Airsec Group was proud to return to Ragley Hall in Warwickshire to provide security and event safety services for the Midlands Air Festival 2026.
Held from 29 to 31 May, the three-day festival brought together spectacular air displays, hot-air balloon launches, model aircraft, family entertainment and the popular Friday evening Nightfire show.
Having supported the Midlands Air Festival since 2018, our team has developed a detailed understanding of the event, its audience and the unique operational requirements involved in safely delivering one of the UK’s leading aviation festivals.
A spectacular weekend of aviation
The Midlands Air Festival is far more than a conventional airshow.
Across the weekend, visitors were able to enjoy displays featuring historic aircraft, modern military aviation, helicopters, parachute teams and high-energy aerobatics. The RAF Red Arrows were among the headline attractions at the 2026 event.
Weather permitting, the festival also hosts mass ascents featuring up to 100 hot-air balloons, including an assortment of rare and unusual special shapes.
Friday evening concluded with the festival’s distinctive Nightfire programme. This included illuminated balloon displays, burners firing flames into the air, performances accompanied by music and a firework finale.
With activity beginning early in the morning and continuing into the evening, the festival requires a security operation capable of supporting long operating hours, changing audience numbers and a large outdoor event site.
Airsec’s role at the festival
Airsec provided the security and event safety operation across the festival weekend, helping to protect approximately 36,000 visitors, event personnel, pilots, performers and contractors.
Our deployment included both daytime and overnight personnel, with team members positioned throughout the public and operational areas of the Ragley Hall site.
Our responsibilities included:
- Entry, ticket-checking and search operations
- Crowd and queue management
- Public safety stewarding
- Monitoring pedestrian routes and viewing areas
- Protecting airside and restricted operational zones
- Access control for staff, contractors and participants
- Traffic and vehicle-movement support
- Backstage and performer-area security
- Responding to incidents and welfare concerns
- Supporting emergency and evacuation procedures
- Overnight security for the event site and equipment
- Security supervision, management and control-room functions
The scale and nature of the event meant that clear radio communication and close coordination with event management, medical teams, traffic personnel, production staff and other operational departments were essential throughout the weekend.
Protecting a complex aviation event
An aviation festival presents risks and operating requirements that differ considerably from those found at a conventional concert or indoor venue.
The site contains public viewing areas alongside aircraft operating zones, balloon-launch areas, temporary structures, traders, camping facilities, vehicle routes and restricted technical spaces.
Maintaining effective separation between these areas is essential. Members of the public must be able to move around and enjoy the festival while operational teams, pilots and aircraft remain protected from unauthorised access.
Our personnel helped monitor boundaries and controlled areas throughout the event, while remaining available to answer questions and assist visitors.
The security operation also had to remain flexible. Flying schedules and balloon activity can change in response to weather and operational conditions, meaning deployments and public movement arrangements may need to be adjusted during the event.
Day and night security coverage
Airsec’s involvement continued beyond the festival’s public opening hours.
Our overnight teams helped protect aircraft, equipment, traders, temporary infrastructure and other assets remaining on site between event days.
Overnight security at a large rural event site requires appropriate staffing, regular patrols, effective lighting and communications, and clear procedures for responding to suspicious activity, fire, medical incidents or unauthorised entry.
This continuous coverage helped provide reassurance that the site remained protected from the arrival of the first operational teams in the morning through to the conclusion of overnight duties.
Experienced and approachable personnel
Large family events require security personnel who are confident and capable but also approachable and helpful.
Our team regularly assisted visitors with directions, event information and accessibility requirements while remaining alert to potential safety or security concerns.
The aim was to provide a visible and reassuring presence without detracting from the relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere of the festival.
All Airsec personnel deployed to the event received role-specific briefings covering the site layout, emergency arrangements, communication procedures and their individual responsibilities.
Our SIA-licensed personnel and event safety stewards also complete annual counter-terrorism awareness training appropriate to their roles.
Another successful Midlands Air Festival
The 2026 festival delivered three memorable days of aviation and entertainment in the grounds of Ragley Hall.
We are extremely proud of the commitment and professionalism shown by everyone working across the Airsec operation. Long shifts, early starts and a large outdoor site placed considerable demands on the team, but they continued to provide a professional and welcoming service throughout the weekend.
Having supported the Midlands Air Festival over several years, we value the trust placed in Airsec and are delighted to continue contributing to the safe delivery of this exceptional event.
We look forward to returning for many more successful festivals.
Security for festivals and major outdoor events
Airsec Group provides professional security, stewarding and event safety services for festivals, airshows, concerts, sporting events and other large public gatherings throughout the UK.
Our services include:
- SIA-licensed security personnel
- Event safety stewards
- Entry and search teams
- Crowd and queue management
- Perimeter and restricted-area security
- Security supervisors and managers
- Event control personnel
- Overnight and static security
- Response teams
- Traffic and vehicle-movement support
- Event security planning and consultancy
Whether an event takes place at an established venue, country estate, temporary outdoor site or city-centre location, we can build an operation around its audience, programme and individual risk profile.