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HOUSTON - Houston is gearing up for its first ever Fleet Week, welcoming over 1,000 active-duty service members and military ships to the city.
What is Fleet Week?
The inaugural Fleet Week Houston celebrates the men and women of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard who serve our nation at sea. The event showcases maritime service traditions, highlights Houston's role as a global port city, and builds stronger connections between military personnel and the local community. The public will be able to attend free events and tour ships.
Similar events have been held for years in coastal cities like New York, San Diego, and Miami.
When is Fleet Week?
Fleet Week begins April 15 with the Parade of Ships on Wednesday, April 15, as service members and military ships sail into the Houston Ship Channel. There is a week full of events and tours, wrapping up on April 22.
FILE PHOTO. U.S Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 365 (Reinforced), 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit depart amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) during the MEU’s certification exercise in the Atlantic Ocean, Feb. 12, 2026. (U …
Where is it happening?
The festivities will be spread across the greater Houston area including Galveston, Downtown Houston, and surrounding areas.
What is there to do? Fleet Week events
Timeline:
There are several events happening throughout the week. Here are some of them:
- April 15: Parade of Ships (Seawolf Park, Galveston) - Watch the parade of ships enter the Houston Ship Channel to officially kick off the week.
- April 16: Fleet Week on the Plaza (Avenida Houston, Downtown) - A free concert featuring live music from Houston's own The Suffers and Navy Band Southeast, complete with food trucks and games.
- April 18: East End Block Party (Navigation Esplanade, East End) - Celebrate with a traditional carne asada, live music, Lucha Libre wrestling, and top-tier BBQ.
- April 18-19: Fleet Week Expo (Post Houston, Downtown) - Experience interactive demonstrations, entertainment, and local culture. This is also the launch point for buses taking visitors to the ship tours.
- April 18-19: Aviation Exhibit (Lone Star Flight Museum, Ellington) - A unique static display of modern and historical Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard aircraft.
- April 18-19: Concerts in the Park - A series of local park concerts featuring ceremonial service bands, presented by ExxonMobil.
- April 19: Exhibition at Sylvan Beach (La Porte) - See high-action military demonstrations up close.
- April 20: Street Festival and Drone Show (Main Street, Seabrook) - Seabrook will host a street festival culminating in a massive drone show to celebrate service members.
For the full schedule of events, specific ship tour times, and additional details, visit the official Fleet Week Houston website.
How to tour the visiting ships
Four major vessels will be docked along the Houston Ship Channel for the event. The participating ships include:
- USS Kearsarge (LHD-3): A Wasp-class amphibious assault ship.
- USS Minneapolis-St. Paul (LCS-21) & USS Cooperstown (LCS-23): Two Freedom-class littoral combat ships optimized for high speed and agility.
- USCGC Edgar Culbertson (WPC-1137): A Sentinel-class fast response Coast Guard cutter.
What you can do: The ships will be open to the public daily during Fleet Week. Tours are free. Visitors must be at least 5 years old. Those over 18 will be required to show a valid government-issued ID or passport.
Details of how to tour the ship will be shared closer to the event at this website: https://fleetweekhouston.com/ship-tours/
The Source: The information in this article comes from official press releases provided by the City of Houston Mayor's Office of Communications and the U.S. Navy, as well as previous FOX 26 reporting.