Innovation, Ship Tours, and Marine Corps Interactive Displays Engage the Crowds during Week-long Celebration of the Sea Services
San Diego CA— Fleet Week San Diego came to a close last week Tuesday with the annual Enlisted Golf Tournament, which was the last of more than a dozen events celebrating San Diego’s military service members and their families. From Nov. 4 to 12, the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation, along with the Port of San Diego and other community partners, brought visitors to America’s Finest City, and San Diegan’s alike, a closer look at the U.S. military.
“San Diego has a long history with the sea services,” said 2019 Fleet Week San Diego Board Chair Gordon Rutherford. “We are a Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard town, and we are connected to the men and women who serve our country. Each day, thousands of these service members are deployed from San Diego around the world for national defense, and each year we aim to honor that service with Fleet Week celebrations.”
Over the course of eight days, Rutherford and a corps of more than 55 volunteers put on two concerts, a softball tournament, a reception, a luncheon, and a tailgate party, in addition to the golf tournament, to celebrate the men and women of the armed forces. Additionally, the 2019 organizers hosted public activities including Student STEM Days, and a Veterans art exhibit, as well as a look at the technology behind America’s military forces in the Qualcomm Innovation Zone. The Navy and the Coast Guard hosted ship tours, and the Marine Corps hosted displays of Marine Corps ground equipment. Coast Guard Sector San Diego also held an open house Nov. 10.
“The students and chaperones really enjoyed themselves and all walked away learning at least two things they didn’t know before,” said Naval Base Point Loma School Liaison Officer Patrigna Murphy. “It was a great experience.”
Prior to weekend activities 2,425 students got a sneak peak of the Innovation Zone, followed by more than 20,000 visitors who converged on Broadway Pier Nov. 8 to 11 for weekend tours and other activities, while an additional 500 participated in the Coast Guard open house.
According to Rutherford, this year’s Fleet Week was particularly special as it included the Veterans Day holiday.
“We were honored to partner with and participate in the annual Veterans Day Parade,” Rutherford said. “There are so many great military organizations here in San Diego, and it was wonderful to see them represented on Monday as they made their way down Harbor Drive to the cheers of supporters.”
The San Diego Fleet Week Foundation began as a volunteer group of business leaders banding together to plan and coordinate events to celebrate the U.S. military. The foundation officially incorporated as a nonprofit in 2001 and hosted its 18th annual event this year. In all that time, the business community has been critical in ensuring the success of the annual event.
“Partners like Qualcomm, Leidos, and Lockheed Martin help to make Fleet Week happen every year,” Rutherford said. “We are grateful for their support and the support they give to our military community each and every day.”
More information about how to get involved with Fleet Week San Diego can be found at www.fleetweeksandiego.org.
Fleet Week San Diego Sponsors
BAE Systems
- BD Medical Technology
- Caliber Collision
- County of San Diego
- Cubic
- Donovan’s
- EDCO
- General Atomics
- General Dynamics-NASSCO
- Healthnet
- Iron Fist Brewing
- JP Morgan Chase
- Kind Bars
- Leidos
- Lincoln Military Housing
- Lockheed Martin
- National Defense Industrial Association
- Navy Federal Credit Union
- North Island Credit Union
- Northrup Grumann
- Pasha
- Port of San Diego
- Port of San Diego Ship Repair Association
- Presidio Components
- Professional Development Institute
- Qualcomm
- Ryan Firm
- Sailor Jerry
- San Diego Gas & Electric
- San Diego Padres
- San Diego Ship Repair
- Seaworld
- Solar Turbines
- Sports Clips
- Sycuan Casino
- USAA
- Verizon
- Veterans United
- Viejas
- Wells Fargo
- Zero8Hundred
About Fleet Week San Diego
Fleet Week San Diego is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation created by community and business leaders to honor and celebrate the men and women of the military through public events and alliances that support and thank these heroes. The Chamber of Commerce gave birth to Fleet Week San Diego in 1997 and by 2001 the event had grown into a nonprofit California Public Benefit Corporation. By expressing its support for the contributions made by the naval services to the many communities of the greater San Diego region, Fleet Week San Diego helps to maintain the vision of San Diego as a patriotic, pro-military city.