The Fort Lauderdale Air Show kicked off Saturday after a five year hiatus. In anticipation, spectators packed Fort Lauderdale Beach on Friday afternoon to watch a practice show.
The show in the sky appears to have been missed.
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"It's so fantastic to have the Air Show back. We've been waiting for this for years, and all of the locals here have been dying for this day," said spectator Rachel Trotogott.
"We used to come when I was a kid, and we definitely missed it over the past couple of years," said spectator Francis Sergeant.
During Friday's practice, the beach was packed.
"We were here, I guess, the last show before they canceled it," said spectator Lavelton Smiley, who brought his son. "We can't wait to see it."
The streets were already lined with cars, and crews spent the day adding finishing touches to the setup.
For years, the Air and Sea Show flew over Fort Lauderdale Beach. The last show was in 2007, but after that, financial issues grounded the extravaganza.
"It's a condensed air show over a four-hour period of time, from 12 noon to 4 p.m., and it's wall-to-wall airplanes and activity," said Air Show spokesman Chuck Malkus.
The economic impact of the show is expected to be about $5 million. If you measure by the slice, then Primanti Bros. should have a weekend with all the toppings. Representatives said the shop usually sells about 5,000 slices of pizza per week, but during past air shows, it has sold 6,000 per day.
"It's just to see what this air show's going to be because it's a different promoter. It's a different event. We hope it's what it used to be," said Eric Kozlowski, of Primanti Bros.
"I hope this just keeps going on for years and years to come. It's awesome for the city," said Trotogott.
Click here for answers to frequently asked questions about the Air Show.
Visit the Where-to-Park page on the event website for more info on where to leave your car.
Check out the schedule here.