Fleet Week, Blue Angels swoop back into Bay Area
Ships will parade into San Francisco Bay, and the Navy’s Blue Angels will take to the skies for San Francisco’s annual Fleet Week, a celebration of the nation’s Navy and Coast Guard that runs through Monday. Want a glimpse of day-to-day shipboard life? Free ship tours are offered today, Saturday, Sunday and Monday at various piers on the waterfront. Other activities include military band performances throughout the city (including one playing in the Italian Heritage Parade at noon Sunday), an exhibit of veterans’ art and a K-9 police dog demonstration. The big events start Friday with an 11:30 a.m. parade of ships under the Golden Gate Bridge and into San Francisco Bay. The ever-popular Blue Angels and a wide range of other aerial performers will perform noon to 4 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday (3 p.m. for the Angels). A million people combined are expected to watch the shows, so plan your transportation and viewing spots accordingly. Guaranteed waterfront seating at the Marina Green runs $55-$75. On Monday, the U.S. Marine Corps Band will kick off the High School Band Challenge, an annual event that features Bay Area high schools competing for prize money for their music programs, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Golden Gate Park in the band shell (Spreckels Temple of Music). Details: Find times, piers, other activities and transportation/parking tips at www. fleetweeksf.org.