Workshops and forums at EAA AirVenture

At no additional cost, patrons can get a chance to hear from industry leaders, pilots, designers and astronauts about everything from flying and restoring airplanes to actually building your own homebuilt aircraft.

Workshop topics include composite and fabric construction, gas, and TIG welding and sheet metal.

These workshops run daily across the convention grounds and no reservations are required.

Some workshop, forum and other event highlights include the following:

Monday, July 21

  • Bugatti Model 100p — 8:30-9:45 a.m., EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • “Savage Skies, Emerald Hell: The U.S., Australia, Japan, and the Ferocious Air Battle for New Guinea in World War II” — 10-11 a.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • “The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II” — Noon-1 p.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • “Spy Pilot: Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident, and a Controversial Cold War Legacy” — 1-2 p.m., EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • Balloon Glow — 8:30-9:30 p.m., Fun Fly Zone

Tuesday, July 22

  • Capt. Robert L. Martin, Red Tail (Tuskegee Airmen) — 10-11:15 a.m., EAA Museum – Vette Theater
  • “Finding Paul Poberezny” — 10-11:15 a.m., EAA Museum – Hilton Theater
  • “Savage Skies, Emerald Hell: The U.S., Australia, Japan, and the Ferocious Air Battle for New Guinea in World War II” — 10-11 a.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • “Bazooka Charlie: The Unbelievable Story of Maj. Charles Carpenter and Rosie the Rocketer” — 11 a.m.-noon, EAA Wearhouse
  • “A Preventable Tragedy: Lessons from the Wings Over Dallas Airshow Disaster” — 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Forum Stage 7 Sponsored By Foreflight
  • “Letters From a Soviet Prison: The Personal Journal and Private Correspondence of CIA U-2 Pilot Francis Gary Powers” — 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • “The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II” — 3-4 p.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • “The Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat” — 5-6 p.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • Twilight Flight Fest — 8-10 p.m., Fun Fly Zone
  • Balloon Glow — 8:30-9:30 p.m., Fun Fly Zone

Wednesday, July 23

  • Bugatti’s 100P Air Racer — 10-11:15 a.m., EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • Soviet Night Witches — 10-11:15 a.m., EAA Museum – Vette Theater
  • Turret Tales from a WWII Ball Turret Gunner, Staff Sgt. Doug Ward — 10-11 a.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • “Charting the Next Era of Aviation” — 1-2:15 p.m., Forum Stage 11
  • “Spy Pilot: Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident, and a Controversial Cold War Legacy” — 1-2:15 p.m., EAA Museum – Vette Theater
  • “The Tuskegee Airmen: How? Why?” — 1-2:15 p.m., EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • “The B-25 in the Backyard, My Father’s Historic Airplane Sanctuary” — 2-3 p.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • “The Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat” — 4-5 p.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • “The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II” — 4-5 p.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • TSA canine demonstration — 2:30-3:15 p.m., International Federal Pavilion
  • EAA concert band performance — 4-5:45 p.m., Theater in the Woods

Thursday, July 24

  • “Bazooka Charlie: The Unbelievable Story of Maj. Charles Carpenter and Rosie the Rocketer” — 9-10 a.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • “The Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat” — 9-10 a.m., EAA WomenVenture Center
  • “Life Takes Wings: Lessons Learned by the World’s First Female 747 Pilot” — 11 a.m.-noon, EAA WomenVenture Center
  • “Inside the Black Box: Unlocking Accident Secrets” — 12:30-1:15 p.m., International Federal Pavilion
  • “The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage That Made an American Icon” — 2:30-3:45 p.m., EAA Museum – Skyscape Theater
  • “Queen of the Skies: The Inspiring Story of Bessie Coleman” — 3-4 p.m., EAA WomenVenture Center
  • “South of Heaven: My Year in Afghanistan” — 4-5 p.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • “The Women With Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II” — 4-5 p.m., EAA WomenVenture Center
  • “M*A*S*H: Healing the Wounds with Laughter” — 7-9 p.m., Theater in the Woods
  • Twilight Flight Fest — 8-10 p.m., Fun Fly Zone
  • Balloon Glow — 8:30-9:30 p.m., Fun Fly Zone

Friday, July 25

  • “I Crashed a Plane and Survived” — 10-11:15 a.m., Forum Stage 2
  • “Letters From a Soviet Prison: The Personal Journal and Private Correspondence of CIA U-2 Pilot Francis Gary Powers” — 10-11:15 a.m., EAA Museum – Hilton Theater
  • “Queen of the Skies: The Inspiring Story of Bessie Coleman” — 11 a.m.-noon, EAA Wearhouse
  • “Chasing D.B. Cooper” — 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Forum Stage 10
  • “South of Heaven: My Year in Afghanistan” — Noon-1 p.m., EAA Wearhouse
  • “A Bird? A Plane? Waddya Call It?” — 1-2:15 p.m., EAA Museum – Vette Theater. This presentation is an illustrated review of the several USA and USAF aircraft and missile designation systems that have been used by the U.S. military from 1908 to the present.
  • “Spy Pilot: Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident, and a Controversial Cold War Legacy” — 1-2:15 p.m., Forum Stage 5
  • U.S. Airline Pilot Job Market 2025 — 2:30-3:45 p.m., Forum Stage 11
  • “The Fight to Save the City of Angels” — 7-9 p.m., Theater in the Woods
  • Veterans Tribute for all Services and Parade — 1-2:15 p.m., Warbirds in Review
  • Honor Flight Welcome Home Ceremony — 6-7 p.m., Boeing Plaza
  • Twilight Flight Fest — 8-10 p.m., Fun Fly Zone
  • Balloon Glow — 8:30-9:30 p.m., Fun Fly Zone

Saturday, July 26

  • “Spy Pilot: Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident, and a Controversial Cold War Legacy” — 10-11:15 a.m., EAA Museum – Vette Theater
  • “The Real Cause of Most Pilot Accidents” — 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Forum Stage 9
  • “Flying Cars Take Off – Your Future World of Advanced Air Mobility” — 1-2:15 p.m., Forum Stage 3
  • “The Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat” — 1-2 p.m., EAA Wearhouse

Sunday, July 27

  • Memorial Wall Dedication — 10-11 a.m., Fergus Chapel and Compass Hill

Shopping and food at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

No fewer than 13 shops and gift stores are on site offering a variety of EAA memorabilia, merchandise and any other aviation items for sale, including hardware, tools and aircraft parts.

The food options aren’t limited, either, with grocery stores, national chains and local food trucks readily available and open all over Wittman field.

Did you know? Here are the key moments in EAA AirVenture Oshkosh history

Runway 5K

This charity fun run/walk is open to people of all ages, starting at 6:30 a.m. July 26 at the Youth Education Center.

A new route this year takes participants through a tour of AirVenture grounds.

Registration includes a T-shirt, post-race food and refreshments, and admission to AirVenture on race day.

Online registration closes July 25 and reopens at the Runway 5K check-in July 26 before the race.

EAA AirVenture app

Search for EAA Events in the App Store or Google Play, or visit the EAA website to download the EAA Events App and set up a personalized itinerary that will help navigate the more than 1,500 workshops, forums, events and exhibitors.

After downloading the app, select EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 so you can setup event notifications, search the daily schedule, spot food venues and even view maps of the entire EAA AirVenture grounds.

For a full list of AirVenture’s features and attractions for the week, visit https://www.eaa.org/airventure/features-and-attractions.

Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @justinmarville.

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