Summer is on the horizon, and NYC Fleet Week will kickstart the season beginning May 21st.
More than just a way to welcome the warm weather, this annual celebration is the perfect precursor to Memorial Day, and a great way to honor those in the U.S. Navy, Marines, and Coast Guards.
If you’re looking for a way to say thank you and learn a little bit more about U.S. History, consider adding these NYC events to your May calendar ahead of Memorial Day Weekend.
Attend the Intrepid’s Fleet Week lineup
The colossal aircraft carrier on the Hudson River serves as a time capsule for U.S. history. During Fleet Week, the museum and attraction celebrates men and women in uniform with a variety of themed activities. From May 23rd to May 26th, New Yorkers and visitors can enjoy live music, displays, military-themed challenges, and more.
This year’s offerings begin on Friday, May 23rd with the free movie night at the Intrepid at 6pm (Top Gun) and concludes with the museum’s annual Memorial Day ceremony on the 26th. Get a full schedule online..
📍Pier 86, W 46th St, Manhattan
Watch the Parade of Ships
On Wednesday, May 21st, two Coast Guard Cutters and five U.S. Navy Academy Yard Patrol boats will pull into NY waters for Fleet Week. This year’s theme is “Honoring the Past, Defending the Future: 250 Years of Sea Service Excellence.”
The free spectacle, which typically starts around 7am, is visible along the Hudson River from Battery Park to south of the George Washington Bridge.
Hop aboard a ship
The U.S.S. Intrepid isn’t the only aircraft carrier in town: From 9am-4pm on Friday May 23rd and Saturday, May 24th, step aboard the legend-class cutter USCGC Calhoun (WMSL-759) from Charleston, South Carolina and the Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vessel HMCS Frédérick Rolette (AOPV 434) from Halifax, Canada.
Learn more online.
📍 Pier 90 North, Manhattan
Those in Staten Island will also have a few exciting things to spot during Fleet Week.
Catch a tour of the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) from Norfolk and the Virginia Bay-class cutter USCGC Sturgeon Bay (WTGB 109) from Bayonne, New Jersey, from May 22nd to 26th from 9am-4pm.
📍 Homeport Pier, Staten Island: 305 Front St, Staten Island, NY
See The Last Real Circus and Sadie Ross
The Last Real Circus and Sadie Ross will take the stage at the Paramount Theater in Times Square on Friday, May 23rd at 6pm to usher in the start of the celebrations with country tunes.
📍 1501 Broadway, New York
Stop by Green-Wood Cemetery’s free Memorial Day Concert
Music director Paul Corn and conductor Brian P. Worsdale will lead the ISO Symphonic Band at Third Street during the 25th-annual Green-Wood Cemetery Memorial Day Concert. The music gets going at 2pm.
📍 25th St, Brooklyn
Attend the Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade
The 158th annual celebration will be held on Monday, May 26th at 11am. The route is as follows: from 78th St and Third Ave along Third Ave to Marine Ave, up to Fourth Ave, and over to John Paul Jones Park on 101st St and Fourth Ave.
When is Fleet Week?
Fleet Week will take place from May 21st to May 27th in NYC.
What is Fleet Week?
Fleet Week is a city-wide celebration and recognition that honors Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who serve the U.S. “Honoring the Past, Defending the Future: 250 Years of Sea Service Excellence” is the 2025 theme.
Is Fleet Week NYC free?
Certain events along the piers in Manhattan and Staten Island are free. However, shows, events, and so on will require admission.