The Los Angeles Post

PORT OF LOS ANGELES ANNOUNCES LA FLEET WEEK™ SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

by · Published · Updated

Highlights Include Aircraft Flyovers, ‘Mayor’s LA Fleet Week™ Concert’
with Jefferson Starship, Family-Friendly STEM Expo

SAN PEDRO, Calif. – August 19, 2016 – With the inaugural LA Fleet Week™ just weeks away, event organizers today released the officialschedule of events for the Labor Day weekend celebration on the LA Waterfront. To be held Sept. 2-5, the free multi-day event will include a full slate of activities for the entire family.

lafw-schedule

As a tribute to U.S. military personnel all over the world, aircraft flyovers will take place Saturday, Sept. 3 through Monday, Sept. 5.  Sponsored by global law firm Clyde & Co, aerial demonstrations will feature a U.S. Coast Guard MH-65 Search and Rescue Demonstration, and flyovers by a North American SNJ-5 Trainer, N2S-3 Stearman Trainer and L-39 Albatros. LA Fleet Week™ organizers will announce the full slate of aircraft participating next week.

Among live entertainment at the event, the American rock band legend Jefferson Starship has been confirmed for the “Mayor’s LA Fleet Week™ Concert” on Saturday, Sept. 3, at 8 p.m., with opening acts starting at 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Annenberg Foundation, the free concert will take place on the decks of the Battleship IOWA, but capacity is limited on a first- come, first-serve basis. The concert will also be broadcast via live feed at Sailor Jerry’s Sailor Bar located on the dock adjacent to Battleship IOWA. Directly following the show, event attendees can see a free fireworks spectacular sponsored by Farmers & Merchants Bank.

Other live entertainment acts on the event’s main stage throughout the weekend include:

  • Bob Hope USO Show Troupe, still warming the hearts of active service members around the globe
  • Elvis Impersonator George Thomas, performing classic Elvis tunes reminiscent of the icon’s military days, uniform and all
  • Purple Sugar, the popular San Pedro Bay area band and fan favorite
  • The Satin Dollz, a vintage group performing nostalgic Andrew Sisters’ songs, tap dancing and more
  • The Topics, a lively band performing classic San Pedro vocal harmonies and cool Latin rhythms
  • U.S. Navy’s own 32nd Street Brass Band performing live in a style reminiscent of Mardi Gras music

For a full list of all performers, dates and times can be found on the event website,www.lafleetweek.com.

Located under the big blue tent at the Los Angeles World Cruise Center, the event’s STEM Expo is expected to draw thousands. It will be chock full of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities and displays, booths and interactive activities—from bomb disposing robots to remote control boats, to a look inside the City’s crisis response team vehicle, among other items. The STEM Expo is free and no tickets are required.

At the event, active military personnel and veterans won’t want to miss the U.S. Bank Veteran’s Village. This gathering spot just for military personnel will feature booths offering veteran and military resources and information.

Another key draw to Fleet Weeks around the country is the free public ship tours of active U.S. military vessels.  Advance ticket reservations for LA Fleet Week™ ship tours were made available on the event website last week. Tickets are allocated on a first come, first served basis, and online reservations are quickly filling up. A limited number of tickets will be made available on-site at the event. A variety of food trucks will also be on site each day during the event.

LA Fleet Week™ is a United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guardtradition, in which active military ships recently deployed overseas dock in a variety of major cities for one week. In November 2015, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, U.S. Navy officials and the Port of Los Angeles announced that Los Angeles had been selected as an official Fleet Week market for the U.S. Navy starting in 2016.

In addition to the LA Fleet Week™ website where visitors can get event information and sign up for email updates, event developments are also being announced on the event’s Facebook, Twitter, andInstagram accounts, or can be tracked on social media using #LAFleetWeek2016.

The Port of Los Angeles, a major underwriter of LA Fleet Week™, is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovatively strategic and sustainable operations that benefit Southern California’s economy and quality of life. North America’s leading seaport by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated $270 billion in trade during 2015.  In addition to making LA Fleet Week™ possible, the Port’s cargo operations facilitate more than 133,000 jobs (about one in 14) in the City of Los Angeles and 479,000 jobs (or one in 18) in the five-county Southern California region. The San Pedro Bay Ports support nearly 1 million California jobs and 2.8 million nationwide.