#FleetWeekSF Celebration in San Francisco

OCTOBER 5 – 13, 2025

Ships, planes, pomp and celebrations honoring the men and women of our nation’s armed forces is making its return to the Bay Area this week! Fleet Week is back and taking the San Francisco Bay by storm kicking off the many exciting October events to come. The event runs from October 5 through October 13, and includes ships and planes from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps participating in parades and air shows.

There are a ton of events taking place all week long but to help you easily navigate this Bay Area wide celebration, I've put together a list of my personal favorite ways for families to experience the festivities.

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Air Show

October 10-12

Held annually between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, The San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show Presented by United attracts fans from all over the globe. The waterfront event is headlined by The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and is the only air show in the United States with a commercial airliner, the United 777, to perform a fully choreographed act.

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Fleet Week Family Day

Saturday October 11, 12-4pm, Indian Basin Waterfront Park

Enjoy live music, great food and outdoor fun while honoring our veterans during Fleet Week! Free jumpy houses, haircuts, and outdoor games!

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Fleet Fest

October 11, 10am-9pm at Pier 30/32: This celebration of our Nation’s sea services is a dynamic festival right on the pier hosting the Navy’s Fleet Week flagship.

Experience performances by local musicians and featured military bands. Exhibitors include city organizations, local businesses, veteran and active duty support organizations, educational experiences and fun activities for kids and parents alike. Grab a bite from our food truck lane and pop-up vendors. Visit our bar for a variety of beverages while our stage rocks all day long.

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Humanitarian Assistance Village

Friday October 10 - Sunday October 12, 10am-5pm: Did you know that military and civilian agencies have disaster response plans for events like an earthquake or flooding in San Francisco?

Come to the Humanitarian Assistance Village (HAV), an open-air exhibition!

Learn about how to prepare for disasters

Meet military and civilian medical, rescue and logistics teams who are prepared to help San Franciscans

Touch and climb on the military equipment

Talk with a sailor, marine, coast guard or army personnel and learn about what their job is in the military

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High School Band Challenge

Monday, October 13, 10am-2pm: The United States Marine Corps 1st Marine Division Band kicks off this event with a stirring performance of patriotic songs and a musical celebration.

The thrill of the music continues as select Bay Area high school bands then take the stage, competing for prize money to support their school music programs.

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Honor Our Fallen Concert

Thursday October 19, 6-7:30pm: This special performance by the United States Marine Corps 1st Marine Division Band is a poignant tribute to the service members who volunteered to defend their country and gave the ultimate sacrifice during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

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Neighborhood Concert Series

We are proud to welcome the Navy and Marine Corps bands each year as part of San Francisco Fleet Week’s Neighborhood Concert Program.

This is an opportunity for San Franciscans to interact with our inspiring service men and women through performances right in your neighborhood throughout the City. Check out our 2024 free concert calendar listed below to see when we’re performing in your neighborhood!

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Parade of Ships

Friday October 10, 11am-12pm: See the Fleet enter the Bay under the Golden Gate Bridge as the visiting ships steam towards their ports, and Liberty Call for our honored Sailors and Marines. San Francisco Fleet Week hosts the largest Parade of Ships on the West Coast.

The procession of ships can be seen from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, with the reviewing stand at the Marina Green.

San Francisco Fire Department will provide lead escort with their fire boat shooting jets of water into the air to celebrate the Fleet’s arrival.

Ship Tours

Come climb aboard the amphibious carriers, cutters, destroyers and cruisers docked at the Embarcadero and get a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of the sailors serving in the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Join us on the San Francisco waterfront to tour our visiting ships docked at the Port of San Francisco and get a glimpse of the day-to-day lives of the sailors serving in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard.

All ship tours are free of charge.

Tour lines are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Youth Group Overnight Adventure on the USS Hornet

October 10 – 11, 2025 Ever wonder how an aircraft carrier works? Come aboard and spend the night living with history on the ultimate overnight adventure and find out how USS Hornet’s sailors lived and worked on this city at sea! Designed for ages 7 and up, this is a perfect group activity for scouts, youth groups, schools, friends, and families!

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Celebrate the Navy’s 250th Birthday!

October 13, 2025, 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM Please join us aboard the USS Hornet as we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States Navy. While the birthday of the Navy is October 13th, the USS Hornet Museum will be open during Fleet Week on October 5th, 6th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th. Come down on any of these days to explore the USS Hornet CV-12 and learn about the history of the Navy and especially this historic ship. The USS Hornet CV-12 served with distinction in World War II, the Cold War, the Vietnam War and as part of the space race (Apollo 11 and 12 recovery ship). Our docents will be happy to share their extensive knowledge with you!