Flyovers, drones to mark San Diego's 250th birthday celebration of Navy, Marines


San Diego to Host Historic 250th Anniversary Celebration for U.S. Navy and Marine Corps

BOTTOM LINE: San Diego will host the largest West Coast celebration marking the 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps on November 6, 2025, featuring aerial flyovers, drone shows, and ship tours as part of Fleet Week San Diego.

SAN DIEGO — America's finest city is preparing to honor its deep military roots with what organizers are calling the largest celebration on the West Coast commemorating the 250th anniversaries of both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

The semiquincentennial celebration, scheduled for November 6, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Broadway Pier, will be led by veteran organizations in collaboration with community partners and civic leaders, according to officials who gathered Thursday on the Embarcadero to announce the historic event.

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Military Milestone

Phil Kendro of the Soledad National Veterans Memorial Association called it "the largest celebration on the West Coast commemorating the 250th birthday of both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in conjunction with San Diego Fleet Week."

The celebration will feature "a powerful lineup including aerial flyovers, a dazzling drone show, a live band, great food and drinks and displays of today's, and tomorrow's, military technology," Kendro said during the downtown press conference.

Mayor Todd Gloria emphasized San Diego's unique connection to the military services. "San Diego is home to the largest concentration of Navy personnel in the country. Their presence defines our city's identity," Gloria said. "Few places in America are as closely connected to the Navy and Marine Corps as San Diego."

San Diego's Deep Military Heritage

The celebration honors a military legacy that stretches back nearly 180 years in San Diego. San Diego's military roots began during the Mexican-American War in 1846, when sailors and Marines from the USS Cyane secured the town and soon after engaged in the Battle of San Pasqual and took a stand at Mule Hill.

The USS Cyane, carrying 160 men, arrived in San Diego harbor on July 29, 1846. After capturing the Mexican brig Juanita, American troops occupied San Diego and raised the American flag on July 30, 1846. This marked the beginning of San Diego's transformation into a major military hub.

The region's strategic importance grew significantly in the 20th century. The arrival of the Great White Fleet in 1908, the establishments of Camp Howard by the 4th Marines in 1914, Naval Air Station North Island in 1917 and Naval Station San Diego and Marine Corps Base San Diego (both in 1921), solidified the region's strategic importance.

San Diego played a crucial role in WW II as a major staging point for Pacific operations, building warships, training aviators and preparing Marines for combat. That legacy continued through the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Desert Storm and into the post-9/11 era.

Fleet Week San Diego 2025

The 250th anniversary celebration is part of Fleet Week San Diego 2025, which runs from November 1-9, 2025, and includes multiple events at Broadway Pier in downtown San Diego. The event will include live music, food, aerial flyovers, guest speakers, ship tours and more.

Fleet Week San Diego was created by community and business leaders who understood the great depth of public support for Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen. In 1997, after extensive planning and team building, Fleet Week San Diego was born.

National 250th Anniversary Context

The San Diego celebration is part of a nationwide commemoration of the Navy and Marine Corps' milestone anniversaries. The Marine Corps will host public events and celebrations throughout 2025 across the country, including two national-level capstone events at the beginning and end of the year, as well as six multi-day Marine Corps-hosted outreach events, called Marine Weeks, in six major cities.

The most significant national celebration will take place in Philadelphia, where both services were founded. Philadelphia will host "Homecoming 250" from October 9-16, 2025, featuring a parade of Navy ships, Blue Angels flyovers, ship tours, and commemorative ceremonies at Independence Hall. The Marine Corps will hold its own celebration on November 10, 2025, at Independence Hall, marking exactly 250 years since its founding.

America's Naval Hub

Today, San Diego remains the largest concentration of naval power in the world, anchoring missions across the Indo-Pacific and standing as a cornerstone of American defense. The city hosts multiple major military installations, including Naval Base San Diego, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and Naval Air Station North Island.

The November 6 celebration promises to showcase this continuing legacy while honoring the quarter-millennium of service by both the Navy and Marine Corps. As Mayor Gloria noted, "We look forward to another great 250 years."

Sources

  1. Fox 5 San Diego. "San Diego to host 250th birthday celebration for US Navy, Marine Corps." July 24, 2025. https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/san-diego-to-host-250th-birthday-celebration-for-us-navy-marine-corps/
  2. Times of San Diego. "Flyovers, drones to mark San Diego's 250th birthday celebration of Navy, Marines." Dave Schwab. July 24, 2025. https://timesofsandiego.com/military/2025/07/24/flyovers-drones-san-diego-250th-birthday-celebration-navy-marines/
  3. U.S. Marine Corps. "250th Birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps." https://www.marines.mil/Marines250/
  4. Homecoming 250. "Navy & Marine Corps Anniversary." https://www.homecoming250.org/
  5. Fleet Week San Diego. "Fleet Week San Diego 2025." https://www.fleetweeksandiego.org/
  6. San Diego History Center. "The U.S.-Mexican War in San Diego, 1846-1847." August 29, 2016. https://sandiegohistory.org/journal/2003/january/war-2/
  7. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. "Fleet Week San Diego 2024." https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/FWSD2024
  8. Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. "Marine 250 Home." February 4, 2025. https://www.marine250.com/
Flyovers, drones to mark San Diego's 250th birthday celebration of Navy, Marines

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