Guide to Fleet Week Brooklyn: Events, Things To Do, What It's About

Fleet Week is one of New York City's most exhilarating waterfront events. Every year since 1984, dozens of naval vessels and "tall ships" sail into New York Harbor for a week of events. A showy nautical event organized by the US Navy, in conjunction with the nonprofit Op Sail, Fleet Week New York is popular. And why not? New Yorkers can gawk at or get on board warships and historic sail boats. Thousands of sailors dressed in starched uniforms mill around the city. It's all very nautical, indeed.

"Fleet Week New York provides an opportunity for the citizens of New York City and the surrounding tri-state area to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as see, first-hand, the latest capabilities of today's maritime services," says the organizers.

What do you get if you combine a burst of patriotism, a dozen seriously high-tech naval vessels, some achingly elegant historic sailboats, great public relations, the Statue of Liberty and thousands of sailors? Fleet Week in New York.

Fleet Week New York 2012

This year, Fleet Week New York marks several important events.

• 2012 is the 25th anniversary of Fleet Week New York.
• This year's joint OpSail/U.S. Navy commemorates the bicentennial of the War of 1812.
• It also honors the writing of the US national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. It was first penned as a poem by Francis Scott Key, after watching the bombardment of the American Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships in the War of 1812. Eventually the song became a standard for the US Navy and, eventually, of course, the US national anthem of the United States of America. (Can you sing all the words? Lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner

The opening of Fleet Week is marked by the popular Parade of Ships, which passes under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge en route to the Statue of Liberty. The parade passes very near to some excellent viewing spots in Bay Ridge.