Things to Do in NYC – Fleet Week May 20-26
Looking for things to do with your kids in New York City this month? Well you’re in luck because May is full of fun events revolving around Memorial Day weekend in NYC.
Fleet Week is the time-honored tradition of parades, concerts, air shows and more performed in tribute to our United States Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. From May 20 to May 26 enjoy family-friendly events around Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, New Jersey, and Connecticut. On Wednesday May 20 the Parade of Ships will begin as the Naval and Coast Guard Fleets enter NYC waterways and begin to port. Ships visiting this year include the USS Oak Hill, USS Cole, USS McFaul, USCGC Campbell, USCGC Katherine Walker, among others from around the world. The general public can visit these ships from Thursday May 21 to Monday May 25. Ship tours commence at 8:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. each day. All tours will be held at Pier 92 in Manhattan and The Sullivan’s Pier in Staten Island. Try to arrive before 3:00 p.m. when the lines are capped.
The Navy Band will be conducting concerts daily from Monday May 18 to Monday May 25 in various locations, starting with Brooklyn on Monday and Bryant Park in Manhattan on Tuesday. All events are free and open to the public. Various military aircraft will be landing in different locations around New York City boroughs and opening for tours, but those locations and times are still “to be determined”.
On Saturday May 23, a joint military Aviation Event will take place at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, New York. Marines and sailors will demonstrate aviation and personnel equipment. Military bands and the U.S. Coast Guard Silent Drill Team will perform in Times Square on Saturday.
On Monday May 25, various Memorial Day Parades will take place around New York and New Jersey in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Bayville, Pelham, New Rochelle, Great Neck, and Bogota, (New Jersey). On Tuesday, May 26 you can watch the ships as they depart their ports for home base.
The Memorial Day Observance at the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument will commence at 89 th Street and Riverside Park in Manhattan at 10:00 a.m. The Marine Corps Band begins performing, followed by the New York Scottish Pipers and Drums. The Marine Corps Color Guard, Sons of Union Veterans, and Veteran Corps of Artillery will perform in their historic uniforms alongside Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and cadets. Civil War historian Harold Holzer will give the annual memorial address. Wreaths will be laid at the Memorial by historic heritage organizations such as the Daughters of the American Revolution Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, the Navy League, Jewish War Veterans, Daughters of the Confederacy, The Old Guard of the City of New York, American Legion, and more.
Families wanting to see all the festivities and avoid the crowds can take a helicopter tour over all the action courtesy of Manhattan Helicopters! Helicopter tours soar by all the ports on the Hudson and Staten Island depending on the route you choose. Contact the reservations team at (917) 720-4659 or email info@manhattanhelicopters to book your tour! Reservations are required as seats fill up quickly. Happy Memorial Day weekend!