Ships sail underneath Golden Gate Bridge for 2026 Fleet Week parade

By Carlos E. Castañeda

The 2026 San Francisco Fleet Week Parade of Ships under the Golden Gate Bridge took place Friday morning.

This year’s parade of ships once again featured vessels from the United States Navy ships, after last year’s Fleet Week, which was notable because of the government shutdown at the time that prevented participation by the U.S. military. Among the Navy ships participating included the USS Ashland, which is the length of about two football fields.

The ships processed from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, with the reviewing stand at the Marina Green. The San Francisco Fire Department began the parade with fire boats shooting jets of water into the air to celebrate the fleet’s arrival. Organizers say the Parade of Ships is the largest of its kind on the West Coast.

The annual Fleet Week festivities honor the men and women of the U.S. military and has become an integral part of the city’s local culture and economy since 1981 through the efforts of then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein. 

ALSO READ: Guide to San Francisco Fleet Week 2026