LA Fleet Week has been in the air all week — culminating Thursday night, May 23, with the traditional downtown San Pedro welcoming party for scores of sailors and other service members who joined in for live music, dancing and other celebrations.
But preparations have been ramping up all week for LA Fleet Week throughout the Memorial Day weekend, an event that’s arguably become the port town’s biggest annual party.
By Wednesday, May 22, shops and restaurants in the downtown were festooned with U.S. flags and patriotic bunting. Here and there, newly-arrived sailors in their dress whites began being seen around town shortly after Tuesday’s arrival of the USS Carl Vinson, the aircraft carrier headlining this year’s event.
At a lookout spot at the south end of Gaffey Street on Wednesday, folks parked and got out of their cars to take in the view below of the USS Carl Vinson after it had arrived just the day before, making local headlines and newscasts.
“There it is, Mom, right there,” said a Torrance woman who arrived with her mother — and carrying a handy pair of strong binoculars. “Just the sheer size of it, it’s impressive.”
“There it is!” said another local tourist trying to get a distant glimpse of the massive ship that already is generating a buzz for the 2024 LA Fleet Week that runs from Friday, May 24, through Monday, May 27.
But it isn’t LA Fleet Week without the official welcome party.
By Thursday night, the throngs began to gather in the downtown district and the party was on with live bands and dancing in the streets.
A Wilmington welcome party for LA Fleet Week will be from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 24, at the Banning Museum where a homestyle picnic and live music will highlight the event that will be attended by visiting service members.
The hometown welcome parties have become a tradition kicking off the annual Fleet Week tribute those in uniform. All branches of the military are expected to be represented at the…
Read the full article here
