Follows Disagreements With Event Venue

The Chennault International Airshow Board of Directors announced on September 18 that they have decided to cancel the next event, scheduled for October 24-26, 2025. They cited the cause as contract debates with the venue.

"It comes with great regret that we announce the Chennault International Airshow scheduled for October 24-26, 2025 has been canceled,” they posted on social media. “The proposed agreement led to increased costs and overly restrictive rules and regulations that differed greatly from those required of previous airshow operations.

The Chennault International Airshow has been held biennially since its revival in 2013. It is a staple in the Lake Charles, Louisiana community, estimated to have brought over 10,000 visitors in 2023. Next year’s show would have marked its 12th anniversary.

The last event featured the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Army Golden Knights. Its economic impact on the area is significant, estimated to have brought in nearly a million dollars last year.

“If you look at just in terms of hotels, we have information from the Visit Lake Charles convention tourist bureau that in hotels alone there’s an $814,000 economic impact just in the hotels, for [2023] alone and these people have to eat and they buy gas and some of them go shopping,” airshow treasurer Larry Rewerts commented.

With its U.S. Navy Blue Angels headline, the 2025 Chennault International Airshow would have been just as big, or bigger. The Golden Knights were also expected to return for the event.

“We understand the disappointment that this may cause the Southwest Louisiana community and feel it as well,” the Board of Directors continued. “The airshow team extends their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all who have supported the show over the past ten years. We will be back!”

Chennault International Airshow reports it will be making no further comments on the cancellation for the foreseeable future.

FMI: www.chennaultairshow.com