Major traffic alert for this weekend: San Francisco will be bursting at the seams with activity this weekend, including the annual Fleet Week celebration.
Fleet Week, a celebration of the nation's military, will include the usual events like flyovers of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, as well as new features such as public tours of Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy ships at Piers 30-32 and 80 and a chance to meet military canines.
But Fleet Week will be just one of the many events expected to bring large crowds throughout San Francisco this week. The city is also hosting more America's Cup World Series sailing races on the bay between Tuesday and Sunday, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park starting Friday, two playoff games at AT&T Park for the San Francisco Giants on Saturday and Sunday, a San Francisco 49ers game at Candlestick Park on Sunday, as well as the Castro Street Fair and the Italian Heritage Parade in North Beach.
Mayor Ed Lee and other officials highlighted the activities on Monday. Lee said the city is prepared for the bevy of activity.
"These events are spread out very well," he said. "I think we've got a good handle on it."
Fleet Week also includes multi-agency training exercises to encourage preparation and collaboration in the event of a possible disaster, said retired Major General Michael Myatt, the chairman of the San Francisco Fleet Week Association formed to organize the annual celebration.
"We have a saying in the Marine Corps: Never put yourself in the position of having to introduce yourself on the battlefield. Get to know each other before something happens," Myatt said.
A list of all of the Fleet Week events is available online at
www.fleetweek.us.
People are being encouraged to walk, bike or take public transportation to their event "instead of a car where they can't park," Lee said.
The mayor also was focused on the financial windfall the city will receive from hosting all of the various events.
"I think there's going to be a tremendous economic impact," he said.
— Bay City News Service
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