Jones Beach air show: What an estimated crowd of 187,000 people saw on Sunday
Thousands flocked to the FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach, for the the second and final day of the annual event Sunday. Credit: Tom Lambui
An estimated 187,000 people descended on Jones Beach for the final day of the annual FourLeaf Air Show on Sunday, headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
This year's event held extra significance because this is the 250th anniversary of the formation of the U.S. Army, Navy and Marines, George Gorman, New York State Parks regional director for Long Island, said in an interview. The total weekend attendance was an estimated 308,000, he said.
"What's special about this air show is we've had more military performers than we've ever seen" Gorman said. "That's special, especially during Memorial Day weekend honoring the military, the veterans, and those that've given their lives for the country."
In addition to the Thunderbirds, the U.S. Golden Knights parachuted from the sky, and several planes zoomed just beneath the clouds, including a Navy F-35C fighter jet. An Army drill team performed on the boardwalk as well.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds were the headliners at Jones Beach Sunday. Credit: Tom Lambui
After overcast conditions dimmed attendance Saturday, Gorman said, the beach was swarmed with guests as the sun shone Sunday. The parking fields closed at 11:30 a.m. Sunday after reaching their full capacities, organizers said.
"The weather did not cooperate for the practice day or yesterday," Gorman said. "It was cold. We had people that had winter coats and blankets. Today we had people in bathing suits, so it's a big difference."
Reuben Bland, 78, of Townsend, Tennessee, is an Air Force veteran and recreational pilot. He decided to attend the show while visiting family on Long Island. He said he frequently attends air shows.
"Most people don't get to see the military jets," Bland said.
Bill Karl, 70, of Putnam Valley, attended the show with his daughter — her first, he said. He was particularly excited to see the Thunderbirds. The show had a different feel from when he first attended as a high school student, he said.
"There were no announcements, we were just laying asleep on the beach, and the Thunderbirds started up over the top of us," Karl said, chuckling, about the air show back when he was in high school. "That was a shock."
Isao Sekiguchi, 52, held his phone high, shooting video of the planes in the sky. The Bergen County, New Jersey, resident said he attends five or six air shows across the country every year. He wore a U.S. Navy T-shirt.
"I like everything about it," Sekiguchi said of the air show.
Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.
