The Sidmouth Airshow 2026 takes place on Friday 28 August 2026 along Sidmouth seafront in Devon. The RAF Red Arrows headline the event for 2026, joined for the first time at Sidmouth by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Douglas C47 Dakota. It is free to attend and forms the opening event of the 3-day Sidmouth Regatta Weekend.
For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Clacton Airshow 2026 Dates, Aircraft, and 6 Key Things to Know About the 33rd Essex Seafront Spectacle.
What Is the Sidmouth Airshow 2026?
The Sidmouth Airshow is a free annual aviation display held over the sea off Sidmouth Esplanade, Devon. It is organised by Sidmouth Town Council in partnership with a network of local clubs and voluntary organisations. The airshow is funded by the Town Council and voluntary public donations.
It is the opening event of the Sidmouth Regatta Weekend, one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the town’s calendar. The Regatta Weekend draws approximately 25,000 visitors to Sidmouth annually.
When and Where Does the Sidmouth Airshow 2026 Take Place?
The Sidmouth Airshow 2026 takes place on the afternoon of Friday 28 August 2026. Displays begin at approximately 4:30pm and are held over the sea off Sidmouth Esplanade.
| Detail | Information |
| Date | Friday 28 August 2026 |
| Time | From approximately 4:30pm |
| Location | Sidmouth Seafront, Devon, EX10 |
| Admission | Free |
| Organiser | Sidmouth Town Council |
| Regatta Weekend | 28–30 August 2026 |
The Esplanade road closes on the day to allow spectators to watch the display safely from the seafront.
Is the Sidmouth Airshow 2026 Free to Attend?
Yes. The Sidmouth Airshow 2026 is free to attend. No ticket, booking, or registration is required. The event is funded by Sidmouth Town Council and voluntary donations collected from the public during the show.
Voluntary collectors are positioned across the seafront, Salcombe Hill, Peak Hill, and Connaught Gardens during the display. Contactless and bucket donations are accepted. The future of the event depends directly on public donations raised each year.
What Aircraft Display at the Sidmouth Airshow 2026?
The Sidmouth Airshow 2026 features 2 confirmed RAF aircraft with additional flying teams to be announced closer to the event date.
Which Aircraft Are Confirmed for the 2026 Show?
Confirmed aircraft for the Sidmouth Airshow 2026:
- RAF Red Arrows — the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, flying 9 BAE Hawk T1 jets in precision formation. The Red Arrows headline the 2026 show as the closing act.
- Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Douglas C47 Dakota ZA947 — appearing at Sidmouth for the first time, performing as part of the WWII heritage display.
Additional teams are expected to be confirmed in the weeks before the event. Full details are published at sidmouth.gov.uk.
What Is the RAF Dakota ZA947 and Why Is It Significant?
The Douglas C47 Dakota is one of the most successful military transport aircraft designs in history. It was widely used by the Allied forces during World War Two across multiple theatres of operation.
The specific aircraft appearing at Sidmouth is Dakota ZA947, named Kwicherbichen by its crews. This aircraft has direct D-Day heritage:
- It conducted paradropping operations on the eve of D-Day
- It flew casualty evacuation missions following the Normandy landings
- It carried out resupply missions to Allied forces during the Normandy campaign
ZA947 is operated by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. Its appearance at Sidmouth in 2026 is a first for the town.
What Has Appeared at Previous Sidmouth Airshows?
The Sidmouth Airshow runs annually in August as part of the Regatta Weekend. The RAF Red Arrows have been a consistent headliner.
Which Aircraft Displayed at the Sidmouth Airshow Between 2022 and 2025?
