Fleet Week Sets Star-Spangled Roster of Events to Honor San Diego's Military

The men and women that defend the land of the free and the home of the brave are honored each year by San Diego's Fleet Week military tribute. This year's roster of events includes festivities exclusively for the military, as well as some spectacular events open to the public that members of the community will not want to miss.

Due to last year's overwhelming success, the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation is pleased to bring back its FREE event, open to the public, the Fleet Week Big Bay Family Festival, to be held September 17-18 at the Broadway Pier featuring ship tours, military static displays, in-water demonstrations, live entertainment, and a children's fun zone. Tentatively-scheduled ships available for tour are the USS Princeton (CG-59) a guided missile cruiser, and the USS Rushmore (LSD-47), a dock landing ship. For more information on the Family Festival or any of the events, visit www.fleetweeksandiego.org.

Fleet Week Coronado Speed Festival, a.k.a. "The Race at the Base," is Fleet Week's preeminent event and 2011 promises a full weekend of action-packed high-octane activities and family fun, September 24-25. The event will honor the Centennial of Naval Aviation at its birthplace: Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI), and the 100th Anniversary of Chevrolet. From the Corvette to the Camaro, Chevy has a rich race history thanks to the company's uniquely American ingenuity, invention and legend. All are invited as NASNI throws its gates open wide - an unprecedented opportunity to visit a working U.S. Navy base. Coronado Speed Festival features roaring auto races on a live U.S. Navy runway, flyovers, naval ship and air demonstrations, ship tours and family fun for all ages. Military admission and children ages 12 and under are FREE.

As always, these events are hosted at little or no cost to the military families they honor, thanks to the financial support of the Foundation's corporate sponsors and the commitment of our many dedicated volunteers. Members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard are the primary honorees of these events but the local community is welcome and invited to enjoy many of these activities:

-- Operation Liberty Call: Friday, September 16, 4:00-9:00 p.m. - Dick's
Last Resort
-- Fleet Week Big Bay Family Festival: Saturday & Sunday, September 17-18,
-- 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. - Broadway Pier
-- Enlisted Recognition Luncheon: Tuesday, September 20, 11:45-1:30 p.m. -
Sea World San Diego
-- Fleet Week Foundation/SDMAC Breakfast: Wednesday, September 21 - Admiral
Kidd Conference Center
-- Coronado Speed Festival Car Procession: Thursday, September 22, 3:30
p.m. - Rotary Park
-- Fleet Week Coronado Speed Festival: Saturday & Sunday, September 24-25 -
Naval Air Station North Island
-- Navy Open House: Saturday & Sunday, September 24-25, 10:00 a.m.-4:00
p.m. - Naval Air Station North Island
-- MCRD Boot Camp Challenge: Saturday, September 24, 9:00 a.m. - MCRD San
Diego
-- Fleet Week Golf Tournament: Monday, September 26, 11:00 a.m. - Morgan
Run Resort
-- Fleet Week Padres Baseball Game: Tuesday, September 27, First Pitch:
7:05 p.m. - Petco Park
-- MCAS Miramar Air Show: Friday - Sunday, Sept. 30 & Oct 1-2, Gates open
8:00 a.m. daily - MCAS Miramar

About San Diego Fleet Week FoundationThe San Diego Fleet Week Foundation is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation. In addition to honoring the military services through the annual Fleet Week events, the Foundation's goals are to foster awareness of the contributions made by enlisted military personnel and their families, to enhance relationships between the civilian, business and military communities, to provide events that military personnel and their families can attend at little or no cost, and to raise funds for charitable efforts benefiting enlisted service members and their families.

For more information please visit www.fleetweeksandiego.org or you can find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fleetweeksd or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fleetweeksd.

To post a comment, you must register and login.