COLORADO SPRINGS – The Air Force Thunderbirds will fly over Colorado Springs about 11 a.m. Tuesday in preparation for their performance at the Wednesday graduation at the Air Force Academy.

Former Denver Broncos quarterback Brian Griese will fly with them before the practice.

Griese, who played with the Denver Broncos from 1998 through 2002, works as a football analyst on ESPN. Griese also played for the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears.

The Thunderbirds’ practice and Wednesday performance likely will tangle traffic in north Colorado Springs as ill-advised rubber-neckers try to drive and watch an air show at the same time.

They’ll flash over Falcon Stadium at the academy about 12:30p.m. Wednesday as cadets toss their hats skyward.

If you want to see them, stake out a parking place early. Don’t park on Interstate 25 unless you’re trying to meet a Colorado State Patrol trooper and want to make a hefty donation to the state’s public safety endeavors.

Nearly 1,000 cadets will graduate in a ceremony that features a speech from Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Here’s a schedule for those heading to the stadium and those trying to get through the area:

Big events include the graduation parade at 9 a.m. Tuesday. If you don’t already have tickets to the commencement, sleep in and watch it all on gazette.com. If you’re headed to the event, start early. Gates to the academy open at 7 a.m.

Be ready for airport-like security and a long day in the sun. Temperatures are expected to hit 80 degrees in the Pikes Peak region Wednesday, so a floppy hat and sunscreen are essential.

“Event spectators will pass through metal detectors to get into the stadium and may have their personal items inspected,” the academy said in a news release.

Food must be carried in clear 1-gallon bags. Only sealed bottles of water are allowed.Getting between Monument and Woodmen Road likely will be a challenge  Tuesday and Wednesday. We recommend detouring east or sleeping in. We’ll have your back at gazette.com/traffic.

For complete coverage of the Air Force Academy graduation, check gazette.com Wednesday morning for live video, photo galleries, a live blog and more.