Regular and featured aircraft across the 2022–2025 editions included:
- RAF Red Arrows — 9-aircraft formation team; headlined every edition
- Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire and Hurricane — a Rolls Royce Merlin-powered duo display featured in 2022 and 2023
- Team Raven — a 6-aircraft formation of Van’s RV-8 mono-wing aerobatic aircraft; featured in 2022 and 2023
- Rich Goodwin Pitts Biplane / Muscle Jet — a solo high-G-force aerobatic display; featured in 2022, 2023, and 2025. The 2025 variant had 2 ATM Lynx Jet turbines producing 700 lbs of thrust fitted alongside the standard 8.5-litre Lycoming engine
- AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers — 2 performers strapped to the wings of 1940s Boeing Stearman biplanes; featured in 2022, 2023, and 2025
- Stampe Formation Display Team — 4 open-cockpit aerobatic biplanes flying at speeds of up to 130mph; featured in 2023
- The Titans — a 2-ship dissimilar formation pairing an Xtremeair XA42 with an American Decathlon; featured in 2023
- Sidmouth RNLI Lifeboat — a capability display using the Arctic 24 Lifeboat and Sea Rider RIB; featured in 2025
| Aircraft / Team | Type | Years Featured |
| RAF Red Arrows | Jet formation aerobatics | 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| BBMF Spitfire and Hurricane | WWII heritage | 2022, 2023 |
| Team Raven | RV-8 formation aerobatics | 2022, 2023 |
| Rich Goodwin Pitts | Solo aerobatics | 2022, 2023, 2025 |
| AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers | Biplane wingwalking | 2022, 2023, 2025 |
| Stampe Formation Team | Biplane formation | 2023 |
| Sidmouth RNLI Lifeboat | Sea demonstration | 2025 |
What Is the Sidmouth Regatta Weekend 2026?
The Sidmouth Regatta Weekend 2026 runs from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August 2026. The airshow on Friday afternoon opens 3 days of community events, water sports, entertainment, and family activities.
What Events Take Place Across the Full Regatta Weekend?
Friday 28 August:
- Airshow display from approximately 4:30pm
- Food court and bar at The Ham
- Airshow Grand Prize Draw at 7:30pm on the seafront
Saturday 29 August:
- Sailing and gig races off the seafront
- Surf Lifesaving competition
- Three Legged Race (Sidmouth Rotary Club) — returning in 2026
- Raft Race (Sidmouth Rotary Club, sponsored by South West Water) — returning in 2026
- Entertainment on Saturday evening
- Grand Fireworks Display over the seafront at approximately 9:15pm
Sunday 30 August:
- Further sailing and gig racing
- Community activities
The Airshow Grand Prize Draw gives attendees a chance to win a 3-hour Flight Simulator Experience for 3, VIP tickets for 2 at the Jazz and Blues Festival, tickets for 2 at the Folk Festival Ham Marquee, and RAF and Red Arrows merchandise.
How Is the Sidmouth Airshow Funded?
The Sidmouth Airshow is funded by Sidmouth Town Council and voluntary public donations. It operates without commercial ticket sales or external business sponsorship as its primary income.
Voluntary collectors gather donations from spectators positioned across the seafront and surrounding viewpoints during the airshow. Without sufficient collector volunteers and public donations, the future of the event is at risk. Anyone able to volunteer as a collector should contact Sidmouth Town Council at towncouncil@sidmouth.gov.uk.
How Do You Get to the Sidmouth Airshow 2026?
No in-town parking is available for event attendees. Event parking is located at the playing fields behind Morrisons (TQ14 9AE), with advance booking advised.
Travel options include:
- On foot — the recommended option for local residents
- Bus — Stagecoach services operate on the day; updated timetables are available on the Stagecoach website
- Train — Teignmouth train station, the nearest mainline station, is served by Great Western Railway (GWR). Sidmouth itself does not have a railway station
Additional car parking is provided at various locations on the day, including Sidmouth Rugby and Cricket Clubs and Redwood Road, and will be signposted with marshals on hand.
Where Are the Best Viewing Spots at the Sidmouth Airshow?
The primary viewing area is the Sidmouth Esplanade, which is closed to traffic from early in the afternoon on the day of the display. Additional elevated viewpoints include:
- Salcombe Hill — east of Sidmouth Esplanade
- Peak Hill — west of the town
- Connaught Gardens — elevated seafront gardens with open views over the bay
All 3 elevated locations are used by voluntary collectors during the show. The display takes place over the sea directly in front of the Esplanade, making the entire seafront a strong viewing area.
For the full Sidmouth Regatta and Airshow 2026 programme, visit sidmouth.gov.uk or visitdevon.co.uk/sidmouth.
