Scaled-back Fleet Week still draws crowds to San Francisco waterfront

By Da Lin

Even without the roar of the Blue Angels overhead, San Francisco’s Fleet Week still managed to draw plenty of visitors to the waterfront on Saturday.

The three-day airshow, typically the centerpiece of Fleet Week, looked a little different this year. The federal government shutdown grounded all U.S. military participation, including the Navy’s Blue Angels, longtime favorites for spectators.

In their place, the Canadian and Colombian militaries stepped up to fill the gap.

A Colombian military band performed on the ground while civilian jets soared in tight formation above the Bay. It wasn’t the typical mix of rock music and American military planes that visitors expected, but many newcomers didn’t seem to mind.

“I’ve seen it on TV, but I’ve never experienced it [in person],” said Sandra Escobar of Dixon, who attended Fleet Week with her husband, Manuel. “So we’re just going to make a day of it and we’ll watch this. Thank you, Colombia, and thank you, Canada.”

Escobar said she and her husband had hoped to see the Blue Angels, but were happy to watch the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds headline instead.

“Beautiful, yeah, I’ve never seen them.  So I think they’re beautiful,” she said.

While the crowd enjoyed the aerobatics and formations, many longtime fans said the event just wasn’t the same without the U.S. military.

“All the people here would love to be seeing the Blue Angels,” said Esther Hill of the East Bay. “I think it’s an incredible missing piece.”

Event organizers worked to make sure the scaled-down Fleet Week still felt festive.

“We’re got classic cars here, we’ve got music, we’ve got people just having a great time.  And come on, how about the weather?  So Fleet Week is fabulous,” said Lewis Loeven, executive director of San Francisco Fleet Week.

With the U.S. military aircraft grounded, organizers brought in a classic car showcase to entertain visitors.

“Even though it’s half of a Fleet Week, it’s still Fleet Week,” said Steven Lee, who organized the car show.

“These are all American-made cars. It’s something that we’re proud to be a part of,” added Austin Louie, one of the car show participants.

The airshow usually attracts tens of thousands of people to San Francisco’s waterfront, and while crowds were smaller this year, many popular spots still saw steady turnout. People lined up along Fisherman’s Wharf, packed the upper decks at Pier 39, and filled the Marina Green for front-row views.

Still, several waterfront businesses reported slower sales compared to previous years.

“It’s not as busy as last year. There’s a 40-to-50% decrease,” said Grace Paik, who works at Nick’s Lighthouse on the Wharf. “There were some events held here on Thursday and Friday, and even those events couldn’t bring a lot of people in. So it felt like a regular weekday.”

A Chowder Hut server estimated business was also down about 40% from last year’s Fleet Week.

For the Escobars, though, the day was still a success.

“I’m going to make the best of it, we’re going to eat lunch somewhere,” said Sandra Escobar with a smile.

Despite the smaller scale, visitors and organizers agreed that Fleet Week’s spirit — honoring those who serve and bringing the community together — still took flight.