Last year, the Blue Angels’ elite Navy pilots had to disappoint Bay Area fans when the federal government shutdown paused their performance at San Francisco Fleet Week. But they came back into position this year, putting on a long and spectacular practice session on Thursday and even defying the city’s characteristic fog on Friday with a shortened performance.
The late Senator Dianne Feinstein started the tradition of San Francisco’s Fleet Week in 1981, when she was mayor of the city. More than 1,000 members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are disembarking to reunite with their families and show off not only their planes, but also their ships, during public tours – and even their musical talents, with performances by military bands across the city.
But the highlight of the week, which will take place from October 4 to 12, 2026, will be the air show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Flying F/A-18 Super Hornets at speeds of up to 700 mph, the Blue Angels cap off each show with their tight formations and aerobatic tricks over iconic landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Coit Tower. In addition to the Blue Angels, pilots of F-22 Raptors and a P-51 participated in the air show.
Throughout the week, service members also perform community service with organizations such as the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank and St. Anthony’s Dining Hall, as part of a tradition of helping the cities that host them. They also eat and drink at the city’s waterfront bars and restaurants and draw a million spectators to air shows in the city, bringing in more than $200 million in overall economic benefits, according to estimates by the San Francisco Fleet Week Association.
“San Francisco has earned a well-deserved reputation as a legendary port, and this Fleet Week sets the standard for all Fleet Weeks,” U.S. Navy Rear Adm. David J. Faehnle, commander, Naval Region Southwest, said in an association statement about the week.
The air show also attracts the attention of Bay Area photographers, stationed around the bay with their telephoto lenses, ready to capture the best images. Each year, SFGATE asks them to share their photographs from the event. Here is a selection of our favorites, both from our staff and from the most talented shooters in the region.
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