How to watch a drone light show in 2024

In 2023, I got the absolute privilege to see my first drone light show in person. In 2024, I hope to see many more — and I hope you do too. Drone light shows have become a thrilling phenomenon. And particularly as products like Verge Aero’s Composer software and the growth of companies making light show drones make drone light shows more ubiquitous, there’s a good chance you’ll see a drone light show in 2024.

Many drone light shows happen with little notice, but some are planned well in advance. I’ve been on the lookout for those ones that have been giving advance notice. With that, I’ve curated a list of some of the best, public drone light shows so you can make travel plans and see them for yourself.

This is hardly a comprehensive list of every drone light show happening in 2024. In fact, there are hundreds that take place in just a month. Instead, here I’ve specifically listed shows that are set to be either especially big, especially delightful, or especially easy to attend (e.g. they occur in a big tourism destination or as part of a broader festival that you’d likely want to head to).

So whether you’ve never seen a drone light show yet, or you’re ready to bask in another, I’ve put together the ultimate 2024 drone light show schedule. With that, here are some items to add to your calendar so you can witness your own, in-person drone light show in 2024:

Newport Beach Drone Show at the 2024 Super Bowl

Date: Sunday, February 11

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

How to watch: Visit Newport Beach, the destination marketing agency for the Southern California city, is turning advertising to the skies with a post-Super Bowl drone light show. A 1,000 drone, 12-minute light show will fly over Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas after the big game. Learn more about the Super Bowl 2024 drone show here.

Bradenton Area River Regatta

Date: Friday, February 16

Location: Green Bridge, Palmetto, Florida

How to watch: This drone show will kick off a weekend of powerboat racing and other festivities in a civic event that’s free to the public. The show will be put on by the folks at Sky Elements, which is one of the top drone show companies in the world.

Learn more about the Bradenton Area River Regatta drone show here.

New Baltimore Lions Winterfest

Date: Saturday, February 24

Location: New Baltimore, Maryland

How to watch: This drone show is set to be delightful because it’s centered around an entire festival — plus it’s for charity. The annual fundraising event will feature entertainment, food & beverage, merchandise, games, and activities, with proceeds supporting the New Baltimore Lions Club and its charities. The show is put on by Starlight Aerial Productions, which was founded in 2016 in southwestern Michigan.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Date: Saturday and Sunday nights, from Friday, March 1 through Sunday, March 17

Location: Houston, Texas

How to watch: The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a massive, annual event that first launched in 1932. And 2024 marks the second time that drones are a part of it. Beyond drones, the event entails a massive number of festivities including a carnival, wine show, 5K and 10K race, downtown rodeo parade, trail ride and barbecue contest. Of course, the centerpiece is the world’s largest livestock show and rodeo.

The drone show will take place each Saturday and Sunday night during the Rodeo’s three-week event, scheduled for Feb. 27-March 17, 2024. The show will be put on by the folks at Sky Elements. Learn more about the rodeo’s drone show here.

Thunder Over Louisville

Date: Saturday, April 20

Location: Louisville, Kentucky

How to watch: This is a must-attend event for aviation enthusiasts, as it’s so much more than a drone show. Thunder Over Louisville is one of the top five air shows in the country, drawing an average of 625,000 people each year since 1997. The show is put on by Starlight Aerial Productions, which was founded in 2016 in southwestern Michigan.

Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville

Date: Saturday, April 25 through May 3

Location: Louisville, Kentucky

How to watch: Hang around Louisville even longer to participate in Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville. The weeklong event is named for the supermarket chain and makes for a giant festival. Expect a week filled with concerts, food, a kids’ inflatable playground, midway rides and, yes, a nighty drone show. It’s put on once again by Starlight Aerial Productions, the same folks powering the Thunder Over Louisville show. Learn more about Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville here.

Port of Redwood City Drone Show

Date: Saturday, May 4

Location: Redwood City, California

How to watch: After a successful show last year where the Port of Redwood City and Open Sky Productions hosted a free maritime-themed drone show over the bay, there’s another event planned. There aren’t a ton of details yet, but last year’s version was a full community festival featuring a live band and food trucks.

ver Tourist.

Alameda County Fair

Date: Friday, June 14 (kickoff night) through July 7 (most nights)

Location: Pleasanton, California

How to watch: The Alameda County Fair has used drones in past years, and the drone light show is set to return for the 2024 fair. The California fair features your usual classics like carnival rides, funnel cakes, horse racing and concerts. But the drone show is rather unique — and free with admission. It plays every night of the fair except July 4.

And though it’s visible all over the Fairgrounds, the best viewing is at the race track. If you’re not sure what days to visit, consider going on opening day (Friday, June 14) or Friday, July 28. On those two days, the drone show will be accompanied by fireworks. Learn more about the Alameda County Fair here.

Luminous Long Sault Lumineux

Date: Saturday, July 6

Location: Long Sault, Ontario, Canada

How to watch: Long Sault is a community event that centers around a parade of kayaks, canoes, motor boats, and sailboats — all decorated with LED lights. But the lights aren’t contained to just the water. There’s also a drone light show involved.

