Danger Zone! Blue Angels back for 2015 Chippewa Valley Airshow

Tom Giffey, photos by Carolyn Tiry |

The Blue Angels defy death at the 201o Chippewa Valley Airshow.
The Blue Angels defy death at the 2010 Chippewa Valley Airshow.

The roar of freedom you will hear next Independence Day won’t just be fireworks: It will be the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the legendary aerobatic performance team, who will take part in the 2015 Chippewa Valley Airshow. A pair of pilots visited with organizers at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport Nov. 18 and confirmed that the team will be part of the airshow next July 4-5. “We were confident in the Boy Scout’s ability to produce the show and decided to announce this afternoon our intentions to perform in Eau Claire in 2015,” said Capt. Jeff Kuss, Blue Angel No. 7, and narrator for the 2015 Blue Angel season. Matt Hill, executive for the Boy Scouts’ Chippewa Valley Council, said organizers are “beyond thrilled” about the Blue Angels’ participation. The Blue Angels had planned to perform in Eau Claire in 2013, but their season was truncated because of federal budget cuts. The loss of the Blue Angels, in turn, led to the cancellation of the 2013 air show. The 2015 airshow will be a major fundraiser for both the Boy Scouts and other community groups that help produce the event. Organizers say that further announcements about performing acts and event details will be announced in the coming weeks. To keep up with the latest, you can find the airshow’s Facebook page.