Marine Corps Beaufort air show is scheduled for April. What’s changed because of COVID?
Editor’s note: The 2021 MCAS Beaufort Air Show was canceled on February 12. Read more about that announcement here.
The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels will be flying over Beaufort again this year as the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort’s popular air show returns with a much smaller crowd.
General admission to the show, planned for April 24 and 25, is being capped at 30,000 guests, according to the event’s website. In previous years as many as 100,000 people would travel to the military base to watch.
Limiting the capacity will leave more space for social distancing, which will be monitored and enforced. Attendees will also be required to wear face masks.
A note on the website says: “As the current COVID-19 situation continues to fluctuate, we want to assure you that we’re working diligently to develop safety and sanitation procedures while delivering a unique and dynamic air show experience.”
Every person entering the show must have tickets, including those in general admission, which is different from previous years.
General admission tickets for both days are free, but are capped at 10 per transaction. Premium seating tickets are also available, including for the flightline club, observation deck and bleacher seating.
Tickets can be purchased at www.beaufortairshow.com. There are no refunds for tickets purchased unless the event is canceled before gates open, the website says.
The MCAS Air Show is a biennial event, with the most recent one being in 2019, so there was no show last year.
At least one of the other air show events the Blue Angels were scheduled for this year, the Naval Air Station Jacksonville Air Show scheduled for April 10 and 11, ahead of Beaufort, was canceled due to COVID safety concerns.
In the past, the event has included aerial performances and “static displays.” They included the Angel9 TransAm and the Military Vehicle Collector Club, which restored military vehicles and equipment from World War II through more recent conflicts in the Middle East.
This story was originally published February 11, 2021 at 11:47 AM.
