Seafair’s Fleet Week returns to Seattle waterfront with Parade of Ships on Elliot Bay
Jul 29, 2025, 9:22 AM | Updated: 9:52 am
The Parade of Ships arrives during the start of the 36th annual Fleet Week. (Photo: Spencer Platt, Getty Images)
(Photo: Spencer Platt, Getty Images)
Seafair’s Fleet Week returns to the Seattle waterfront with the Parade of Ships starting at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Fleet Week offers patrons the ability to board U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships for tours. Participants can also meet sailors and guardsmen.
RELATED STORIES
Fleet Week returns to Seafair
Fleet Week has been part of Seafair since 1950 as a way to honor the men and women who serve the United States.
Along the Seattle waterfront, ships from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, and the Seattle Fire Department will parade around Elliott Bay before docking at Pier 46.
The parade across the water can be viewed from the Seattle waterfront, or listen live to the narration on 88.9 FM Longboom Radio.
Parade of Ships will start at approximately 1 p.m. and will be preceded by a Coast Guard Search and Rescue demonstration.
Pier 46 ship tours, displays, and exhibits
Tours of ships from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard are offered; however, the names of all participating vessels will not be announced until their arrival per Navy policy.
Seafair noted that a government-issued Real ID is required to participate in a ship tour.
The U.S. Coast Guard base in Seattle is also open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday through Sunday.
There will also be exhibits provided by the U.S. Navy, Applied Physics Laboratory, Navy League, Puget Sound Navy Museum, and the U.S. Marine Corps.
The groups will bring artillery displays, military dog demonstrations, pugil stick simulators, and a Humvee display.
Food booths and opportunities to speak with sailors from the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy will also be provided.
Active-duty and veteran discounts for military personnel
Metro and Sound Transit will provide free rides to military personnel and veterans during Fleet Week from Tuesday to Sunday.
Various attractions will also be offered at a discounted rate, including Seattle’s Great Wheel, Seattle’s Tall Ships, and Argosy Cruises.
The full list of discounts for active-duty service members and veterans can be found here.
Follow Jason Sutich on X. Send news tips here.
