Hundreds of people watch as fireworks explode over the Port of Los Angeles during the 75th Annual John Olguin Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza in San Pedro on Saturday, July 5, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
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Hundreds of people watch as fireworks explode over the Port of Los Angeles during the 75th Annual John Olguin Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza in San Pedro on Saturday, July 5, 2025. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Against the backdrop of a nationwide party all summer long, this year’s Los Angeles Fleet Week is gearing up to roll out its 10th iteration — with some much added fanfare in San Pedro.
The Memorial Day weekend celebration of all things Navy is already the town’s biggest party. But in 2026, it will also intersect with the opening of the National Museum of the Surface Navy at the Battleship Iowa, where Fleet Week festivities are centered along the Los Angeles waterfront.
But that’s not all.
The World War II battleship announced on Monday, March 16, a new partnership has been inked with America250, the national nonpartisan organization established by Congress to lead the nation’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The partnership and museum opening is intended to advance the museum battleship’s mission to strengthen and shine a light on America’s role in maintaining maritime peace and prosperity.
“America’s 250th anniversary is an opportunity to honor the service and innovation that have helped secure our nation’s freedom and prosperity,” Jen Condon, executive vice president at America250, said in a written statement. “Pacific Battleship Center’s work to bring maritime history to life — from the Battleship IOWA to Los Angeles Fleet Week — offers meaningful ways for communities to connect with this legacy as we approach the Semiquincentennial.”
While the battleship organization will celebrate America’s 250th birthday all year long, the museum opening and milestone Fleet Week will kick it all off this year.
The museum, which has been long planned and worked on for several years, will officially open on Memorial Day weekend, coinciding with Fleet Week, on board the historic World War II Battleship Iowa.
The National Museum of the Surface Navy will be the first museum in the United States dedicated to honoring the men and women of the Surface Navy and their roles in securing peace, prosperity and freedom of the seas. Through pop culture and immersive storytelling, guests will step into the life of a sailor — with experiences and displays designed to convey the camaraderie, purpose and responsibility of serving at sea.
Fleet Week takes place over the course of the Memorial Day weekend — May 22-25 — and celebrates the nation’s Sea Services with ship tours, dockside events with music, entertainment and food at the Port of Los Angeles.
Each year, the event draws tens of thousands of visitors to the LA Waterfront to experience the ship tours, military demonstrations, STEM programming, live entertainment, and community events honoring those who gave all, as well as bridge the gap between civilians and service personnel.
And as part of the America250 initiative in 2026, LA Fleet Week will serve as the flagship kickoff event for the national birthday bash in Los Angeles, launching a broader season of patriotic programming leading into the city’s Fourth of July celebrations.
“We are excited to welcome thousands of Angelenos to LA Fleet Week and Battleship IOWA at America’s Port as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday,” Jonathan Williams, CEO of Pacific Battleship Center, said in a written statement. “These events will help inspire the next generation of Americans through experiences that connect them to our nation’s maritime history and service.”
For more details on PBC’s initiatives and upcoming events, visit PacificBattleship.com. To learn more about America250 and its national commemorative efforts, visit America250.org.
As for the plans for San Pedro’s celebration this Fourth of July against the backdrop of the nation’s anniversary, Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker said there are discussions about moving the traditional fireworks show from Cabrillo Beach to West Harbor, the town’s new waterfront development that will begin to “go live” this summer.
“That would would create even more visibility (for the overhead fireworks) and would combine it with the 250th anniversary,” McOsker said on Monday, adding he had been in touch with the Cabrillo Beach Boosters, the group in charge of the Fourth of July programs every year, about the possibility, which is still under discussion.
The holiday event this year, McOsker said, is expected to be a “bigger-than-usual blowout” for the Fourth, which lands on a Saturday.