Thursday, October 1, 2026
The roar of fighter jets echoed across Jones Beach on Sunday as thousands of spectators packed the shoreline for the FourLeaf Air Show, turning Long Island's iconic beachfront into one of the nation's largest celebrations of America's 250th birthday.
Under sunny skies and summer heat, beachgoers filled the sand hours before the first aircraft took to the air, with parking fields filling early as families settled in for a full day of aerial demonstrations, patriotic displays and military flyovers.
The annual air show, paired this year with Saturday night's fireworks spectacular, served as one of New York's signature events commemorating the nation's semiquincentennial.
Before the first planes launched overhead, attendees stood together during the National Anthem, many waving complimentary American flags distributed along the beach.
The day's program opened with the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team descending onto the beachfront carrying the American flag before Farmingdale State College's aviation program took to the skies.
Search-and-rescue demonstrations by the New York Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing highlighted the capabilities of military rescue crews before international performers, including the United Arab Emirates' Fursan Al Emarat demonstration team and Britain's Royal Air Force Red Arrows, thrilled spectators with precision flying.
Historic aircraft from the American Airpower Museum also made appearances, connecting generations of aviation history during the patriotic weekend.
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds added another international flair with their trademark formation flying before the Golden Knights returned alongside the Red Devils parachute team.
Closing the nearly five-hour program were the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, whose six F/A-18 Super Hornets streaked across the skies over Jones Beach in tight formations that stretched across the shoreline from one end of the beach to the other.
The demonstration team's finale featured synchronized loops, high-speed passes and bursts of red, white and blue smoke that drew cheers from spectators lining the sand and boardwalk.
Beyond the performances overhead, the celebration extended throughout Jones Beach State Park. Vendors, informational exhibits and family activities lined the boardwalk, while visitors stopped to pose for photos with a giant "250" display recognizing the nation's anniversary.
Saturday evening's festivities had already drawn thousands for the annual Jones Beach fireworks display, which featured live entertainment, children's activities and a patriotic soundtrack before fireworks illuminated the Atlantic shoreline.
The FourLeaf Air Show had originally been scheduled as a two-day event, continuing Monday, but the second day was canceled because of inclement weather, making Sunday's performance the weekend's only air show.
Even so, the combination of fireworks, military demonstrations and world-class aerobatic performances offered Long Islanders a fitting way to celebrate Independence Day during the nation's 250th anniversary.
