The Wings Over North Georgia Air Show will offer a full slate of Friday activities on Oct. 17 at Richard Russell Regional Airport in Rome, a rare activity for the event.
Wings Over North Georgia, established in 2012, usually features Saturday and Sunday performances. But the 2025 air show is expanding to include a full and exciting lineup of activities on Friday as well.
Because the schedule has a large number of civilian performers, it isn’t affected by any continuation of the ongoing federal government shutdown. Performances by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are still unknown until the federal government resumes full operations. Earlier this week, the Blue Angels leadership shared they are on prepared to participate in the show once the government has reopened.
Gates will open at 2 p.m. Friday, allowing ticket holders to watch some practice flights by the weekend performers.
A concert featuring Atlanta country artist Kurt Thomas starts at 4:30 p.m. Thomas has won Kenny Chesney’s “Next Big Star” contest and has opened for acts including Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, LeAnn Rimes, Zac Brown, Sugarland, Darius Rucker, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Gary Alan.
The Georgia State Patrol SWAT Team Demo Team will kick off performances. A twilight flight will feature World War II-vintage aircraft – Jim Tobul in the F4U Corsair and Scott “Scooter” Yoak in the P-51 Mustang.
As the sun sets over the beautiful north Georgia hills, Friday night flights will include Jerry “Jive” Kerby in the T-28 Trojan, Kyle Fowler in the Long EZ, Bob Carlton of Vertigo Airshows in the FOXJET twin-engine sailplane, the Redline Airshow demo team, Bill Braack in the Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Car, and the ’Chuters Parachute team.
A first-time lighted drone show will follow the live performances, and a huge fireworks extravaganza will conclude the Friday evening entertainment.
Gates open at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18-19, for static ground displays and pre-show demonstrations with performances for the main shows beginning at noon each day.
WONG started in 2012 and has been named North Georgia’s favorite fall family weekend event and twice voted one of USA Today’s top 10 fan favorite air shows in the world.
This year will be the 11th Wings Over North Georgia event -- and the first since 2022 -- presented by JLC AirShow Management, which is based in Rome, GA.
“We have always had a strong mix of premier military and civilian performers included in our lineup,” said John Cowman, president of JLC AirShow Management. “We’re still hopeful the Blue Angels will serve as our headliners for the 2025 Wings Over North Georgia Air Show. Should the shutdown remain unresolved, we’re fortunate to have a solid lineup of some of the top civilian aviation performers in the industry to fly their precision air show demonstrations.”
Tickets for the Air Show are now available at wingsovernorthgeorgia.com/guest-information/ticket-options. Tickets must be purchased online and in advance as no tickets will be sold on the day of the air show performances.
For additional show information, follow the air show’s Facebook page or visit the Wings Over North Georgia website at WingsOverNorthGeorgia.com.