Milwaukee’s signature lakefront spectacle is getting a new flight plan. The Milwaukee Air & Water Show is now under the control of Air Show Consultants, LLC, led by retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Brian L. Allendorfer Jr. The shift comes as longtime producer Paul Rogers steps away after more than twenty years at the helm, with organizers announcing the change on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, just as planning picks up for this summer’s waterfront weekend.
The handoff was detailed in a recent news release that local station FOX6 News Milwaukee shared with viewers. According to that release, Allendorfer acquired the event through Air Show Consultants and intends to keep the show’s focus on patriotic salutes and family-friendly entertainment, even as he puts his own stamp on the production.
New leadership
Allendorfer arrives with a resume built on logistics and low-level passes. He is a retired KC-135 boom operator who has spent more than twenty years involved in airshow operations, and his company cites past work on several major Midwest events. Air Show Consultants notes that it manages permits, military liaison duties and scheduling for large public flyovers, services it will now bring to Milwaukee’s lakefront crowds.
2026 plans and sponsors
The show’s official site lists July 25–26, 2026, as the next Air & Water Show weekend, with performer lineups and ticket specifics still to come. Organizers say a recent announcement confirmed that WaterStone Bank will stay on as title sponsor, extending a partnership they credit with helping bankroll the free lakefront production. Both MKE Air & Water Show and WaterStone Bank share event logistics and sponsorship details online.
In the same release, Allendorfer said he hopes to “elevate every aspect of the event” while keeping it firmly rooted in Milwaukee traditions, a nod to longtime fans who treat the show as a summer ritual. FOX6 News Milwaukee published the statement on March 10, 2026.
The Air & Water Show is billed as one of the Midwest’s largest free gatherings, pulling hundreds of thousands of spectators to the shoreline each year and serving as a big midsummer boost for nearby businesses and veterans groups. Organizers frequently highlight the event’s dual role in honoring service members and driving tourism along the lakefront, a mission outlined on the MKE Air & Water Show site.
What to watch next
The industry will be watching how Air Show Consultants leverages its experience with large-scale flyovers and regional events, including prior work in Chicago and Gary, as Allendorfer tackles permits, military applications and performer contracts for Milwaukee. The company says it will coordinate with the FAA, branches of the U.S. military and local agencies to lock in aerial acts, although final performer rosters are traditionally released in the spring. The scope of those services is laid out on the Air Show Consultants website.
For now, organizers report that planning is in full swing. Tickets will go on sale once the show posts its reserved-seating options and public viewing maps, with more names and schedules set to drop as the 2026 lakefront weekend gets closer.
