SF Fleet Week 2025: Schedule, Air Show, events, what you need to know

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Barring a possible government shutdown, San Francisco Fleet Week is set to full steam ahead next week. The annual event which was introduced by then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein back in 1982, features a week of events including the Parade of Ships and the Air Show, headlined by the world-famous Blue Angels.

Here’s what you need to know about San Francisco Fleet Week 2025.

When is Fleet Week SF 2025?

This year’s Fleet Week gets underway on Sunday, Oct. 5 and will run through Monday, Oct. 13. Events will take daily for the duration of the week.

SAN FRANCISCO – OCTOBER 9: Two U.S. Navy Blue Angels precision aircraft come close to each other as they practice manuevers for the Fleet Week airshow over the San Francisco Bay October 9, 2003 in San Francisco. The annual fleet week event includes a parade of warships, airshows and ship tours. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Fleet Week Air Show/Blue Angels

Presented by United Airlines and produced by the Air Show Network, the Fleet Week Air Show is arguably Fleet Week’s main event. The Air Show is held annually between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz and is headlined by the iconic Blue Angels.

This year’s Air Show will take place:

  • Friday, Oct. 10: 11:15 a.m. — 4 p.m.
  • Saturday, Oct. 11: 11 a.m. — 4 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 12: 11 a.m. — 4 p.m.

In addition to the U.S. Blue Angels, the lineup for this year’s Air Show includes:

  • Blue Angels Fat Albert
  • Canadian Forces Snowbirds
  • Patriots Jet Team
  • U.S. Air Force F-35A
  • U.S. Marines F-35B
  • U.S. Navy F-35C
  • U.S. Navy EG-18 Growler Demo Team
  • Ace Maker T-33
  • Randy Howell & Cory Lovell Dual Demo
  • Jack Aces Triple P-51 Demo
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels’ C-130T Hercules supply plane, nicknamed “Fat Albert,” flies near the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz during Fleet Week in San Francisco, California on October 9, 2015. “Fat Albert” is used by the Blue Angels for logistics, carrying spare parts and support personal between shows. AFP PHOTO/JOSH EDELSON (Photo credit should read Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)

Fleet Week Parade of Ships

In addition to the Air Show, the Parade of Ships is another of Fleet Week’s annual highlights. The procession of ships, which is the largest on the West Coast, sails under the Golden Gate Bridge, led by the San Francisco Fire Department’s fire boat shooting jets of water to celebrate the fleet’s arrival.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 7: The USS Harpers Ferry sails past the Golden Gate Bridge during the parade of ships as part of the Fleet Week festivities in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. (Photo by Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)

The parade can be seen from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge with a reviewing stand on the Marina Green.

This year’s Parade of Ships takes place Friday, Oct. 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Fleet Week Ship Tours

Fleet Week ship tours invite visitors to “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.” Ship tours will take place daily from Wednesday, Oct. 8 through Monday, Oct. 13 at San Francisco’s Piers 15/17, 19, 30/32 and 35.

Check the Fleet Week website for a complete schedule of Fleet Week ship tours.

Honor Our Fallen Concert

Featuring the United States Marine Corps 1st Marine Division Band, the Honor Our Fallen Concert 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.”

The concert takes place Thursday, Oct. 10 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Marine’s Memorial Theater at 609 Sutter Street.

Other Fleet Week events

Other events at San Franciso Fleet Week 2025 include:

  • Neighborhood Concert Series: Monday, Oct. 6 — Monday Oct. 13, see website for details
  • High School Band Challenge: Monday, Oct. 13, 9 a.m. — 12 p.m., Golden Gate Park Bandshell

Could Fleet Week be canceled over a government shutdown?

KRON4 News reached out to Fleet Week’s organizers for information on how a potential government shutdown could impact the event. We received the following statement:

“Planning for San Francisco Fleet Week 2025 continues, and we remain in close contact with the U.S. Navy. If a government shutdown takes effect, U.S. military participation — including ships, aircraft, and Sailors — would be paused. That said, Fleet Week itself will proceed. Our international partners remain confirmed, with visiting ships from Canada and Colombia, and the San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show presented by United will feature the Canadian Snowbirds, returning for the first time since 2017, among many other performers. San Francisco Fleet Week is as much a civic tradition as a military one — honoring all those who are called to serve, from our military to first responders and everyone involved in civic service. No matter the circumstances, San Francisco Fleet Week will continue to stand as a tribute to service, resilience, and community.”

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