ACTIVE DUTY SHIPS AND SERVICEMEMBERS TO RETURN TO THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES FOR LA FLEET WEEK 2025

LA’s Largest Memorial Day Weekend Event Invites the Public to Celebrate the Nation’s Sea Services at the LA Fleet Week Expo on the LA Waterfront

SAN PEDRO, CA, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Hundreds of active-duty Navy and Coast Guard sailors and Marines will visit Los Angeles, May 21-26, 2025, for LA Fleet Week, L.A.’s largest Memorial Day Weekend event. The annual, multi-day celebration of our nation's Sea Services enables the servicemembers to experience the hospitality of the city and its residents through a variety of events and activities that will be held throughout the Los Angeles area.

LA Fleet Week 2025, which will celebrate the 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, will welcome the public to tour visiting active-duty Navy and Coast Guard ships and attend the action-packed LA Fleet Week Expo over the Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26, on the L.A. Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro. The event will culminate on Memorial Day with a solemn ceremony to honor those who lost their lives in the defense of our country. The Memorial Day Observance will be held on the LA Fleet Week Expo main stage in the event footprint adjacent to Battleship IOWA at 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro.

Free Public Tours of Active Duty Ships

Free tours of active duty ships will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily from Friday, May 23, through Monday, May 26. All adults must present a valid government-issued ID (state ID card, driver's license, or passport) to take Navy ship tours. Non-US citizens must show valid passports and will be subject to a brief additional screening before boarding the vessels. Photocopies of I.D.s will not be accepted.

Information regarding accessing the ship tours, including requirements and restrictions, is available in the Frequently Asked Questions section of the LA Fleet Week website and should be reviewed before attending.

Active military and veterans will be admitted free all weekend to the Battleship IOWA Museum with military ID or proof of veteran status (does not apply to family members or friends). Please check the Battleship IOWA website for hours of operation and prices.

LA Fleet Week Expo Features Displays, Activities, and Events for the Entire Family

Located in the footprint next to the historic Battleship IOWA Museum, the LA Fleet Week Expo will be open to the general public 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from Friday, May 23, to Monday, May 26. Free to the public, the Expo will provide a variety of activities and exhibits that highlight and celebrate the nation's military services and the people who serve. Events will include: military displays and equipment demonstrations, live entertainment, aircraft flyovers, the annual Galley Wars culinary cook-off competition between culinary specialists from the Navy Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force and Army, and dodgeball and Military Has Talent competitions. Dining options will be provided by Vicky's Doghouse Café aboard Battleship IOWA and a variety of popular food trucks.

A New Competition on the Digital Battlefield

For the first time, LA Fleet Week will host the Navy Esports Challenge, a brand-new competition where strategy, speed, and teamwork collide in front of a live audience on the iconic LA Waterfront. Presented by the United States Navy, this inaugural event showcases the power of modern gaming to unite communities, foster leadership, and inspire future careers in tech and service.

Esports teams from high schools around Los Angeles County will compete head-to-head against the Navy’s elite esports squad, Goats & Glory. Participating school teams will be vying for a grand prize scholarship during the LA Fleet Week Expo in the Fleet Week Gaming Pavilion at Battleship IOWA Museum.

Military Members to Engage with the Public and Give Back to LA-area Communities

LA Fleet Week Neighborhood Activations will introduce visiting servicemembers to the public and organizations in various Los Angeles and Orange County cities through public engagements, community relations projects, outreach activities, and Navy and Marine Corps band performances in the cities of Los Angeles, Westchester, Mission Hills, and Orange. Servicemembers will thank local communities for their support by volunteering for community relations projects with organizations including the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Ronald McDonald House of Long Beach, Boys and Girls Club of Garden Grove, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, and the Cabrillo Beach Youth Center.

Local, State, and Federal Decision-Makers to Convene at Leadership Summit

The 2025 Leadership Summit at LA Fleet Week, presented by the Wall Street Journal, will take place on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. The Leadership Summit is an invite-only event that brings together senior and executive leaders from military, business, government, and community organizations to discuss cybersecurity and its role in global economics and preparing Los Angeles for world stage events, including the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games.
Visit the LA Fleet Week website for the schedule of events and frequently asked questions.

About LA Fleet Week

LA Fleet Week is a program of the Pacific Battleship Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In addition to hosting the annual, multi-day celebration of our nation’s Seas Services over the extended Memorial Day weekend each year, LA Fleet Week facilitates numerous symposiums, exercises, and outreaches focused on community resilience, disaster preparedness, and support for area residents.

LA Fleet Week is possible because of support from our generous sponsors: the Port of Los Angeles, National Museum of the Surface Navy at the Battleship IOWA, USO, City of Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, Los Angeles Port Police, Princess Cruises, Fox Entertainment (Galley Wars presenting sponsor), Fox Sports (Dodgeball tournament presenting sponsor), Marvel Studios, Dave & Buster’s, American Legion Post 283, Marathon Petroleum, Budweiser, The Wall Street Journal, Lamar, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, UPS, Collier Walsh Nakazawa, LA Metro, Bandero Tequila, Chevrolet, LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn, Councilmember Tim McOsker – LA District 15, Navy Federal Credit Union, and In-N-Out Burger.

Media Contacts:

For Navy-related inquiries:

Brian O'Rourke
Fleet Week Core Planner
Navy Region Southwest
619-985-3725
Brian.k.orourke.civ@us.navy.mil

For inquiries related to LA Fleet Week activities:

Kenneth T Hagihara
Pacific Battleship Center
+1 949-796-3112
khagihara@lafleetweek.org
Visit us on social media:
Instagram
Facebook

LA Fleet Week 2025: Memorial Day Weekend May 23-26