Air Show, Main Street Fair Added to Pierfest

Billed as the city’s most extravagant beach festival yet, this weekend’s Pierfest will feature an air show, along with a ‘50s-style fair on Main Street to help promote downtown businesses.

Paul Cook, Pierfest organizer, said the air show, featuring acrobatic airplanes and military fly-bys, “is something we added to make the event unique.”

The air show, part of the celebration for the first time, drew concerns from some downtown residents about safety, crowds and traffic problems.

Downtown resident Elaine Rosen called it an “unnecessary risk” added to the event, which began in the summer of 1992 to celebrate the reopening of the city’s pier.

“Air shows are a great thing in the right place,” said Rosen, whose husband is a private pilot. “We didn’t feel this was the right location.”

To address safety issues, the air show was limited to 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Cook said the show, which will be over the ocean rather than near homes, has been cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration.

In addition to Pierfest at the city pier, downtown merchants will hold their first Pier Festival in the hope of drawing some beach-goers into the shopping district.

The downtown event, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days, will feature a classic car and motorcycle show, old-fashioned sock hop, games for children and live entertainment.

At Pierfest, the events will include ocean sport activities such as surfing, watercraft demonstrations from 10 a.m. to noon, a trade and sports expo and about 100 exhibitors displaying handcrafted items.

Pierfest, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., is free. Grandstand seating is $8 before the event and $10 on the day of the event.

Information: (714) 960-FEST.