An aviation celebration at annual Bremerton Air Show

Published 1:30 am Monday, July 13, 2026

As aircraft thundered overhead at Bremerton National Airport July 11-12, Chris Diaz and his two brothers stood over a smoking grill, slicing tri-tip cooked the same way their family has done for generations.

For many visitors, Pedro’s Santa Maria Style BBQ was simply another stop between air show performances. But for Chris, it was a way to honor his father.

“Aviation has a special place in our family’s heart,” he said.

Pedro Diaz was both a pilot and a barbecue enthusiast. Before he died in 2016, he taught his children how to cook over California red oak using old family recipes.

Today, those recipes live on through the family’s barbecue business, named in his honor.

“My kids and my brothers’ kids never really got to know my dad,” Chris said. “This is a way for them to learn our family traditions and keep his memory alive.”

That connection to aviation is one reason the family keeps returning to the Bremerton Air Show.

Chris’ brother, Greg Rivaldi, spent more than 20 years as a Marine Corps pilot before retiring and becoming an airline pilot. Another brother, Dave Rivaldi, served as a Marine Corps helicopter crew chief.

“We love this business because it’s a way to share these family recipes with the Kitsap community,” Diaz said.

The barbecue wasn’t the only attraction drawing crowds. Thousands of people spent the weekend watching aerobatic performances, touring historic aircraft and exploring a classic car show.

The fourth annual Bremerton Air Show drew an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 visitors over two days, per air show director Douglas Fratoni. About 20 aircraft participated in aerial demonstrations, while dozens more were on display.

The air show is organized by the Collins Historical Aircraft Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving aviation history and promoting the importance of flight.

Fratoni said the event returned to Bremerton four years ago after the city went about 30 years without hosting an air show. Since then, it has continued to grow.

“It gives something for everybody,” Fratoni said. “We have a third of our people that come from more than 50 miles away. That’s what you want.”

The Bremerton Air Show isn’t Fratoni’s first rodeo. After retiring from the Air Force, he spent a decade directing the Tacoma Narrows Air Show before bringing the event to Bremerton. He said the goal of the event extends beyond entertainment.

“We want to promote the love of aviation and how important aviation is to our country,” Fratoni said. “We want to inspire people.”

That inspiration is exactly what pilot Anthony Oshinuga hopes to provide every time he climbs into his plane.

Oshinuga has been flying for 20 years and now performs in air shows across the country. This year marked his first appearance in Bremerton.

He traces his passion for aviation to a childhood memory. When he was two years old, his father parked beside an airport runway so they could watch airplanes take off.

“I didn’t choose aviation; aviation kind of chose me,” Oshinuga said. “Ever since then, I’ve just put one foot in front of the other, and I’m driven by passion.”

Now he hopes his performance sparks that same excitement in someone watching from the ground.

“I want to give that same passion to the younger generation because I want them to understand that anything is possible,” he said.

Behind the scenes, nearly 150 volunteers helped make the event a reality.

Volunteer coordinator Carole Lail said planning for the event begins nearly a year in advance. Volunteers filled roles ranging from parking and logistics to medical services.

“They’re really the backbone of this event,” Lail said. “They sign up for a six-hour shift and end up staying nine or 18 hours.”

Lail said many of the volunteers return year after year, while others come from organizations including Kitsap Search and Rescue, local military installations and the medical community.

Back at the barbecue stand, Chris said the event has been one of the family’s busiest of the season. But for his family, the weekend wasn’t simply about selling barbecue. It was another opportunity to celebrate the father who taught them to cook and introduced them to aviation.

Nathan Hyun is a freelance reporter for Kitsap News Group.