While the weather forecast for Long Island this weekend calls for overcast skies with rain and breezy conditions – high temperature of 55 degrees – on Saturday, the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach will proceed.
For the past 10 years, the air show has been a hit for the Jones Beach Memorial Day weekend. The air show attracts people from all over the tri-state area. Last year, the show drew almost 400,000 spectators.
There’s no stopping the show from going on this year, even with the devastation that Superstorm Sandy caused several months earlier. This year’s event is especially meaningful because this weekend also marks the official reopening of the Jones Beach Boardwalk.
This year’s show features nearly a dozen high-flying aircrafts. Performers scheduled for this year include the Royal Canadian Air Force F18 Demonstration Team; Lt. Col. John Klatt of the National Guard Reserve; Sean D. Tucker of Team Oracle; Aerobatic Pilot Matt Chapman; Rob Holland Ultimate Air shows; The Raiders Demonstration Team; Kirby Chambliss of Team Chambliss; the Red Bull Air Force Skydiver Parachute Team; the Misty Blues All-Woman Skydiving Team; Chuck Aaron of the Red Bull Helicopter Aerobatics; the GEICO Skytypers; Miss GEICO Speedboat; the American Airpower Museum Warbirds; and David Windmiller.
Also, for the first time the Bethpage Air Show At Jones Beach 10th Anniversary App is available on iTunes where you can get up-to-the-minute information on parking field availability, listen to the show live, take and share photos and do much more.
This is an event that produces an estimated $15 million to Long Island’s economy, according to New York State Parks Deputy Regional Director George Gorman in reporting from Patch.com.
The air show kicks off from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The air show will also run during the same hours on Sunday. The event is free, but there is a $10 fee for vehicles to enter. It’s recommended that you arrive early since the parking lot is expected to fill up quickly. Public transportation to Jones Beach is also available now that NICE Bus service has routes to the location.
[Source: Patch.com; Bethpage Air Show.]