What to know about the FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach on Fourth of July weekend
The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels will headline a July 4th weekend at Jones Beach that includes the air show, fireworks, food and patriotic music to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday. Credit: Howard Schnapp
Military-trained aerial performers from as close as Westhampton Beach and as far as the United Kingdom will fly over the Jones Beach oceanfront next month as part of an air show and fireworks display to mark America’s 250th birthday.
American, Canadian and English pilots are among the performers in the FourLeaf Air Show and Fireworks at Jones Beach, the credit union announced in a news release. The three-day weekend event, which combines the annual air show over Jones Beach State Park, a Long Island tradition usually held during Memorial Day weekend, with the nation’s milestone celebration, is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of spectators.
A 25-minute fireworks display and "a musical array of patriotic songs" will kick off the festivities at 9:30 p.m. on July 4, the release said. A simulcast of the event will be broadcast over WALK/97.5 FM and WKJY/98.3 FM.
The air show will take flight from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both July 5 and 6. For the 11th time, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will headline the event, but this time accompanied by armed forces demonstration teams from Canada and the U.K., according to the release.
"With the Blue Angels returning, international performers joining the lineup, and our annual fireworks spectacular lighting up the shoreline, these will be the perfect events for families to celebrate our country’s history at one of Long Island’s most iconic locations," George Gorman, regional director of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, said in the release.
The Royal Air Force Red Arrows — based in an area rich with aeronautical history — will make their New York debut as part of the air show lineup. The aerial acrobats hail from Lincolnshire, England, a municipality named "Bomber County" due to the number of squadrons based there during World War II, according to the county council's tourism website. The British Army Parachute Display Team, the Red Devils, will also fly to Jones Beach from the U.K.
For the first time in eight years, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds will fly south to the Island for the annual summer celebration.
A demonstration of U.S. military aircraft designed for combat search and rescue operations will be performed courtesy of the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard, organizers said. Other American military performers include the Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing, based in upstate Newburgh, the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the U.S. Army's Golden Knights Parachute Team.
Civilian performers include the American Airpower Museum Warbirds and the Farmingdale State College Flying Rams, both based out of Republic Airport, the release said. WHLI/1100 AM and WHLI/104.7 FM will broadcast play-by-play commentary of the air show.
While attending the air show is free, the usual $10 fee to park at Jones Beach State Park will remain in effect, organizers said.
Those considering attending can download the FourLeaf Air Show app for more information on the event.
The three-day event "will be one of the most memorable events in our history as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary right here on Long Island," Linda Armyn, president and CEO of Bethpage-based FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, said in a statement. "From the Blue Angels soaring overhead to the fireworks over Jones Beach on Independence Day, this special weekend will celebrate the spirit of our nation and bring families together for an unforgettable tribute to American pride and tradition."
