Shaw Air Force Base is opening its doors to the public for a show that has not come to town in six years.
"This year its an incredible show. Its going to be lower to the ground, faster and louder all while being safer than before," said Captain Travis Grindstaff.
Grindstaff was stationed at Shaw for four years and says he is happy to be back and to be a part of the Air and Space show.
"It's incredibly nostalgic, this base made," Grindstaff said. "It's where I grew up and now I get to come back as a part of the Thunderbirds and show off the pride, precision, and professionalism that they taught me."
The Air and Space Show will feature the Thunderbirds, the S.S. Space Force, an F-16 demo pilot, and civilian stunt pilots as well.
Vice Wing Commander, Kevin Hicock, says the base looks forward to welcoming the community and giving people a better understanding of what the Air Force does.
"The community here in Sumter is very supportive of Shaw... so we're excited to open the gates and get people a little bit closer to the mission they support," Hicock stated.
The base encourages people to bring hearing protection with them for the shows this weekend, because their pilots like it loud.
"I'd say in general the air show is going to be loud, so hearing protection is a must if you're coming.... it's going to be a good time and it'll give people a chance to see what buzzes overtop of them every now and again," Hicock said.
Gates for the Air and Space Show open at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and the base asks people to get there early and pack their patience for getting through the gates.
The shows run all day Saturday and Sunday, and are free to attend.