Shutdown Grounds Blue Angels, Fleet Week Continues

The federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1 has paused U.S. military participation in San Francisco Fleet Week (Oct. 5–13) and other air shows, grounding the Blue Angels and other demonstration teams. Organizers say Fleet Week will still go forward with confirmed international participants — including the Canadian Snowbirds and visiting Colombian ships — and civilian performers such as the Patriots Jet Team, while many non-military neighborhood events and concerts continue. Navy Region Southwest and Fleet Week officials warned planning is paused and that a swift funding resolution could allow military elements to be reconsidered, but the Blue Angels are unlikely to fly if the shutdown persists. The shutdown has already forced some Bay Area park and visitor-center closures and could furlough hundreds of thousands of federal workers; it also threatens other shows, including the Salinas air show and the Air Force Thunderbirds' November appearance in Biloxi, if it extends. Organizers and local businesses are reassessing events and making contingency plans, but fans and merchants face likely disappointment and economic losses if the shutdown continues.