Learn more about Long Sault here.

A’s Drone Light Show

Date: Friday, July 19

Location: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California

How to watch: You’ll need to purchase a ticket to the A’s game, which is being played against the Los Angeles Angels.  Following the baseball game, fans will be allowed to sit on the outfield grass to watch the drone show. The game begins at 6:40 p.m., but the drone show won’t start until the game is over.

If you’re really on a budget, you’ll be able to watch it from outside the stadium. If you park in the A’s lot, you’ll get hit with a $30 parking fee. Or, you could take BART (the region’s train system) in and walk over to the parking lot, where you’ll be able to see the show. Learn more about the A’s drone light show here.

EAA AirVenture 2024

Date: Friday, August 2 

Location: Oshkosh, Wisconsin

How to watch: EAA AirVenture 2024 is world’s largest airshow, now in its 71st year. EAA AirVenture primarily targets experimental aircraft, though it has been leaning into drones over the roughly-decade. That includes a show put on by Starlight Aerial Productions.

Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival

Date: July 22 through 28

Location: Grand Haven, Michigan

How to watch: This massive event draws more than 350,000 people, ranging from people looking for a big picnic to high-ranking Coast Guard dignitaries from Washington, D.C. 2024 marks 100 years of the annual event which began in 2024. To celebrate, Starlight Drone Shows will be putting on a drone light show. Learn more about the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival here.

Holiday World Drone Show: Holidays in the Sky (final night)

Date: shows nightly through Sunday, Aug. 4

Location: Holiday World theme park, Santa Claus, Indiana

How to watch: The Holiday World theme park in Santa Claus, Indiana, has brought its drone show back for another season. The show kicked off on Saturday, June 22 and features 500 drones alongside fireworks. It plays nightly (weather permitting) every night of July, plus some of June and August, making for potentially 44 nights of drones.

If you really want to go all in on your Holiday World drone show experience, consider booking the Drone Show Dessert Party. For an additional $30 on top of standard theme park admission, you’ll get premium seating plus bottled water, fruit, cheese and dessert.

Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration (final night)

Date: Aug. 11

Location: Dollywood Theme Park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

How to watch: Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration is a summer festival held at the Dollywood theme park. You’ll need a theme park ticket to enter, which grants you access to all the rides, plus bonus summer activities like a nighttime dance party beneath the Wildwood Grove tree and a bubble show. The highlight though, is a nightly drone show.

The celebration kicked off on June 15, but the drone show runs nightly through the duration of the festival, which runs through Aug. 11. Learn more about the Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration here.

Vacationing in Pigeon Forge? Don’t miss the region’s other attractions including the Anakeesta theme park or the Titanic Museum. For discount tickets, visit Undercover Tourist, which is The Drone Girl’s recommended travel provider.

A’s Drone Light Show

Date: Friday, August 23

Location: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California

How to watch: You’ll need to purchase a ticket to the A’s game, which is being played against the Milwaukee Brewers.  Following the baseball game, fans will be allowed to sit on the outfield grass to watch the drone show. The game begins at 6:40 p.m., but the drone show won’t start until the game is over.

If you’re really on a budget, you’ll be able to watch this drone light show from outside the stadium. If you park in the A’s lot, you’ll get hit with a $30 parking fee. Or, you could take BART (the region’s train system) in and walk over to the parking lot, where you’ll be able to see the show. Learn more about the A’s drone light show here.

Music Across America Drone & Light Show (final night)

Date: Shows on most nights through Aug. 24

Location: Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain Park, Georgia

How to watch: The Music Across America Drone & Light Show is a centerpiece of the theme park that’s located only minutes from downtown Atlanta. The 250 choreographed color-changing drones are synced to music and are accompanied by lasers, too.

Performances kicked off on May 24 and run most nights through August 24. Check the schedule to confirm a performance is scheduled on your intended day. Admission to see the drone show is included when you purchase an Attractions ticket, though you can also attend by purchasing a standalone ticket.  Learn more about the Stone Mountain Park drone show here.

Universal Orlando Drone Show: CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular

Date: Shows most nights starting on Friday, June 14 (kickoff night) through Aug. 25 (final night)

Location: Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, Florida

You’ll need a Universal Studios Florida theme park ticket to watch this drone show, which occurs over the waters of the Universal Studios Florida lagoon. The cost of Universal Orlando tickets starts at $116, but can run higher on busy seasons (alas yes, most summer nights).

But it’ll be likely well worth it for this drone show spectacle. Dubbed CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular, the nighttime show features 600 drones, which fly in sync to a soundtrack that honors the iconic scores and imagery of Universal films. Expect the soundtrack to include songs from Harry Potter, Jurassic World, Jaws, Shrek, Ghostbusters, Trolls, Back to the Future, Universal Monsters, Transformers, How to Train Your Dragon, E.T., Fast and Furious, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Minions, The Mummy and King Kong.

