SAN FRANCISCO — The roar of the Blue Angels brings a sense of awe to San Francisco every year. As Fleet Week returns, the city is rolling out the welcome mat for the military. But some said it’s hard to celebrate while the U.S. is at war.
To kick off San Francisco’s week of celebrating the military, new recruits took their oath to join the United States Armed Forces.
Every October, Fleet Week brings service members and the public together, giving people a chance to connect with the men and women in uniform.
“There’s a lot of people in this city who have never really known anybody who has served or have any family connection to it. So this is one of a few times you get to humanize the Navy and Marine Corps and I really enjoy that,” said Lt. Joseph Baba of the U.S. Navy Reserve.
Fleet Week was partially canceled in 2025 because of the government shutdown. This year, officials said the event is set to go on with no limitations.
“San Francisco has earned a well-deserved reputation as a legendary port visit, and this Fleet Week is a gold standard for all of them,” said Rear Adm. David Faehnle of the U.S. Navy.
A highlight of the event every year is the Navy’s Blue Angels and their dazzling air show.
“Families gather along the waterfront, ships sail through the Golden Gate, and the booming sounds of planes fills the skies,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.
However, Fleet Week 2026 arrives when some in the Bay Area have mixed feelings about the state of the military. The ongoing war with Iran leaves some wondering if the nation’s leaders are using the military to make the country safer.
“The contrast, really, between how people are struggling and this glorifying of the military flying over, it just doesn’t compute for me,” said Cynthia Papermaster, an organizer for CodePink, Women for Peace.
Papermaster’s group, CodePink, has protested every U.S. war since the Iraq War in the early 2000s. She said she appreciates the service members visiting San Francisco, but believes the conflict overseas makes it hard to feel patriotic during this week of military celebration.
“I don’t think that we, actually, and this is going to be pretty controversial, could be proud,” Papermaster said.
Service members in town said they understand those concerns. Their hope is to separate their feelings about U.S. policy from their feelings about the people who serve.
“A lot of people are able to distinguish the individual from policy, so you can hate the policy not the individual, and I think that is much needed,” Baba said.
It’s a distinction they hope can help bring the community together this week.
CodePink said it typically protests during the Fleet Week air show, flying banners from a boat on the bay.