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This summer, the skies above Jones Beach will trade fireworks for something a little more futuristic: a massive patriotic drone show.
New York State officials have announced a slate of celebrations at Jones Beach State Park to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States and one of the most eye-catching moments will be a first-ever drone light show soaring above the Atlantic Ocean.
The high-tech display is part of a larger series of America 250 events rolling out across Long Island State Parks throughout 2026, but the biggest festivities will land during two major holiday weekends—Memorial Day and the Fourth of July—when the beachfront park will transform into a sprawling outdoor history festival.
Over Memorial Day weekend, visitors can expect a mix of Revolutionary-era reenactments, colonial-style music and family activities spread across the park’s Central Mall. Historical interpreters portraying four New Yorkers who signed the Declaration of Independence (Philip Livingston, Lewis Morris, William Floyd and Francis Lewis) will be on site, along with encampments representing Revolutionary War regiments including the all-Black 1st Rhode Island Regiment and the 5th New York Regiment.
Other costumed figures will include George Washington on horseback as well as Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and James Madison. Members of Washington’s famed Culper Spy Ring, including Long Islanders Benjamin Tallmadge and Robert Townsend, will also appear in character, bringing a particularly local chapter of the Revolutionary story to life.
Beyond the living history displays, visitors can expect fife-and-drum music, colonial cooking demonstrations, themed games and inflatable play areas for kids. Once night falls, the drone show will take over the skies above the beach, creating patriotic imagery in midair against the backdrop of the Atlantic.
The celebrations continue during Fourth of July weekend with another high-profile event: “the FourLeaf Air Show and Fireworks: Celebrating America250.” Fireworks are scheduled for July 4 at 9:30 pm, followed by the annual Jones Beach air show on July 5 and 6.
This year’s lineup includes the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the Canadian Snowbirds, the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team and the Navy’s F-35C Lightning II demonstration team, along with additional flyovers and aerobatic performances.
The Jones Beach events are part of a broader statewide initiative highlighting New York’s role in the American Revolution. Throughout the year, parks across Long Island will host themed programs ranging from colonial games and spy-themed workshops to hikes exploring local Revolutionary history.
If you’re looking for a place to celebrate America’s 250th birthday with ocean views, fighter jets and a sky full of drones, Jones Beach may be the place to do it.