F-35 flyover thrills crowds across Utah on July Fourth
Jul 4, 2025, 5:25 PM
F-35 Flyover above Salt Lake City. (Mark Less, KSL TV)
(Mark Less, KSL TV)
SALT LAKE CITY — Every Fourth of July parade has its traditions, such as candy flying through the air, marching bands keeping rhythm, and all kinds of floats that bring plenty of smiles.
“Oh, it’s great,” said Salt Lake City resident Steven Byron. “Every year, the community does a really good job of just bringing everyone together.”
But thousands of Utahns got an extra dose of patriotic pride when the skies above them roared to life.
Several F-35 jets from Hill Air Force Base flew over communities across the state Friday morning, including Salt Lake City, Riverton, South Jordan, and more.
It was a show of speed and power that left crowds cheering.
“The flyover coming directly over the parade route? That was incredible,” Byron said. “It’s truly incredible. It’s nice to have a Top Gun moment.”
That flyover, coordinated by HAFB, was timed to appear over several Utah cities during the height of morning festivities.
For some residents, it was the highlight of the day.
“Oh, it always … it makes your heart skip a beat when you see something like that,” said Peggy Smith of South Jordan, who was attending the Riverton Town Days celebration. “It’s beautiful.”
For Hillary Taggart, the moment was more than just thrilling; it was also emotional.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to celebrate America,” she said. “I know there are a lot of differing opinions right now, but personally, I’m really grateful for the nation we live in, and I think it’s a great opportunity to reflect.”
Taggart said she had just watched the movie “Black Hawk Down” the night before and had been thinking about the sacrifices of those in the military.
“It brought tears to my eyes to think about our armed men and women who serve and help us maintain the freedom we have,” she said.
At the Salt Lake City parade, children pointed skyward as the jets flew overhead, while parents held their phones aloft, capturing the moment.
One child simply called it what many were already thinking, “It was sick. Loud planes.”
The flyovers visited 17 different cities across northern Utah.
HAFB conducts the flyovers each year as a way to honor Independence Day and thank the communities that support them.
