Planes fill sky ahead of Chicago Air & Water Show

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Air & Water Show starts Saturday, but many people headed to the lakefront on Friday to watch the dress rehearsal.

On Friday, it was hot and humid on the ground. But all eyes, both young and old, had their eyes on the sky.

"I think it's wonderful, it's scary though," said Lillian Drummond, who is 93-years-old, but is seeing the air show for the first time. The Austin neighborhood resident said everybody should come see the show. "Just because I'm old, that don't make no difference."

Herb Hunter, a veteran pilot who is the show's announcer, said seeing the planes can be life-changing.

"I was a poor kid and I wanted to fly airplanes from the time I was 5 years old. I can't tell you why. It was just something that was in here," Hunter said.

Kids with their families also had their favorites.

"I like the red plane when it was going really fast and then it went up in the air and came straight down," Fatima Siddiqui said.

The 57th annual show kicks off at 10 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday at North Avenue Beach. U.S. Navy Blue Angels and other planes will fill the sky above the Chicago sky until 3 p.m. More than two million people are expected to attend the two-day event.

While North Avenue Beach will be the focal point, visitors can also watch from Oak Street Beach. Nearby Fullerton Beach is closed due to shoreline construction.

Heavy traffic throughout the city is expected, especially since the Crosstown Classic Chicago White Sox vs. Chicago Cubs series will be at U.S. Cellular Field at 6:10 p.m. Saturday and 1:10 p.m. Sunday. Festa Italiana on Taylor Street will also run through Sunday.

For more information about the air show, click here.