Chicago Air & Water Show: The Part They Didn't Tell You

Probably because we picked the wrong three hours to be there, or maybe because we chose the wrong beach to watch from, or maybe because the crowds and the hard cement under my sit-bones got old really fast, but the Chicago Air & Water Show was disappointing.

I suppose I should have known it was little more than a tourist trap from the beginning, and I definitely should’ve gotten a clue when I went for a run yesterday after work. The lake path was lined with trash bins, attracting swarms of those tiny little flies that collect like clouds in front of your face (not so fun when you’re running and you have to keep your mouth closed the entire time). Port-a-potties and white tents marred the lake view, and crowds of people who were diverted around sections of closed-off sidewalks frustrated every runner and biker on the path. Every indicator was there. Yet, I was only further convinced that this show was really something to see.

So, this morning, instead of sleeping late, I woke up at a decent time to meet a couple of friends on the beach. North Ave. beach was jam-packed with visitors, from the very inch the beach and lake meet, up to and onto the sidewalk. We decided to avoid North Ave. and relocate closer to Oak Street where we could sit down. Apparently by doing this, we missed the water show, and sat impatiently for three hours waiting for something interesting to happen in the sky.

What we viewed was a random plane here and there, flying out across the lake. We saw a few parasailers shooting off fireworks after they launched from various airplanes, and some small planes doing some daring interweaving (this was the best part), but that was it. And the thing was, I couldn’t find a concrete schedule of events anywhere prior to and at the show (which you know they do purposely). I went up to an information desk set up under one of those white tent awnings and asked about a program schedule. The person sitting there told me he had absolutely no information, and directed me to a flier (which I had already received) explaining how to set up text messages that would alert me to the schedule. Seeing as this was my only option, I did it. After two welcome texts, I got a new text message every few minutes telling me which plane (singular) was about to fly over North Ave. beach. I realized quite quickly that these alerts were going to put me over my text limit (I may be one of the only people left who does not have unlimited texting), and promptly canceled.

Everything I read about the show prior to today directed me to show up early in order to get a spot. I showed up early, found the beach already packed, and then stayed for three hours waiting to see something exciting. A little after 1 pm, hungry, impatient and, in my case, highly disappointed, we decided to leave and go get food someplace where we wouldn’t have to pay ten bucks for a hot dog. After lunch, I headed back to my apartment because I needed to write some articles (still procrastinating, as you can see), and then the good stuff started!

I found out quickly that the only part worth going for is the last 30 minutes, which I have just spent watching from my apartment window. I have seen more planes in the past half hour than I saw in the entire three hours Jake, Dave and I sat roasting in the sun, on hard concrete. This last 30 minutes was exactly what I was hoping for when I showed up outside Castaways at 10 am. I’m not going to lie—I’m a bit disappointed that I saw all the cool stuff from my apartment window. But it’s actually pretty exciting to be sitting at home, to hear the growing rumble of the planes, to look out your window, eyes darting from one inch of the sky to the next, waiting for the planes to appear, until, all of a sudden, they zip into your line of vision from nowhere, across the apartments adjacent to you, and out toward the lake. I noticed all the knowledgeable people out on their rooftops and balconies watching the show. No crazy crowds, sweaty bodies crammed together, and hard cement underfoot. I understand why people told me I was crazy when I said I was going to watch it from North Ave. beach, but I'd wanted to get the full experience. Turns out that we didn’t even wind up on North Ave., and that I didn't get the full experience whatsoever. But, the good news is that they do the whole show again tomorrow. So, tomorrow, at 3:30 pm, I am going to stake out a spot on my rooftop deck and watch all the good stuff all over again. :)