The Rhyl Air Show has not been confirmed for 2026. The event has not taken place since 2023, with the 2024 edition cancelled due to the Red Arrows’ unavailability and the 2025 edition cancelled due to a lack of funds. A public campaign is now urging organisers to bring it back. This article covers what the Rhyl Air Show is, why it has been absent, and what a 2026 return could look like.
For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Manston Airshow 2026: Cancelled for the 2nd Year Running Due to CAA Airspace Issues.
What Is the Rhyl Air Show?
The Rhyl Air Show is a free, 2-day aerial display event held on the North Wales coastline. The Rhyl Air Show in North Wales has grown since the first event in 2009. The displays are viewed along the entire Promenade, with ground displays positioned from the amphitheatre to past the Lifeboat Station.
It is organised by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd (DLL), an arms-length company established by Denbighshire County Council to manage leisure attractions and events.
What Does the Rhyl Air Show Feature?
The show includes 3 main categories of attractions:
- Aerial displays — military jets, vintage aircraft, and aerobatic teams
- Ground displays — static aircraft, trade stands, and food stalls
- Live entertainment — performances in the nearby events arena
Past aerial performers have included the RAF Red Arrows, the Typhoon, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team.
How Many People Attend the Rhyl Air Show?
The free-to-attend aerial spectacle attracts up to 140,000 spectators annually and is one of the biggest and best-attended shows in North Wales.
At the 7th Rhyl Airshow in 2015, the estimated attendance for Saturday alone was 80,000, with total crowds easily pushing into six figures across both days.
What Economic Impact Does the Rhyl Air Show Have?
The show is estimated to bring £4.5 million to the local economy over both days in total, benefiting local shops, cafes, pubs, and accommodation providers.
The Rhyl Air Show was named the Magnificent Crowd Puller for events attracting more than 7,500 people at the Go North Wales Tourism Awards, which recognised a record year in the North Wales tourism industry.
Why Was the Rhyl Air Show Cancelled in 2024 and 2025?
Why Did the 2024 Rhyl Air Show Not Take Place?
The Red Arrows were on an international tour to celebrate their own 60th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The decision was taken not to run the show in 2024 without them.
Jamie Groves, Managing Director of DLL, stated: “The Red Arrows have been an integral part of the Air Show programme over many years, usually providing a spectacular finale to the shows.”
Why Did the 2025 Rhyl Air Show Not Take Place?
A lack of funds was stated as the reason for the 2025 show not going ahead. Denbighshire County Council confirmed on February 6 that the air show would not take place that year.
DLL has in the past underwritten a large shortfall in the available funding for the air show, but does not have an endless pot of money to underwrite costs associated with running such events.
Is There a Petition to Bring Back the Rhyl Air Show in 2026?
Yes. A petition entitled “Reinstate Rhyl Air Show in 2026” was created by Rhyl Appreciation and received more than 200 signatures.
The petition states that the Rhyl Air Show has been a highlight in North Wales, offering the thrill of aerial displays against the backdrop of the Welsh coast, and that bringing it back would reignite tourism in the area and solidify Rhyl’s reputation as a prime destination for air enthusiasts and holidaymakers.
The petition identifies 3 potential funding pathways:
- Crowdfunding initiatives
- Partnerships with aviation communities
- Increased support from regional tourism groups
What Has the Rhyl Air Show Featured in Past Years?
What Aircraft Appeared at the 2023 Rhyl Air Show?
The 2023 Rhyl Air Show featured performances from the Red Arrows, the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Strikemaster Pair, and Calidus Autogyro, among others.
What Aircraft Appeared at the 2022 Rhyl Air Show?
The 2022 show had a strong RAF presence, headlined by the Red Arrows and featuring displays by the Typhoon and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. It was the first show following 2 consecutive cancellations due to COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021.
|
Year |
Key Performers |
Status |
|
2023 |
Red Arrows, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Strikemaster Pair |
Held |
|
2022 |
Red Arrows, Typhoon, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight |
Held |
|
2021 |
— |
Cancelled (COVID-19) |
|
2020 |
— |
Cancelled (COVID-19) |
|
2019 |
Various (no Red Arrows) |
Held |
|
2026 |
Not confirmed |
Awaiting announcement |
How Do You Get to the Rhyl Air Show?
The show is held along Rhyl seafront in North Wales. The recommended Sat Nav postcode is LL18 3AF, though organisers advise following local direction signs as soon as they are visible rather than continuing to follow Sat Nav instructions.
What Accommodation Is Near the Rhyl Air Show?
There is a Premier Inn hotel in Rhyl and another approximately 3 miles away in Rhuddlan. Travelodge also has a hotel on Rhyl seafront and 3 further hotels within 15 miles. Booking well in advance is recommended, as nearby properties fill quickly during airshow weekends.
Will the Rhyl Air Show Return in 2026?
As of May 2026, no official confirmation of a 2026 Rhyl Air Show has been issued by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd or Denbighshire County Council. Denbighshire’s Chief Executive has stated that the event provides a significant boost to the economy of Rhyl and wider communities each time it is staged, signalling ongoing institutional support for its return.
Those interested in updates are advised to monitor the official DLL website at denbighshireleisure.co.uk and the Rhyl Air Show Facebook page for any announcements. The show, when held, has historically taken place over the August bank holiday weekend — a date framework that remains consistent across its 14-year history.
Note: No official 2026 show date has been confirmed at the time of publication. All information reflects verified historical data and publicly available statements from event organisers.
Alex Bradley is a UK-based aviation writer and airshow circuit regular who has spent years attending displays from RIAT at Fairford and the Biggin Hill Festival of Flight to small fly-ins that drew two hundred people and a hot dog van, and values both for entirely different reasons.
He is not a pilot. He is not a PR man for the aviation industry. He is the person in the crowd who has been coming long enough to notice when something has quietly changed, when an organiser is papering over a problem, and when a display is genuinely worth the drive.
His writing on Redhill Airshow covers the British airshow circuit, safety, display team politics, CAA regulations, and the quiet contraction of grass airfield culture that nobody in the industry wants to discuss plainly.
He has stood at Redhill Aerodrome in every kind of English summer weather, watched Tiger Moths bank low over Surrey farmland, and carries strong opinions about what this country is slowly losing one cancelled event at a time.