San Francisco Fleet Week is in full swing, featuring military ship tours, free concerts, a parade of ships, and the Blue Angels’ annual air show, with events taking place across the city through Monday.
Many of Fleet Week’s major events kick off Wednesday, with free ship tours at Piers 27 and 35 from 10 am to 4 pm, along with military band performances around the city, which continue Thursday, as KQED reports. The Blue Angels will also practice from 1 to 6 pm, according to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, which is hosting the military aircraft during Fleet Week.
The biggest day of the weekend arrives Friday, with the Parade of Ships sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge from 11 am to noon, followed by the Fleet Week air show from noon to 4 pm. The Blue Angels will headline the show, which takes place between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.
The air show continues Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 pm. Popular viewing spots include Marina Green, Crissy Field, the Marin Headlands, and Treasure Island, although crowds and traffic are expected. Flights could begin as early as 10 am on those days.
Saturday and Sunday also bring free ship tours at Piers 27 and 35, along with Fleet Fest at Fisherman’s Wharf from 10 am to 7 pm. The event features food, live music, demonstrations, and family activities. Saturday also includes the K9 Heroes event at Duboce Park, celebrating military working dogs.
Military bands will perform at venues throughout the city during the weekend, including Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, Golden Gate Park, West Portal, and several neighborhood plazas and libraries. Fleet Week wraps up Monday with final ship tours from 9 am to noon and a Marine band performance at the Golden Gate Park Bandshell.
KQED notes that the biggest crowds and noise will be concentrated around the northern waterfront, particularly Fisherman’s Wharf and Marina Green. Fleet Week organizers recommend public transportation, and the SFMTA has posted special transit information for the air shows and Parade of Ships. As we noted earlier, geofencing will be in effect for Waymo and Zoox, preventing them from getting too near any of the popular viewing areas, or dropping off anywhere on the Embarcadero.
For residents hoping to avoid the noise, neighborhoods such as the Marina and Pacific Heights are likely to hear more of the aircraft, while areas farther south, including the Mission, Dogpatch, and Noe Valley, should generally be quieter.
Related: Government Shutdown Could Clip the Wings of Next Weekend’s Fleet Week
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