The good news? The Chicago Air & Water Show will take place in some form this year.

The bad news?  There will not be much to it.  The City of Chicago is billing it as “reimagined.”  But that is not much of a head fake.  The program will be one hour long and only feature the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.  Those who have attended the Show in the past realize this a far cry from the all-day extravaganza featuring parachuting, antique aircraft and a variety of modern military hardware.

The Blue Angels’ solo demonstration will take place along the lakefront on August 21 & 22 from 12–1pm.  There will be practice runs on August 20 from 10am–2pm.  According to the City web site the best viewing locations are between Oak Street and Fullerton Avenue.

On one hand it is easy to get angry over a perceived nanny state.  On the other hand the City may have lost so much revenue through COVID that they cannot afford the full show this year.

While the Blue Angels are highly entertaining, you have to wonder how much longer our lives are going to be altered for a virus that Illinois Department of Public Health numbers say 98.35% of people recover from.

According to a study from the Canadian Medical Journal you have an almost equal chance of dying in surgery: 1.8%.  Many things in daily life can kill us.  So what is the point of living in fear?

© 2021 practicalchicago.com

Related Web Sites:

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_air_and_watershow.html

http://dph.illinois.gov/covid19

https://www.cmaj.ca/content/191/30/E830