April 17--The Lauderdale Air Show will be a bit different this weekend without the Air Force Thunderbirds and other U.S. military acts, but show organizers and hoteliers remain optimistic the event will still attract huge crowds.

"Ticket sales are going brisk" said Brad Swezey, a spokesman for the Saturday and Sunday event taking place over Fort Lauderdale beach near Sunrise Boulevard and State Road A1A. "We're filling the hotels with other acts and performers."

The event offers one-day premium viewing tickets starting at $35, and VIP seat packages with food and beverage included for $139 or $239. Free viewing also is available in a designated "Family Zone" area along A1A from Vistamar Street north to Sunrise Boulevard.

When the headlining military acts canceled due to "sequester" federal budget cuts, show organizers had to scramble to find civilian replacements so that the air show could go on.

The air show's lineup now includes aerobatic performances by the Black Diamond Jet Team from Lakeland, aircraft stunts and flyovers by the Geico Skytypers, Red Bull Helicopter and parachute team jumps.

"Not having the Thunderbirds is a little bit of a disappointment, but the show's promoter did a great job getting the Spanish Air Force," said Amaury Piedra, general manager of the Westin Beach Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale. "It'll be a great weekend as long as the weather holds."

The Westin has benefited from past air and sea shows, and this year is expecting another "high occupancy" weekend, Piedra said.

The air show was resurrected in 2012 after a four-year hiatus, but without its sea portion. Historically, the Air & Sea show had generated about 1,200 room nights and $5 million in economic impact, according to Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

While torrential rain forced the second day to be canceled last year, about 475,000 spectators watched the event on opening day along the beach and State Road A1A, from Northeast 14th Court to Las Olas Boulevard, according to police and organizer estimates.

Many of them kept hotels, bars and restaurants buzzing along the beach all weekend.

The Spanish air force's elite parachute demonstration team is participating as part of the state's Viva Florida 500th anniversary celebrations. It's their only air show in the U.S. in a decade, according to show organizers.

"This is such a significant and rare opportunity for a U.S. air show to host a Spanish Air Force demonstration team," Lauderdale Air Show president Bryan Lilley said in a statement.

The show's headquarters hotel for the second consecutive year -- the W Fort Lauderdale --also is forecasted to sell out this weekend, starting from Wednesday, said Sherry Serio, the hotel's director of sales and marketing.

"It's paid off for us to be partnered with the air show," said Serio, noting that the economic boost from the show is welcomed given the huge gap left by the ARVO eye doctor convention, which is meeting elsewhere this year.

ARVO decided to leave Fort Lauderdale after its 18th convention there in 2012, citing the need for bigger and more flexible meeting space.

Another hotel expected to be full this weekend is the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, which as of Monday had only a few rooms left for Friday and Saturday nights, said Jay Marsella, the resort's director of sales & marketing.

For show information and ticket prices, visit lauderdaleairshow.com.

[email protected], 954-356-4209 or Twitter @TheSatchreport

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