Review – 2024 Southport Air Show by Andrew Brown, Stand Up For Southport
It doesn’t matter how many time you see the RAF Red Arrows – they always have that wow factor that blows you away!
This year was no different at Southport Air Show, where we were honoured to see the iconic aviation display team celebrate their 60th anniversary in style on both days.
What a finale it provided to both Saturday and Sunday. They were sensational.
It puts the debate about ticket prices into some context. £14 per adult plus under 16s admitted free is good value for watching the world’s best aerobatics team close up.
Southport Air Show. The Starlings
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
Compare that to the cost of watching a gig with a top act; a Premier League football match; a music festival; it compares very well.
Some people ask why the air show isn’t ‘free’? It costs £400,000 to stage each year. A good value gate price to offset some of the cost is more than reasonable. Otherwise it would be hard for local councils running events like this to justify such an outlay while facing growing financial pressures in the likes of adult and children’s services.
The Red Arrows were part of a line-up that also included ‘planes and helicopters from a range of eras including the Typhoon (Saturday only, due to illness on Sunday), Tutor, Black Cats, Spitfire, P-51 Mustang, wingwalkers, Starlings, Vampire, Blenheim, Strikemaster Solo, Catalina, Swordfish and Wasp.
It was a fantastic idea to pay tribute to the Royal Navy flyers with the Navy Wings Swordfish flying along the Black Cats and the Wasp.
The wing walkers, in their 1940s Stearmans, were superb to watch – it takes huge courage to do what they do!
Southport Air Show. The wing walkers
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
The Typhoon is always a popular draw with the crowds and it was fantastic to see iconic aircraft which are the only surviving types in the world such as the Blenheim, the Swordfish and the Catalina.
Over 80 years old and still flying – it takes lots of passion from aviation enthusiasts to do that. It’s a remarkable feat.
It can be dangerous too. The brilliant Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight was much missed this year after the tragedy which saw Squadron Leader Mark Long tragically lose his life when the Spitfire he was flying crashed near RAF Coningsby on 25th May.
It makes you realise how much goes into keeping some of the older aircraft in the air and appreciate them that little bit more.
Southport Air Show. The Spitfire
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
There was lots to enjoy on the ground this year. After last year’s queues, my brother and I arrived early and admitted the Military Village, the Mid Lancs Military Trust vehicles, the living history displays, the Lytham St Annes Spitfire, and more.
Marine Drive was lined with stalls, bars and food outlets.
Some food outlets had steep prices, but then one of the attractions of the Air Show is that it’s right next to Southport town centre, where there are plenty of great places to enjoy a meal or a drink after the show has finished.
There is no doubt there were some issues at last year’s Southport Air Show, especially on the Saturday. The queues to get in – even for those with tickets – were over an hour long in some cases, there were traffic problems and the Red Arrows were unavoidably grounded at Blackpool Airport by a sudden downpour.
Southport Air Show. The Blenheim
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
It was great to see Sefton Council taking all the feedback from last year on board and making lots of positive changes.
The sound system was much more audible, thanks to Moonlight Events.
The sight lines were closer. Victoria Park was opened up as a car park instead of using the beach, which was an excellent move.
Southport Air Show posted on their social media pages after the event ‘thank you for making this year’s event the best one yet’.
It was excellent, and a thoroughly good day out at real value.
Southport Air Show.
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
The best ever was arguably the year the Avro Vulcan flew side by side with the RAF Red Arrows – or when two Avro Lancasters flew side by side. It would be hard to top those two.
I missed The Blades this year, who have provided such excellent aerobatic displays in the past.
I thought the First World War display team was really good last year.
That’s always the challenge with Southport Air Show – what can you bring each year that’s new, that’s different, that has real wow factor?
Southport Air Show. The Navy Wings Wasp
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
This year we saw two fantastic Red Arrows displays and a good mix of other aircraft in a very well organised event.
Top marks to Sefton Council’s very small but incredibly hard working Tourism team, which puts in a massive shift to stage this every year after year; in addition to Southport Food and Drink Festival, the Musical Fireworks Championship and more.
The Air Show has massive benefits to Southport as a whole.
Southport Air Show. The Bristol Blenheim
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
Each year it attracts around a quarter of a million visitors to the town and brings in an estimated £1.5m to the Southport economy, giving a welcome boost to local shops, restaurants, bars, hotels, guest houses and more.
We’re really blessed with top class events in Southport. We still have the 100th anniversary Southport Flower Show to come this August; Southport Comedy Festival this autumn; and much more besides. There is always something to enjoy.
Very impressive Southport Air Show this year. I’m really looking forward to next year.
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