As far as Long Islanders are concerned, summer arrived at Jones Beach on Friday, and so did the air show. With clear, sunny skies and warm temperatures, a record crowd of 106,000 hit the beach at the state park to avoid the weekend masses and watch the rehearsal for the 20th annual Bethpage Air Show on Saturday and Sunday. While the rehearsal was not widely broadcast, park officials said, the tens of thousands in attendance showed that the secret is out.
Park officials said the crowd shattered last year’s record of 67,000 people attending Friday’s rehearsal. Last year’s three days of the air show, including the rehearsal, topped 419,000 people, officials said. By midmorning Friday, parking lots were filling up, and the beach and the Jones Beach boardwalk were packed with Long Islanders thirsty for a taste of summer.
Saturday is predicted to be dry but cloudy, and Sunday will be mostly sunny, but cooler than Friday. From breaking news to special features and documentaries, the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy .
“We were thinking we could beat the crowd for the practice day and it’s a nice day, so it looks like everyone came out,” said Theresa Orlando, 42, of Oceanside, with her 4-year-old daughter Victoria. “We love seeing the planes come every year. It’s always just a bit more open on Friday and we get the best views of the show and just a little bit better parking.
” The rehearsal .
