‘I bought the chills’: Fleet Week conjures up celebrations all through San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) – From the marina to the mission district, Fleet Week celebrations hit the streets of San Francisco on Friday.
“It’s my birthday and we’ve been coming since 1982,” said Pam Selvig from San Anselmo.
For 39 years, Fleet Week has been a group birthday party for Pam and her friends. The same group, the same Crissy Field bench, and the same picnic.
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“Suddenly I looked at my suitcase and said: ‘Yes!’ The food and liquor will all fit back and forth and it has roles. We’re good, “said Diane Peck, who arranges the food and drink portions for the party.
And then there is the sound. Not the planes … the screams of the ladies.
“I’m definitely the loudest screamer,” said Pam.
But Montara resident Mary Pat Dempsey stated that they were screaming on purpose.
“The pilots look for us every year, they wave to us. I tell you, they look and wave and we see them!”
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But last year the pandemic interrupted their party, so this year’s fly-bys came with some extra emotion.
“I got the chills, I just wanted to cry because I feel so patriotic and I don’t know, it moves, it moves,” said Carrie Paulus from Danville.
Busy too – bars in San Francisco.
“Lots of drinks, lots of Navy boys will be with us, the Giants,” said Nick Hallmark from San Francisco, who was out with friends in Cow Hollow.
“Everyone is on the move, there is just good energy in the city today,” said Trisha Costa from San Francisco.
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“We moved into quarantine last year, so this is our first real fleet week experience,” said Michael Jankiewicz. As for the nozzle noise, he says, “I honestly mean it’s scary!”
In the Mission District, the First Marine Division Band marched down Valencia Street.
Staff Sergeant Eric Gonzales is in town from Camp Pendleton. “The spirit of San Francisco is captured through our engagements. You meet wild people, you meet cool people, I made long-term friends during these fleet weeks too. It’s just great to be a member of San Francisco for six days that we’re here. “
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“It’s so great! To be honest, I haven’t felt so much pride in our country for a long time, ”said Manny Yekutial, the owner’s Manny restaurant – a bourgeois meeting place. Manny has hosted the Marines and stated that it will be the first time a Fleet Week event will be moved away from the water front to the mission.
“This is the beating heart of San Francisco. It’s so important that the people in this church and everyone here actually hear this band. That is why I am so glad that you came here and that you should come to the mission every year! “
And it has only just begun! The celebrations last until the weekend.
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