The Thunderbirds are coming to Pueblo this weekend for the Wings of Pride Air Show, marking their first appearance in the city in 30 years.
"You can imagine that amount of time before having the Thunderbirds show up, and everyone in town, it just takes that excitement level to the max, and everyone is so jazzed to see us get out here," Jeffrey Downie said.
Downie, the lead solo for the Air Force Thunderbirds, promises event goers can expect a demonstration they'll remember for a lifetime.
"You're part of the action. And you're enveloped in the sound and you feel in your body. You get wrapped up in the narration and the music that we have to tie the whole demonstration together and it's patriotic. It's emotional," Downie said.
But with the anticipation comes safety concerns.
In August 2024, Colorado Springs hosted the Wings of Pride Air Show where more than 100 people had to be treated for heat-related illnesses.
11 of them had to go to the hospital.
Now, those in charge are taking extra steps to make sure people are safe at this year's event.
"We want to be proactive and mitigated. So we're going to up staff. We've had quite a few community partners. We're going to be patrolling the area. We're going to have water. We're going to make sure that people are hydrating properly," Barb Huber, the Pueblo Fire Chief, said.
"You're going to see a lot of emergency responders out there, and that is for everybody's safety and to make sure that we're keeping an eye on everybody. So nobody has to leave the show early for a medical reason," Huber said.
People can bring folding chairs or blankets to sit and enjoy the show. Event organizers recommend bringing a refillable water bottle, sunscreen, personal umbrellas and hats to stay shaded and hydrated.
Other items people are allowed to bring include:
- 16” x 16” x 8” or smaller clear plastic bag, with or without a handle or strap
- Bags smaller than 16” x 16” x 8”
- Purses smaller than 16″ x 16″ x 8″
- Coolers, backpacks or bags smaller than 16″ x 16″ x 8″ are allowed (all outside food and beverage is prohibited)
- Folding or camping chairs
- Strollers
- Soft-sided wagons
- Binoculars
- Wheelchairs and motorized scooters (Note: There is no place to plug in and recharge)
- Small soft-sided coolers for medical purposes or baby items only
- Small, personal umbrellas (umbrellas are not allowed inside the Premium Seating areas)
- Cameras and camera bags will be allowed after a thorough inspection
- Water bottle (factory sealed/unopened 1-liter or smaller bottle, one per person)
