The Snowbirds will fly over Kempenfelt Bay once again this June, returning to headline the 2026 Barrie Airshow after missing last year's event because of training delays.

The City of Barrie and Royal Canadian Air Force personnel announced the plans Wednesday at Canadian Forces Base Borden. The show runs June 13 and 14, and for the first time will include a twilight performance on the Saturday, with flyers starting in daylight and continuing through sunset.

A fireworks display will close out the Saturday. According to the City, the pyrotechnics replace Barrie's cancelled New Year's Eve show at no additional cost to taxpayers.

CF-18 Hornets, the SkyHawks parachute team, the Northern Stars Aeroteam and Edenvale Classics are also on the bill, with more acts to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Major Maciej Hatta, team lead for the Snowbirds, said in a news release that "the energy from the crowds lining the shoreline makes [the] show especially memorable."

Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall told attendees the event keeps growing in scale and impact. "Our largest was about 140,000 people, I think, for the weekend," he said to Barrie360. "I don't doubt that that's going to be at least met this year... This is the strongest lineup that I've seen, but I think more than anything, there is a newfound enthusiasm about the Canadian forces."

According to the City, last year's airshow drew more than 90,000 spectators and generated over $5.6 million in economic impact.

A show built around the military

Ground displays from CFB Borden, family programming, vendors and aviation-themed exhibits are expected to spread across the downtown and waterfront areas again this year.

"Even though it's an airshow spectacle and the focus is going to be on the air, the Canadian Forces is much broader than that and having the Army and the Navy there just illustrates that," CFB Borden 16 Wing Commander Col. Wesley Cunningham said to Barrie360.

Lt. Col. Lyle Holbrook, a former Snowbird who serves as the show's director of air operations and airboss, said many colleagues trace their decision to join the Canadian Forces to seeing an airshow when they were young.

"I try to look around behind me a couple of times during the show, and it just fills my heart to see kids with their mouth wide open in awe of what's happening," he explained to Barrie 360. "It's that inspiration piece that really fuels me."

Holbrook brought the twilight show idea to the airshow committee after seeing a similar performance in London, where he holds the same organizational role. One performer there flew with pyrotechnics on the wings and LED lights covering the aircraft, flying just after civil twilight.

There will be no wing walker at this year's show, Holbrook said, noting the committee tries to change the lineup so the event doesn't become predictable.

Festivities start June 12

Events begin Friday, June 12, with a free outdoor screening of Top Gun: Maverick at Meridian Place. The airshow has also launched dedicated Facebook and Instagram channels to share live updates with attendees during the weekend.