There are ideas you talk about for years.

And then there are ideas that start as a slightly ridiculous conversation and somehow make it out of the group chat.

This one started with me, Chris, and Honor saying something along the lines of:

“Wouldn’t it be amazing if Rochester Airport had an airshow again?”

At the time, it was just an idea. A proper aviation day. Families on the grass. Aircraft on display. Coffee being served. Kids looking up at the sky. Pilots, local people, aviation fans and the wider Medway community all coming together at one of Kent’s most historic airfields.

Then we thought: actually, why not?

So we took the idea to Rochester Airport.

And to their credit, they didn’t laugh us out of the room.

They got it.

They understood that this wasn’t just about putting on another event. It was about bringing people back to the airport. It was about reminding the local community that Rochester Airport is still here, still active, and still a hugely important part of Kent’s aviation story.

And now, somehow, we are actually doing it.

On Saturday 1 August 2026, Rochester Airport will open its gates for the Rochester Airport Family Fun Day and Air Display, a full day of aviation, entertainment, food, drink, family activities and flying displays.

It is the first air display at Rochester Airport since 2015.

And Jet Bean Coffee is proud to be sponsoring it.

Why Rochester Airport matters

Rochester Airport is not just another airfield.

Aviation started at Rochester in September 1933, when Rochester City Council bought the land from a farmer to create a municipal airport. Just one month later, Short Brothers asked to lease the site for test flying, beginning a long relationship between Rochester, aviation and aircraft manufacturing.

By 1934–35, Short Brothers had taken over the site and made Rochester its main base. This is a serious piece of British aviation history. Short Brothers were one of the great names in aircraft manufacturing, and Rochester became part of that story.

The airport also played its part in early civilian flying. In June 1934, civilian services began from Rochester to Southend, with a return trip costing 12 shillings.

Later, the site became connected with the development of the Short Stirling, the first four-engine bomber to serve with the Royal Air Force. Rochester was also bombed during the Second World War, with the factory, runway and buildings hit on 15 August 1940.

So when people ask why we care about Rochester Airport, that is why.

It is not just a runway.

It is a place where aircraft were built, tested, flown, defended and remembered.

And we think more people should know about it.

How Jet Bean ended up involved

Jet Bean Coffee has always been about more than coffee.

The whole idea behind Jet Bean is to connect coffee with aviation. We make aircraft-inspired coffee, we build aviation experiences around the brand, and we want to create things that aviation people actually care about.

But recently, we have been thinking bigger than products.

We have been asking ourselves:

How do we help keep aviation alive at local airfields?

Because if you love aviation, you know how important these places are. Airfields are where people learn to fly. They are where kids see aircraft up close for the first time. They are where small businesses, flying clubs, engineers, instructors, museums and enthusiasts all come together.

And Rochester Airport has that feeling.

When we opened our Jet Bean pop-up café at Rochester Airport, it immediately felt right. Pilots came in for coffee. Visitors stopped by. Local families started discovering the airfield again. According to Rochester Airport, Jet Bean Rochester is currently open at weekends, with plans for the café to open five days a week from August 2026.

So the air display idea felt like the next step.

Not because we know exactly what we are doing.

We don’t.

This is the first time we have ever helped organise anything like this.

But sometimes that is what makes it exciting.

The idea became real

Once Rochester Airport got behind it, the idea started to grow.

It became bigger than a few aircraft and a coffee stand.

The event is now planned as a proper Family Fun Day and Air Display, running from 11:00 to 17:00 at Rochester Airport, Maidstone Road, Chatham, ME5 9SD.

There will be aviation, entertainment and family fun, with a funfair, food stalls, a bar, air displays and more.

And importantly, 25% of all proceeds will go to the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance.

That part matters.

Because the Air Ambulance is one of those organisations everyone hopes they never need, but everyone is grateful exists.

So yes, this is going to be a brilliant day out.

But it also has a purpose.

Why this feels special

There are bigger airshows in the UK.

There are events with huge budgets, massive teams and decades of experience.

This is not that.

This is a group of people who love aviation trying to create something meaningful at a local airport.

And honestly, that is what makes it special.

It feels grassroots, but ambitious.

It feels local, but exciting.

It feels like the kind of event that people will look back on and say:

“I went to the first one.”

That is what we want this to become.

Not just a one-off day, but the beginning of something.

A reason for families to come to Rochester Airport.

A reason for local people to feel proud of the airfield.

A reason for young people to look up, see an aircraft fly past, and maybe think:

“I want to do that one day.”

That is how aviation starts for so many people.

Not with a textbook.

Not with a careers fair.

But with a day out, a noise in the sky, and someone pointing upwards.

What to expect on the day

The Rochester Airport Family Fun Day and Air Display will take place on:

Saturday 1 August 2026
11:00am – 5:00pm
Rochester Airport, Maidstone Road, Chatham, ME5 9SD

Expect a full day built around aviation, community and family fun.

There will be:

• Flying displays
• Aircraft on and around the airfield
• Family entertainment
• Funfair attractions
• Food stalls
• Bar
• Jet Bean Coffee
• Local aviation atmosphere
• A chance to support the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance

More details will be announced as we get closer to the event.

This is aviation, but it is also a proper family day out.

You do not need to be an aviation expert to enjoy it.

You just need to turn up, bring the family, grab a coffee, and look up.

Come and be part of it

This is our first time helping create an air display.

We are learning as we go.

We are asking questions we never thought we would be asking.

Things like:

How much fencing do you need for an air display?

How do you organise aircraft parking?

How do you plan crowd flow at an airport?

How many coffees can you physically serve in one day before your machine gives up?

It is a lot.

But it is also exactly the kind of thing Jet Bean was built for.

We wanted to create a coffee brand that did more than sit on a shelf. We wanted Jet Bean to show up in real aviation places, support real aviation communities, and create experiences people actually remember.

This is one of those moments.

So if you want to support the event, the airport, the Air Ambulance and a slightly mad idea that started over coffee, we would love to see you there.

Tickets are available now via Eventbrite.

Buy tickets for Rochester Airport Family Fun Day and Air Display

Follow the journey

We are going to be sharing the behind-the-scenes process as we help bring this event together.

The planning.

The mistakes.

The aircraft announcements.

The coffee setup.

The “what have we got ourselves into?” moments.

And hopefully, the moment it all comes together on the day.

Follow us on Instagram for updates:

Follow Jet Bean Coffee on Instagram

And if you are coming to the event, come and say hello.

We will be the ones serving coffee, probably looking slightly tired, but very happy.

See you at Rochester Airport.

Nathan
Founder, Jet Bean Coffee