Miami Herald

COVID will change the way you see this weekend’s show

- BY HOWARD COHEN hcohen@miamiheral­d.com Howard Cohen: 305-376-3619, @HowardCohe­n

Fans of the Fort Lauderdale Air Show had to sit tight for five months, but the popular military showcase event is happening this weekend.

Organizers opted to postpone the traditiona­l May event to Saturday and Sunday due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

So while the action in the air promises the usual mighty wings’ razzle-dazzle from all four U.S. Air Force fighter jet demonstrat­ion teams this year — including the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, F-16 Viper and A-10 Thunderbol­t II Demonstrat­ion Teams — your experience on the ground will feel different from previous shows.

The Fort Lauderdale Air Show is implementi­ng safety rules and other measures:

Tickets must be purchased on

● line or by phone; they will not be sold on-site. You can buy tickets and get informatio­n via the Air Show website or call 877-377-8499.

Wearing a mask is required when ●

you are less than 6 feet from others.

Reduced capacity in the Drop

Zone Beach and the Flight Line Club venues.

Contactles­s ticket scanning.

Wristbands will be individual­ly packaged so you can put them on yourself.

Frequent sanitizati­on of all sur

faces and restrooms. And handwashin­g and sanitizing stations in all premium viewing areas.

Promoting credit card, rather

than cash, usage for food, drink and merchandis­e purchases.

●New premium viewing area for 2020 called “The Sand Boxes.” This more personaliz­ed area is designed for the at-risk, elderly and families with small children.

The public address sound will

● only be audible in premium viewing areas to discourage spectators from converging around the perimeter fence, organizers said. A text version of the narration will be made available via the event’s Twitter page at FLLairshow.

State Road A1A will be closed between Sunrise Boulevard and Northeast 19th Court from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There will be lane closures along A1A and surroundin­g streets during set-up and breakdown.

Set-up will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and breakdown will be on Monday, organizers say.

Motorists and bicyclists will be detoured around road closures in this area and should plan to be detoured via North Federal Highway between Oakland Park Boulevard and Sunrise Boulevard.

 ?? STAFF SGT. LARRY E. REID JR. U.S. Air Force ?? The Fort Lauderale Air Show will have rules for masks and social distancing. There will be traffic closures on A1A.
STAFF SGT. LARRY E. REID JR. U.S. Air Force The Fort Lauderale Air Show will have rules for masks and social distancing. There will be traffic closures on A1A.

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