JonesBeach.com

Air Show - May 25 & 26, 2013

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thunderbirdsFederal budget cuts have forced the Air Force to cancel performances by its Thunderbirds precision flying team for the rest of this year, including its scheduled stint on Long Island on Memorial Day weekend, officials said Tuesday. ...."The Thunderbirds have notified us that they have canceled their season, so we will not be seeing them at the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach," said George Gorman Jr., deputy director of the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. ....The Air Force had held out the possibility earlier this month that performances might resume after April 1, but Capt. Bryan Bouchard, an Air Force spokesman, said those performances had been scratched for the year.
However, while the U.S. Military performers may be grounded, the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach will go on. The 10th Anniversary show taking place Memorial Day Weekend, will have world class lineup of civilian performers as well as a second- time appearance by the Royal Canadian Air Force Supersonic F18 Demo Team. 
Performances by the Geico Sky typers, John Klatt, David Windmiller, the Warbirds and Sean Tucker among many others will wow audiences with their fast paced maneuvers and unique capabilities. 
Each year, the air show greatly contributes to the Long Island economy bringing in millions in revenues. As we continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy, the show will certainly help kick off the summer tourism season and help draw air show enthusiasts and fans back to our beautiful beaches following the storm. The American Air Power Museum, Republic Airport and Jones Beach are still expected to draw large crowds to celebrate the 10th anniversary show.
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U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

U.S. Navy  F-18 Super Hornet click here
VFA-106 Super Hornet Demo Team will be performing a tactical demo with an F/A-18F at this years airshow
also performing: 
GEICO Skytypers    US Army Parachute Team Golden Knights

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SAT-5/25  & SUN-5/26
10AM - 3PM

Admission Price: FREE
Parking Cost: $10.00
Train/Bus Service: http://www.mta.info/lirr/getaways/Beach/JonesBeach.htm


Get there early. In the past, this show has easily seen 200,000 people fill up the beach on a single day. It is not unusual for the parking lots to be filled by 11:00am (if not earlier). When this happens, the parkways are closed and people are turned away. So, it is probably a good idea to arrive before 10:00am, or as early as reasonably possible.

SUNSCREEN. Bring it. You will be in the sun for over five hours. Trust me, you will need plenty of it.

BAGS, BACKPACKS, AND COOLERS ARE OK (this is a beach you know), but keep in mind THEY WILL BE SEARCHED so don't bring too much stuff along with you. It will also get crowded near show-center, and extra baggage could make movement difficult. There is a nice fast-food style restaurant on the East end of the beach, and refreshment vendors will be located along the boardwalk. If you want to keep costs low, you may want to bring along your own drinks and snacks. There will be no bleachers or seating of any sort (with the exception of the VIP Chalets that require a separate entry fee purchased before the show), so bring a blanket to sit on, or a foldable chair. If you plan on sitting close to the water, you might want to bring a jacket or long-sleeved shirt. Even though the air temperature may be warm, the waters will still be cold and can cause the area right by the shoreline to be surprisingly chilly.

EARPLUGS are suggested for the younger viewers (under 3 years), but aren't a bad idea for some of the grown-up viewers as well. The jets can get loud, and you might get stuck next to some annoying guy who won't shut up about his cats.

Photography is always fun at an air show, but there are several things to keep in mind, and you should know the limits of your camera. Even though the planes will be close, they will still be far enough away that you will need a decent amount of zoom. The beach faces South, directly into the sun, so most everything will be backlit all day. Also, the air tends to get quite hazy, making it difficult to get a crisp shot. Don't let these handicaps prevent you from bringing your camera, however. You never know what kind of moments you will be able to capture.

KITES ARE PROHIBITED. They can easily distract the performers, and that could result in some rather nasty stuff. Please leave these flying machines at home.

NO PETS. Of course, this excludes animals that aid the handicapped. Unless that animal happens to be a ferret, and if you are using a ferret to lead you around everywhere, you will probably have trouble getting to the show in the first place.
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