Officials: Bethpage Air Show set to go for Memorial Day

The Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach State Park has been rescheduled for Monday after heavy rain canceled the annual event this weekend.

General admission for the performance will be available to all visitors.

Passes for Saturday and Sunday will be honored during the Memorial Day performance, which will run from noon until 3 p.m. It will be the first time the show is held on Memorial Day since it began in 2004. Anyone with an Empire Pass will also be granted admission.

Scheduled performers include the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, the Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt (Warthog), the Army Golden Knights parachute demonstration team, GEICO Skytypers, and numerous stunt pilots.

"I’m tremendously grateful for all the partners, performers and staff who are pulling together to make Monday’s show happen," said State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid. "We’re excited for the traditional summer season at Jones Beach, starting with the Bethpage Air Show."

While last year's show was canceled due to the pandemic, bad weather has only done so twice: in 2013 and 2018.

Monday's forecast calls for mostly cloud skies, a high near 70 and dry conditions, according to the National Weather Service.

Cloud cover at noon Monday at Jones Beach will be just under 60%, according to the weather service's website. Visibility will be about 10 nautical miles, with a cloud ceiling of 2,800 feet, the weather service said.

Thunderbirds Lt. Col. Kevin DiFalco told Newsday last week the team needs a minimum ceiling of at least 2,000 feet and visibility of five nautical miles to perform.

Those with tickets to Saturday or Sunday’s performances are eligible to receive two free day park passes or a refund.

"Fans who wish to receive a refund should email their confirmation numbers with the email address they used to purchase their tickets to jonesbeach.airshow@parks.ny.gov," the air show Facebook page said.

George Gorman, Long Island regional director of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, said organizers do not think they will be above the previously established 50% capacity limit Monday, as many will choose not to redeem their tickets.

"We feel that is not going to happen," he said. "People have already made plans for the holiday."

Still, staff will be monitoring to make sure people are spread out and do not congregate on the boardwalk, he said.

With Joan Gralla

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.