Fleet Week Events Kick Off This Weekend

Hollywood's Brightest Stars Add Shine to Brilliant Array of Events to Honor San Diego's Military

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/-- Two of Hollywood's hottest stars, LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell of NCIS Los Angeles, will appear at the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation's newest event, the Big Bay Family Festival, to be held this Saturday and Sunday, September 18-19.  The festival is just one of the many fun festivities open to the public on Fleet Week's roster to honor San Diego's military.

Kick your weekend off at Dick's Last Resort in the Gaslamp for Operation Liberty Call, Friday, September 17, from 4:00-9:00 pm.  Attendance by our fighting heroes is expected to be high so this is a great opportunity to show your appreciation in person.  Admission is FREE and prizes will be given away.

Continue the fun the next day at the new, FREE event, the Port of San Diego Fleet Week Big Bay Family Festival, at the B Street Cruise Terminal featuring ship tours, military static displays, in-water demonstrations, live music, a beer garden and children's fun zone.  LL Cool J and O'Donnell are scheduled to be on-stage at 1:00 pm.  Ships available for tour are the USS Gary (FFG-51), USS Pinckney (DDG-91) and the new high-tech littoral combat ship the USS Freedom (LCS-1).  For more information and to see a list of restricted items please visit www.fleetweeksandiego.org.

Of course, the Fleet Week flagship event is the Coronado Speed Festival and 2010 promises a full weekend of action-packed high-octane activities and family fun, September 25-26.  San Diego's military community, their families and the local community are invited as Naval Air Station North Island throws its gates open wide – an unprecedented opportunity to visit a working U.S. Navy base including public tours of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier.  Coronado Speed Festival features roaring auto races on a live U.S. Navy runway, flyovers, naval ship and air demonstrations, ship tours and family fun for all ages – including a Kid's Zone with paint ball target practice, slot cars, astro jump and more.  Military admission and children ages 12 and under are free.

As always, these events are hosted at little or no cost to the military families they honor, thanks to the financial support of the Foundation's corporate sponsors and the commitment of our many dedicated volunteers.  Members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard are the primary honorees of these events but the local community is welcome and invited to these activities:

• Operation Liberty Call: Friday, September 17, 4:00-9:00 pm – Dick's Last Resort
• Port of San Diego Fleet Week Big Bay Family Festival: Saturday & Sunday, September 18-19, 10:00 am-4:00 pm – B Street Cruise Terminal
• Coronado Speed Festival Car Procession: Thursday, September 23, 4:00 pm – Rotary Park
• Coronado Speed Festival: Saturday & Sunday, September 25-26 – Naval Air Station North Island
• Navy Open House: Saturday & Sunday, September 25-26, 10:00 am-4:00 pm – Naval Air Station North Island
• MCRD Boot Camp Challenge: Saturday, September 25, 9:00 am – MCRD San Diego
• MCAS Miramar Air Show: Sunday – Tuesday, October 1-3, Gates open 8:00 am daily – MCAS Miramar

About the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation

The San Diego Fleet Week Foundation is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation. In addition to honoring the military services through the annual Fleet Week events, the Foundation's goals are to foster awareness of the contributions made by enlisted military personnel and their families, to enhance relationships between the civilian, business and military communities, to provide events that Military personnel and their families can attend at little or no cost, and to raise funds for charitable efforts benefiting enlisted service members and their families. For more information, or for a complete listing of all of the Fleet Week events, please visit www.fleetweeksandiego.org  or you can find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fleetweeksd or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/fleetweeksd.

SOURCE San Diego Fleet Week Foundation