Houston launched its first-ever Fleet Week with a parade of naval ships through Galveston Bay, drawing crowds and kicking off a week of public events honoring U.S. sea services.
A parade of Navy and Coast Guard ships sailed into Galveston Bay on Wednesday to kick off Houston's first Fleet Week, which is expected to draw thousands of people from all around the area.
As the fog lifted over the sea, crowds gathered early along the Galveston Ship Channel, setting out lawn chairs before sunrise. Veterans, families, and tourists who lined the shore to see the momentous occasion cheered and waved flags as big naval boats appeared on the horizon by dawn.
Houston is holding Fleet Week, a custom usually reserved for coastal cities with a significant naval presence, for the first time. More than 1,000 sailors, Marines, and Coast Guard members are expected to attend the event, according to organizers, and several military vessels will be available for public inspection.
More than 20 events, including ship tours, community engagement initiatives, and military demonstrations to connect locals with service troops, are planned in and around Houston and Galveston over the next few days.
The effort focuses on raising public knowledge and engagement, according to Cmdr. Cheryl Collins, a Navy Reserve officer participating in the event. Collins remarked, "We're coming to places that don't have a big naval presence." "Because they pay for them as taxpayers, we're educating people about their sea services."
Fleet Week Houston has additional historical significance because it falls during America 250, a national celebration of the United States' 250th anniversary.
The event has personal significance for many of the guests. Given his family's military history, Randy Thomas, a member of Galveston's Marine Corps League, said it was particularly poignant to watch the ships pass. Thomas described the event as "exciting" and stated, "Navy is a little bit in my blood."
As locals take advantage of unique access to active-duty personnel and naval activities, local officials and organizers anticipate high attendance throughout the week.
Events continue throughout the region during Fleet Week Houston, which ends on April 22.
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