Safety Tips for the Pensacola Beach Air Show

With the Blue Angels ready to take to the skies for the Pensacola Beach Air Show, be sure to follow these tips from Escambia County for a safe, fun weekend. Remember, no kites or drones are allowed to fly during the show.

"We are extremely excited to host the Pensacola Beach Air Show again this year; however, it is very important for everyone to keep safety top of mind," said Chairman and District 4 County Commissioner Robert Bender. "Please be patient and stay hydrated. Our Pensacola Beach Public Works crews work hard so it would also be helpful if everyone cleaned up after themselves, and remember to leave no trace behind on our beautiful beaches."

Traffic

• Leave early. Traffic will be heavy, and parking is limited on Pensacola Beach. Carpool to reduce the number of spaces. Parking lots will be closed once full to inform drivers to look for other space.
• Leave your car in Pensacola and take ride on a ferry to the show! Special pricing is available July 9 and 10 with departure times to and from the downtown Pensacola dock to Pensacola Beach, starting at 8 a.m., with the last return time of 8:30 p.m. Click here for more details. Face masks will be required to ride on all public transportation.
• On Friday, July 9, Santa Rosa Island Authority will have three, free open-air trolleys, operated by ECAT, providing service starting at 7 a.m. and running their regular route until midnight.
• If parking is full in the core areas, take advantage of the free Pensacola Beach trolleys offered by the Santa Rosa Island Authority. East and west parking lots will be serviced by trolleys and will take beach goers to and from Casino Beach. SRIA will have 10 buses in addition to the three open-air trolleys running along the island, and will extend their service area to Park East, located a mile east of Portofino Resort. Service to the east parking lot will run on Saturday only. For a map of trolley stops and a live trolley tracker, click here.
• Remember that access into and exiting the Casino Beach parking lot along Via De Luna Drive and Fort Pickens Road has been modified. The parking lot now functions in a circular configuration, with one way in and one way out. The only entrance into the parking lot is along Via De Luna Drive next to Sidelines Sports Bar & Restaurant and across the street from Flounder’s Chowder House. The only exit from the parking lot is along Fort Pickens Road near the public restrooms/Public Safety Building. To see the specific entry and exit routes along with additional traffic tips, click here.
• Be on the lookout for pedestrians and bicycles sharing the roads. Florida law requires vehicles to stop for pedestrians on a crosswalk. Remember to give cyclists at least three feet of clearance. Walk or bike from Gulf Breeze (only two miles from Gulf Breeze to the sand). It is approximately a 40 minute walk or 25 minute bike ride.

• Use our beach traffic cameras to see the current travel conditions at https://myescambia.com/pensacola-beach

Water Safety

• Be sure to wear and reapply sunscreen often and drink plenty of water. Remember that alcohol, sun and swimming do not mix.
• Swim in lifeguarded areas, and be sure to follow all lifeguard instructions. Swimmers will not be allowed in the Gulf during the airshow.
• Check before you go and follow the posted beach condition flag warnings. Watch our lifeguards explain the flag system on Pensacola Beach. Beach conditions can be checked at PensacolaBeachLifeguards.com and on the Pensacola Beach Lifeguards Facebook page.
• Know how to escape from a rip current. Watch our rip current video and learn how to break the grip of the rip, which can pull even the strongest swimmer out to sea. 

• Remember to "leave no trace" and keep Pensacola Beach sea turtle-friendly. Properly dispose of trash, fill in any holes in the sand and remove belongings from the beach at the end of the day. This includes not leaving any personal property unattended on the sandy gulf beach from sunset until sunrise like umbrellas, tents, beach toys and chairs. To view the Leave No Trace ordinance, click here.