Bethpage Air Show dazzles capacity Jones Beach crowds in perfect weather

The deafening rumbles of overhead jet engines heralded the return of the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach Sunday for the skyward spectacle's first full day since 2019 without disruptions from the weather or pandemic restrictions.

The boardwalk and beach in Wantagh drew a capacity crowd of about 181,000 on Sunday for the second and final day of the show after most of the aerial display was called off Saturday because of rain and thunderstorms.

Sunday began with partly cloudy skies and cool temperatures but it ws dry and organizers assured morning spectators that the annual event, once again featuring the famed U.S. Navy Blue Angels as headliners, was good to go.

The skies cleared for a jubilant beginning to the summer season with a handful of beachgoers donning swimsuits and wading into the 50-something-degree ocean, said George Gorman, New York Parks regional director for Long Island.

“There was a feeling of euphoria that we finally had an outstanding air show, everything came together,” Gorman said. “We had all of the performers right on time doing amazing shows. It could not have been a better tribute to Memorial Day weekend.”

Parking lots were filled and closed as the last vehicles parked shortly before noon, Gorman said. Several roads were temporarily closed due to the crowds including southbound Meadowbrook Parkway and southbound Wantagh Parkway.

Spectators were encouraged to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" as a parachutist with the U.S. Army Golden Knights waved a flag while floating to earth to kick off the annual harbinger of warm summer days to come on Long Island.

SEE PHOTOSSee photos of the 2022 Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach

"It was very patriotic and a great way to start off the show," Gorman said.

Chris and Debbie Gambeski of Mastic said they had attended the show five times before the COVID-19 pandemic shut it down in 2020 and it was great to have it back.

“It’s amazing what they can do," Debbie Gambeski said of the pilots and parachute teams that are the stars of the show.

“It’s worth the trip," Chris Gambeski said. "It’s great to have everyone together again.”

Three World War II planes from The American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale circled over the crowd, including a Douglas C-47, a supply and troop transport plane with stripes on its fuselage so allies knew not to shoot it down. The others were a British Curtis P41 Warhawk and a P-51 Mustang that flew low over the beach to big applause from the crowd on the sand below.

The scene impressed Dawn Capuano of East Moriches, who said it was her first time at the show.

“I’ve never been after all these years of growing up and living on Long Island," she said. "It’s a beautiful day. We picked the right day to come for sure.”

The Navy’s latest fighter, the F-35C Lightning II, thrilled the crowd as it roared over the beach, performing narrow rolls to demonstrate its maneuverability.

Aerobatic pilot Michael Goulian seemingly defied gravity, rolling, flipping and tumbling head over tail before he pulled out of his descent. The Skytypers Airshow Team, meanwhile, performed low-altitude precision formations, leaving intertwined vapor trails in their wake. 

The show ended with the famed Blue Angels, wowing show-goers with flying in tight formations wingtip to wingtip over the beach with their blue and gold F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.

Verda Washington of Bay Shore said she is a fan of air shows but this is her first time at the Jones Beach event.

“I like to see the power of the military,” she said.