Blue Angels make early Bay Area visit to prepare for 2026 San Francisco Fleet Week show

By Tim Fang

The Blue Angels made a visit to the Bay Area to as part of preparations for their show at San Francisco Fleet Week later this year, after last year’s show was cancelled due to a government shutdown.

On Thursday, members made a stop in Oakland for the annual planning meeting with air show management to prepare for this year’s event, set for this October.

While Fleet Week is still months away, members said training has already begun, with pilots flying two to three times a day, six days a week.

According to the team’s schedule, the Blue Angels are set to make their first performances of the year at the El Centro Festival of Flight in Southern California on March 14 and at Naval Air Station Lemoore in the Central Valley the following weekend.

“Preparation is paramount, it means everything for the team,” Lt. Ronny Hafeza said at a briefing Thursday. “When we operate to the degree of precision that we do, preparation and training mean everything for us.”

Cdr. Lilly Montana added, “Being here in San Francisco, you’re very close to the city. There’s always weather to contend with, and then anytime we are flying over water, just creates its own unique challenges.”

The Blue Angels, along with U.S. Navy ships, sailors and the Marines were unable to participate in last year’s Fleet Week festivities due to a partial government shutdown at the time. A scaled-back celebration took place, with the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds headlining the air show.

The shutdown became the longest in U.S. history, lasting 43 days.

According to organizers, the 2026 air show is celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday, along with the Blue Angels’ 80th anniversary.

San Francisco Fleet Week is set to take place from Oct. 4 to 12, with the air show taking place from Oct. 9 to 11. Tickets for the air show are scheduled to go on sale on Feb. 16.