Bethpage Air Show takes flight on Memorial Day

JONES BEACH STATE PARK, N.Y. - The Bethpage Air Show, which first launched at Jones Beach in 2004, was supposed to take place over the weekend but the heavy rain put a damper on those plans. So instead, the show took place on Monday.

The show had already been canceled last year due to COVID-19 and the organizers didn't want to let the spectators down again this year. This is the first time the Bethpage Air Show has been held on Memorial Day.

Anyone who had a ticket to the weekend shows was allowed in. Also, many of Long Island's health-care heroes received passes. Anyone with tickets who weren't able to show up can either get a refund or use the tickets to enter twice at any state park this summer. 

The air show featured amazing stunts from several different teams, including the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Golden Knights, but Monday's show did have to be shortened just a bit.

"We had ceiling issues with regards to clouds, visibility issues, so we went and changed the schedule," state parks regional director George Gorman said. "Some of the performers were eliminated, others were condensed."

He added that the teasers were eliminated to focus on "just the stars of the show."  

Many of the pilots who participated are veterans and active service members, so to fly on Memorial Day, in honor of heroes who died for our country, is extra meaningful for them.

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