The tall ships will parade into San Francisco Bay, and the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels will take to the skies for San Francisco’s annual Fleet Week, a celebration of the nation’s Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard that runs through Monday, Oct. 12.
Activities include a Fleet Fest at Fisherman’s Wharf, more than 25 free military band performances throughout the city (including two bands playing in the Italian Heritage Parade on Sunday), a K-9 police dog demonstration, a STEM festival and a high school band challenge.
Want a glimpse of day-to-day shipboard life? Free ship tours are offered Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday at various piers on the San Francisco waterfront.
On Friday, the largest Parade of Ships on the West Coast will sail under the Golden Gate Bridge into the bay, with the water-spouting San Francisco Fire Department boat leading the way. The parade runs from 10:30 a.m. to noon, with the reviewing stand located on the Marina Green.
Fleet Week’s headliners, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, will take to the skies three days — Friday, Saturday and Sunday — as part of the big noon to 4 p.m. air show. Those shows will also feature a choreographed commercial airline performance by a United Airlines Boeing 777.
The week wraps up on Monday with more ship tours at Pier 35 and a High School Band Challenge from 9 a.m. to noon at the Golden Gate Park bandshell.
Details: Schedules, locations and info on reserved seating at fleetweeksf.org.