2017 'Kickoff to a Long Island Summer'
JONES BEACH (WABC) -- Some beaches on Long Island will have an extra attraction this holiday weekend.
Big crowds will be on hand to watch the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach.
All the performers rehearsed Friday, and for spectators, it was the best way to see the great tricks without all the crowds and traffic.
Watch 'Kickoff to a Long Island Summer' on abc7NY
PART 1:
PART 2:
PART 3:
PART 4:
We talked to several of the brave pilots with groups like the GEICO SkyTypers and the U.S. Airforce Thunderbirds.
"How long have you been a Thunderbirds pilot"?, we asked Erik Gonsalves.
"About 6 months, one of the rooks! One of the new guys, yes ma'am!", he said.
"This is what we do, so it's not a matter of getting nervous," said GEICO Skytyper Jim Record.
Meanwhile Long Islanders kissed their rotten weather goodbye. A brave few even headed into the frigid water Friday.
But most of the beachgoers tried not to lose sight of the real purpose of Memorial Day.
"It's Long Island's way of expressing our patriotism, our love of country," said Wayne Horsley of the New York State Office of Parks.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach will go daily from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
For more details, visit the website airshow.jonesbeach.com/.