Beyond just drones though, you’ll get a full sensory experience. Given the lake setting, the show also includes 228 fountains that reach heights up to 131 feet, as well as 4K projection mapping on the buildings around the lagoon.

And you can nab discount Universal Orlando tickets through Undercover Tourist, which is Drone Girl’s trusted ticket provider. Depending on the package, you can save up to $141 versus general admission gate prices when purchasing refundable tickets through Undercover Tourist.

Mizzou Football Drone Show

Date: Aug. 29

Location: Columbia, Missouri

How to watch: The University of Missouri is one of the world’s pioneers in incorporating drones into education. Yes, I’m a Mizzou grad. And yes, I was one of the students in the Missouri School of Journalism’s first-ever drone journalism class.

So it’s only fitting that Mizzou bring drones to its sporting events at the iconic Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium, too. For the first time ever, Mizzou Football will have a drone show during halftime of the Murray State game.

What’s more, Mizzou is selling an incredible ticket package. For just $99, you can get four tickets  in the 300 level Tiger Deck. Not only does that entail a better view of the drone show, but it also includes and unlimited hotdogs, popcorn and soft drinks.

Grant’s Farm Summer Nights (final night)

Date: Thursday, Sept. 1

Location: St. Louis, Missouri

How to watch: This 250-drone show happens throughout the summer at Grant’s Farm. This family-friendly farm is hardly a farm, but almost a mini theme park with a petting zoo and some small rides. Owned by the Busch family, the highlight for adults is that they get two free beers in the beer garden, which has a delightfully German vibe.

Stick around for the evening for the drone show. Learn more about visiting Grant’s Farm here.

Disney World Drone Show: Disney Dreams That Soar (final night)

Date: Shows nightly through Sept. 2

Location: Disney Springs, Orlando, Florida

How to watch: A drone show arrived in Disney Springs this summer, and it’s free to watch. Drones fly above the resort’s Lake Buena Vista in a nighttime show called “Disney Dreams That Soar.” The best viewing spots are along the water on the West Side of Disney Springs, which is a free shopping and dining district at Walt Disney World Resort.

“Disney Dreams That Soar” kicked off on May 24 and runs nightly through Sept. 2.

Though you don’t need a ticket to watch this show, you may want to visit the parks while you’re there. If so, visit Undercover Tourist for discount Disney tickets. As Drone Girl’s trusted ticket provider, they’re currently running a promotion to get Disney Adult Tickets at Child Prices.

Disney Electrical Sky Parade (final night)

Date: Monday, September 30

Location: Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, Paris, France

How to watch: You’ll need a Disney ticket to see this Disney drone show — and you’ll also have to head to France. The Disney Electrical Sky Parade is the latest in a series of drone shows that have occurred at Disneyland Park in France.

This one debuted in January 2024 and pays homage to the famous Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade — this time putting the iconic sparkling floats in drone form as they fly around the sky. Though I’ve noted this drone show in the September section, note that you can already see it as you’re reading this. It runs nightly through Sept. 30, 2024.

Albuquerque International Balloon Festival

Date: Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

How to watch: While most drone shows happen at night to take advantage of the night time darkness, these drone shows will happen in the morning — albeit so early it’ll still be dark. The annual balloon fiesta is a site to see with all sorts of hot air balloons as well as entertainment like dancers and musicians. There are balloon races, balloon pin trading, and even other flight exhibitions like a kite show. And at 5:45 on both weekend mornings, there will be a drone light show.

Learn more about the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival here.

IAAPA 2024

Date: November 20, 2024

Location: Orlando Florida

2,484 drones flew over the Orlando Convention Center in a Guinness World Record attempt to earn the title of “Largest aerial display of a bird formed by multi-rotors/drones.” And while not officially tracked record by Guinness standards, the drone show was the largest drone light show flown in the United States.

IAAPA 2024, a massive conference all about theme parks, hosted the show, which Sky Elements put on.

Orlando World Center Marriott

Date: Dec. 25 through 30, 2024

Location: Orlando, Florida

That’s not the only drone show in Florida. The Orlando World Center Marriott drone show offers a rather exciting amenity for hotel guests. It’ll run nightly over the hotel’s pool area. Guests can get a wristband to watch in the pool area, but even non-hotel guests could catch the show by dining at the nearby restaurant.

Other drone light shows in 2024

Keep in mind that the above list is not exhaustive, and new drone light shows are being announced all the time. I’ve also very likely overlooked the myriad of small drone shows that are becoming increasingly common. This list hones in on shows that someone might be more inclined to travel to, or that are otherwise quite easy to see, such as occurring in a big public place with free viewing.

And expect plenty of holiday time drone shows to be announced later this year. Since it’s so far out, I don’t expect to hear about those schedules for at least a few months. We’ll be updating this post with more shows as we learn of them.

By the way, if you’ve got a great drone light show recommendation that people should consider in 2024, do share it by leaving a comment below! And if you’re looking for 2024 drone events that aren’t just drone light shows (I’m talking conferences, expos and seminars), check out my guide to the best 2024 drone events to attend in the coming year.