Angels over Vero: Why the Blue Angels Keep Coming Back

Hundreds of cities apply each year. Only 35 are selected. Rob Lucas has spent twelve years making sure Vero is among the select few.

Ask Lucas, president of the Vero Beach Air Show, a pilot of thirty years and one of our most devoted civic stewards, how Vero Beach earns the Blue Angels every other year, and he answers with one word: hospitality. See his interview with WPTV here.

Next week, Blue Angels banners go up on the Barber Bridge alongside the American flag, a gesture that hasn't gone unnoticed by the squadron, especially by Lt. Col. Jeff Devlin, USMC retired, an F/A-18 pilot himself and the show's single point of contact.

It all began with Todd Howder, a Vero native who launched the first show in 2013 with no production company, just a board of directors and a thousand curious neighbors. Piper Aircraft signed on. The Blue Angels came the following year and haven't left since. Behind the scenes, Kim Prado coordinates nearly 1,800 volunteers and every concession operation on the grounds. Last time the Blues were here, they named Vero Beach Civilian Air Show of the Year.

General admission gets you on the flight line. The Barnstormer Tent gets you the full experience: shaded seating, lunch, beer, wine, the works. A few spots are still available and, if the past is any indication they WILL sell out. See the full lineup and grab your tickets at veroairshow.com. Children 12 and under free with a paid adult. Military and first responders receive discounted admission with proof of status.

The show generates over $6 million in local economic impact and has put more than a quarter million dollars directly into local organizations including the Veterans Council, the Exchange Clubs, and HALO No-Kill Rescue. Local educator Richard Ballinger is bringing a STEM exhibit this year to inspire kids to think seriously about their future in aviation, service, and STEM fields.

The show runs at the airport, which used to be Naval Air Station Vero Beach, where Hellcats and Wildcats once lifted off the same runways we now take to New York and Boston. Twenty-five miles south, the UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce stands on the beach where the Navy's first combat demolition units trained. The Air Show just one of the many ways we honor this history.

See you on the tarmac!