The Best US Skydiving Boogies of 2026
If you've only ever jumped at your home DZ, a boogie is the thing that turns skydiving from a hobby into a community. Bigger aircraft, world-class load organizers putting together jumps you'd never get on a normal weekend, themed parties after sunset, and a few hundred jumpers who all came for the same reason you did. The US calendar is packed with them — here are the ones worth planning a trip around in 2026.
What is a boogie, exactly?
A boogie is a multi-day skydiving event, usually built around a theme or a holiday, where a dropzone brings in extra aircraft, hires professional load organizers (LOs) to plan and lead jumps for every skill level, and throws a party every night. You don't need to be an expert — most boogies have free LOs running groups for newer A-license jumpers right alongside the big-way record attempts. You just need a license, currency, and a sense of adventure.
The big difference from a normal jump day: at a boogie, someone else does the work of organizing your jumps. You show up, get put on a load that matches your skill, and fly. It's the fastest way to make jumps, meet people, and get better.
The headliners
SDC Summerfest — Skydive Chicago (Ottawa, IL)
If you do one boogie in 2026, this is the one. Summerfest is nine straight days at Skydive Chicago — three Twin Otters and two Skyvans turning loads from 8am to sunset, headlining LOs across movement, freefly, wingsuit and formation skydiving, age-group record jumps, themed costume days, food trucks every evening, and a closing fireworks party. It's one of the biggest boogies in the country and the gold standard for what a week of jumping can be. Late July into early August.
Big O Boogie — Skydive Orange (Orange, VA)
The Big O is the biggest boogie in Virginia and one with real history — it started in 2001 as a memorial and grew into a multi-day festival drawing hundreds of jumpers, multiple aircraft, world-class organizers and a famously good party (costume nights, a Swoop and Chug, free spectator viewing). Early September.
Viking Invasion — Skydive Sebastian (Sebastian, FL)
The way to close out the year. The Invasion is Skydive Sebastian's iconic New Year's boogie on Florida's Treasure Coast — beach jumps over the ocean, multiple aircraft including a Huey, high-altitude loads, casino night, and the New Year's Eve party the event is famous for. A decade-plus running strong. Late December into January.
Holiday Boogie — Skydive Perris (Perris, CA)
West-coast winter flying at its best. Perris's Holiday Boogie runs DC-9 jet jumps, big-ways with big-name LOs, on-site tunnel training, and a New Year's party on the DZ — and it doubles as a fundraiser for the International Skydiving Museum. Late December into early January, with the reliable SoCal winter weather you can count on.
Worth the trip
Skydive Cross Keys boogies (Williamstown, NJ)
Cross Keys runs a full season of themed events — from Freezefest (the only winter boogie in the Northeast) to a 4th of July boogie with three airplanes, a Mexican-themed Fiesta Boogie with a taco dinner and piñata party, a Halloween bash, and an end-of-year holiday party. A great DZ to follow all year if you're in the Northeast corridor.
WTS Halloween BOOgie — West Tennessee Skydiving (Whiteville, TN)
The Midsouth's premier three-day boogie, now in its 23rd year, on a private airfield 40 miles east of Memphis — home of the famous Mullins King Air. Costume jumps and nighttime festivities over Halloween weekend.
Scout Sniper Association Skydive Boogie — Jumptown (Orange, MA)
A charity boogie open to all military veterans and their families, with discounted veteran skydives and an after-party at a local farm. A community-minded jump with a cause, in July.
How to pick your first boogie
If you're newly licensed, look for an event that advertises free load organizers and groups for A-license jumpers — almost all the big ones do. Go for the size and the LOs, not just the location: a boogie with strong organizers will get you more (and better) jumps than a quiet weekend ever could. And don't sleep on the after-hours side — the parties, the people, and the late-night hangar talk are half of why jumpers keep coming back.
Wherever you end up jumping in 2026, check the full US events calendar for dates, details, and what each dropzone has lined up — and if you're chasing something truly once-in-a-lifetime, the international bucket-list boogies are a whole other adventure.
Blue skies.