LA Fleet Week is back again this year, and this 6 day family friendly event has something for everyone. It’s a celebration of the Sea Services of the United States. Most events are held at the L.A. Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles. And best of all, it doesn’t cost a penny. Don’t miss Southern California’s largest Memorial Day event.
1. Go on a tour of an active duty ship
Tour an active duty ship and see these amazing vessels up close and in-person this Memorial Day weekend. These active duty ship tours are free to the public. The tours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis and no reservations or tickets are needed. In order to take the tour, all adults must show a valid government-issued ID, like a state ID card, driver’s license, or passport. Non-U.S. citizens must show valid passports and must have a brief additional screening before boarding the ships.
📅Dates:
- May 24 – 26 from 10 AM – 4 PM daily
- Memorial Day, May 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
2. Cheer on your favorite chef at the LA Fleet Week Galley Wars
This annual LA Fleet Week cooking competition features a friendly rivalry between different military branches, like the Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Army. The teams can only use ingredients found on their ships or in the field. Plus, they can purchase a few locally sourced ingredients to use as well. The competition will be judged by a panel of professional and celebrity chefs.
📅Dates: May 25 from 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
3. Be entertained at the Military Has Talent competition
Cheer on your favorite acts and discover new stars at the Military Has Talent competition this week. You never know what amazing acts you’ll see. It could be anything like “a sailor who’s a swing dancer. A soldier doing stand-up. A mandolin-playing Marine. A Coastie crooning smoky blues. A ventriloquist veteran.” The celebrity judges will choose their favorite new acts over 4 different days of competition.
📅Dates:
- May 24 – 25 from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
- May 26 from 10:00 am – 11:00 am
- May 27 from 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
4. Sing along to all the bands at the EXPO Main Stage
Dance and sing along with so many amazing bands at the main stage almost every day. Here is the band lineup for the week:
- SAVOR: Santana cover band
- THE DESTROYERS: Navy Band Southwest’s rock band
- GOLD RUSH COUNTRY: contemporary country band
- GOLDEN WEST POPS: 40 volunteer member “pop” orchestra plays anything from ragtime to rock
- JIMMY’S BUFFET: Jimmy Buffet tribute band
- CASEY MAHONEY’S JAZZ CONSPIRACY: jazz
📅Dates: May 24 – 27 from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
5. Keep the fun going at the West Harbor After Party
This is the newest edition to the Fleet Week lineup. Head over to the West Harbor After Party at Berth 84 on 6th Street to keep the party going! They’ll have beer, cocktails, and food trucks. Plus, there will be a live DJ spinning tunes to keep you grooving. This event is only for 21 plus, so plan accordingly.
📅Dates: May 25 – 26 from 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
You can find even more information and events on the LA Fleet Week website here.