Blues Weekend is big business

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. (WALA) - Pensacola Beach is gearing up for the most exciting weekend of the year with the Blue Angels.

The Blues will be thrilling crowds and boosting beach business all week long.

Blues bring big bucks

The power, the roar and the sight of the Blue Angels zooming over the beach in front of thousands of fans is an experience unlike any other

For Bruce Parris at The Dock, a Pensacola business, there’s nothing quite like the business all those spectators will bring.

“Between the fourth of July and followed up by the Blue Angels this is the peak of our season,” Parris told us.

Across the street at the Fun Shop, Richard Hicks said it’s a make or break time for beach business.

“It’s a great weekend out here, one of our busiest weekends of the year. We have Fourth of July week and Blues week back-to-back. They’re always my two busiest weeks of the year.”

Forecast cloudy

If there’s a concern for Blue Angel weekend, it's the weather.

Near constant pop-up showers and thunderstorms could put a damper on the blues. Public Safety Director Bob West told us weather is always a concern.

“Clearly, if you see those high-topped storms coming and you hear thunder, leave the beach. Seek shelter in your vehicle,” West said.

West said he won’t even estimate how many people he expects to attend the show, but he expects the biggest crowds ever.

For the businesses, that’s as exciting as the Blues themselves.

“Everybody’s psyched up,” Parris said. “They know it’s a good opportunity for the bar and the restaurant to do really well.”

If you go...

The Blues will be flying practice runs Thursday from 2 to 3. On Friday they’ll perform a full dress rehearsal starting at 11:30 am.

And of course Saturday is the big show. Get there early to make sure you can find parking.