Organizers say more than 100,000 people passed through the gates over the two-day event held Oct. 10 and 11, according to an Oct. 14 press release. The event featured aerial performances and a night show that celebrated the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds in their F-16 Fighting Falcons and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds flying CT-114 Tutors headlined afternoon demonstrations along with a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet and civilian aircraft.

The nighttime show kicked off with a Beale Air Force Base team flying the U-2 Dragon Lady and two T-38 Talons at twilight, followed by civilian performers and a fireworks grand finale.

“This show was a huge thank you to the Sacramento region for two decades of support,” said Darcy Brewer, CEO of the California Capital Airshow. “Between two jet teams, an incredible lineup of military and civilian performers and the return of our night show, we celebrated our 20th anniversary and America’s 250th in a way our community will remember for a long time.”

Wingman previously reported that the airshow also marked the last public demonstration of the Snowbirds in their historic CT-114 Tutor. The CT-114 has been in use for decades and the Snowbirds are set to transition to a CT-157 Siskin II, the Royal Canadian Air Force designation for the Swiss-built Pilatus PC-21. The Thunderbirds and Snowbirds flew a rare formation together to mark the occasion during Friday’s practice show.

The event drew Canadian visitors who traveled to the Sacramento area to see the Snowbirds’ final public demonstration, according to the release. An unidentified U.S. Air Force airman sang the Canadian national anthem prior to the official event opening with the U.S. national anthem.

As a designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the California Capital Airshow works throughout the year on educational programs, scholarships, and internships, the organization said. It reaches more than 3,500 students each year and has awarded more than $679,000 in scholarships to nearly 300 students over the last 20 years.

“Twenty years ago, this organization began with a vision to celebrate aviation and bring our community together,” said Terrence McNamara, chairman of the California Capital Airshow board of directors. “Today it is a source of regional pride, a way to honor our military and aviation heritage, and a platform for investing in the young people who will shape the future of flight. That legacy is what we are most proud of, and we are committed to building on it for the next 20 years.”

Almost 1,000 volunteers help make the event run smoothly, according to the release.

Editor’s note: The author volunteers as one of the photographers for the California Capital Airshow. The airshow did not review, approve, or have any editorial input on this story, and Wingman Aviation News received no compensation for it.