Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Two million people are expected to pack the lakefront this weekend for the Chicago Air and Water Show, and on Friday morning, a crowd was swarming on North Avenue Beach hours ahead of time.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the show, the event will last three days, instead of two.

The Air and Water Show is always awash in excitement, but this year it will also be studded with celebrities. Bill Murray opens the show at 3 p.m. on Friday when he will drop from the sky while strapped to a member of the U.S. Army Golden Knights.See the three-day schedule here.

Murray will make the tandem jump strapped to Staff Sgt. Joe Jones of the Golden Knights, the same Army team that jumped with former President George H.W. Bush.

Murray's jump will occur after former "Brady Bunch" star Florence Henderson sings the national anthem.

Other celebrities with Chicago roots who are participating in the show include actor Gary Sinise, who is scheduled to perform with his band Lt. Dan Band.

By the 11 a.m. hour, the North Avenue Beach was already getting crowded.

The celebrity contingent brought a sizable number of people to North Avenue Beach extra early. They were treated to the sight and sound of an F-18 Hornet buzzing along the beach at 600 mph.

Any piece of the beach is valuable viewing area. Some people arrived before dawn, unpacked their gear, and dug into the sand until the entertainment gets underway.

"To see the whole show, you really have to be close, especially if you're going to have kids with you or whatever," one man said. "If you're set up further back, they can't see anything over everybody's heads, so we've got the prime spot here."

"We brought our umbrella, and our beach chairs, and a blanket, and we have relatives meeting us; in fact, my brother and sister-in-law are staying downtown," a woman said. "We're going to make a whole weekend of it."

Anticipation was already building during a sneak preview on Thursday. Three-year-old Brandon Yu was pleased just to see the flight teams in action.

"Airplanes!" Yu exclaimed.

"I thought it was really great," added spectator Katie Yu. "All the planes were really fantastic this year."

"The Blue Angels... awesome display," said spectator Terry Shaughnessy.

One of the highlights of the Air Show is always watching the brave skydivers take the plunge. CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman got a preview at the Gary Airport Thursday at a behind-the-scenes look at the U.S. Navy Leap Frogs parachute team from a C-130.

At about 6,000 feet, they made their jump into U.S. Cellular Field. You can tell they love what they do.

"We take formations really, really close into the ground at high rates of speed and the crowds always love it," said Spec. Op. Chief William Davis, U.S. Navy Leap Frogs.

"As soon as we land, we drop our parachutes and we're in the crowd," said PRC Select Shawn Tufts, U.S. Navy Leap Frogs. "We're answering questions about regular Navy as well as the Naval Special Warfare community."

The Leap Frogs are a new addition to the Chicago Air and Water Show. The Golden Knights are an old standby, but they're especially enthusiastic about the tandem leap with Bill Murray.

"I'll be jumping out right in front of Bill Murray at the exact same time," said Joe Abeln, Golden Knights skydiver. "I'll be wearing a digital skull camera on my head, as well as a video camera and record all the action and free fall so everyone can see what it looks like."

As she prepares to sing the National Anthem, Florence Henderson spent a little time in the wild blue yonder first with the Lima Lima Flight Team.

"It's really an amazing experience," Florence Henderson said. "I recommend it highly, and I didn't get sick."

Henderson describes Chicago views as "Unbelievable. The lake is just gorgeous."

There is nothing like Chicago from above. Just ask the pilot.

"We enjoyed it. It's a privilege to be able to come up here," said Pilot Jonathan Drury, Georgia Air Guard. "Chicago is a great town."

At the Gary-Chicago Airport this evening, they were packing their parachutes.

"The most important thing is that the line is straight," said Khalida Hendricks, Golden Knights Skydiver. "You can see that all these lines are nice and straight. None of them go over the material that would prevent them from blowing up."

One of the most daring stunts of all may be maneuvering among two million people along the lakefront. As usual, public transportation is recommended.

"We are having parking at Millennium Park and they are providing free shuttles from the Millennium Park/Monroe street garages to the site this year, too," said John Trick, Air Show manager.

This is the largest free air and water show in the U.S. If you want a prime spectator spot, stake your claim early. The whole thing starts at 3 p.m.

CBS 2's Joanie Lum, Kristyn Hartman, Susan Carlson, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

---