They roared. They soared. Military jets wow onlookers at Fourth of July air show

If you didn’t see them, you probably heard them.

Military jets soared over Commencement Bay during Thursday’s Freedom Fair and Air Show in Tacoma, drawing thousands to the Ruston Way waterfront.

This year was the first time the jets appeared at the event since 2012, much to the enjoyment of viewers like 8-year-old Preston Peterson from Tacoma.

Peterson and his brother, 10-year-old Aiden, had three words to describe the show: “Awesome. Amazing. Loud.”

Even though they had to cover their ears when the jets flew past the dock where they watched, the brothers never miss a good air show.

“Their father used to be in the Air Force,” their grandmother told The News Tribune. “This is specifically what we came for.”

Last year’s Freedom Fair didn’t have an air show. The event, in its 40th year, typically draws in 125,000 people annually and costs roughly $250,000, including a $60,000 fireworks show.

This year, the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy all contributed planes to the show. A favorite for the Petersons was the AV-8B Harrier Jump Jet, which hovered over the water for several minutes in front of viewers.

The show also featured a number of civilian aerial acts, including the Cascade Warbirds.

Jessica Astudillo-Andres and her family arrived at the waterfront at 6 a.m. with a tent to grab a close-up view of the show. Tacoma residents for 18 years, they’ve come to the Freedom Fair nearly every year.

“It’s kind of like a tradition for all of us to come down here,” the 16-year-old Franklin-Pierce High School student said. “My favorite part is spending time with my family.”

This story was originally published July 4, 2019 at 4:15 PM.