Brooke's Travels

Sitting outside for hours watching planes fly doesn’t seem like something I would want to do. Welp, I was so wrong about that. My boyfriend suggested it, and I at least knew it would be a great excuse to practice some photography I don’t usually do. I LOVED going to the air show. We attended the 2025 Hammond Air Show at the beginning of October, and it was so much better than I could’ve imagined.

Planes have always been a little interesting to me because they all look so different, but they generically have the same function: to transport someone or something through the sky from point A to point B. My brother and dad have always loved looking at them, and I have visited many military plane museums, but I’ve never been quite as interested as they were. Well, that all changed when I visited the Hammond Air Show.

The Hammond Air Show is not just a place where you sit out in a chair and watch planes all day. No, not at all. It is interactive as well to pique the interest of kids and adults alike. There were games for the children. Planes that you’re able to walk around and see up close, helicopter and hot air balloon rides, and food for everyone to enjoy.

Once the air show starts, the action doesn’t ever stop. As an appetizer for the show, the Ghost Writer flew overhead and created several drawings in the sky, which made everyone excited for the show to start. There were various eras and sizes of planes flying overhead, showing off their acrobatics in the sky. A certain aspect of the show that I found particularly interesting was the constant flow of information about the planes flying overhead.

There were a couple of acts in particular that were rather shocking and seemed to blow everyone’s minds. There was a jet-fueled truck that hit over 300 mph on the runway. It actually appeared twice, with the second appearance racing an airplane. It truly was a wild experience of high-flying and fiery rides. Another thrilling experience that was showcased at the Hammond Air Show was a trick where a person jumped over a low-flying plane while riding a four-wheeler. To up the ante, the four-wheeler rider did a backflip mid-air while jumping the plane. The jump was landed. It was spectacular and shocking.

I took SO MANY PHOTOS while watching this air show. It was agony editing them, but I am thrilled that I have these photos to look back on. It also gave me a chance to practice a type of photography that I don’t usually get to do. The whole show was awe-inducing and gave me a newfound appreciation for planes and especially the acrobatic pilots who work to pull off the tricks seen at this and similar shows.

If you haven’t been to an air show or if you are not sure about attending an air show, my only advice is to go! It’s a great family-friendly weekend activity that caters to people of all ages. Mark your calendars for the beginning of next October for the 2026 Hammond Air Show.