I suspect we all have similar memories
I grew up in the village of Stansted in the 70's and as an avid teenage spotter, spent far too many hours of my youth watching nothing much go on...but wouldn't have missed it for the world.
However, my local airshow spot was just up the old A11 at Duxford. To be honest I can't really remember the year....maybe 78, 79, 80 or 81....but one wonderful end of season airshow saw the RAF, USAF and a few local European air forces lay on super displays of their Cold War kit, plus a full show of all the familiar war birds, the red arrows and displays by the many, once prolific, private aerobatic teams. Air UK sent an F27 to do all sorts of unexpected near upside down things and then, as the sun was lowering, a BA Concorde ripped up the runway with a few sparkling climbs and turns to end the day.
Like seeing Queen in 86, I didn't appreciate until a few years later, that what I witnessed, was the end of an era.