This is what you can do at L.A. Fleet Week in San Pedro on Labor Day, Sept. 2

LA Fleet Week is nearly over — so don’t miss your chance to get in on the fun.

The military celebration, with U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships ported in San Pedro, ends on Labor Day, so this is your last opportunity (until next year, that is) to check out the military personnel strutting around.

Fleet Week is held in front of the Battleship Iowa, on the L.A. waterfront, at 100 Swinford St.

For those who want to visit the festivities, here’s a list of things to do on Monday, Sept. 2:

Conquer the Bridge

Some 4,000 people will wake up early on Labor Day, putt on sneakers, stretch and set off across the Vincent Thomas Bridge — and you’re more than welcome to walk-up and participate, or sit back and watch.

The 11th annual Conquer the Bridge race, now tied to LA Fleet Week, begins at 7 a.m. The 5.3-mile race is scheduled to end at 10:30 a.m. If you register on race day, it will cost $65 to participate; check or cash only.

Fleet tours

The six ships docked at the Port of Los Angeles will offer tours from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Unlike in previous years, there’s no reservation system to tour the ships. Rather, like when the event first started up, tours are available on a first come, first served basis. So get ready to stand in a queue.

Veterans Village

The Veterans Village is an expo for former military service members. The village, inside the festival boundary in front of the Battleship Iowa, will have multiple booths offering “valuable services, support and hospitality” to veterans and their families, according to the LA Fleet Week website. The village will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Festival of Sail

The Los Angeles Maritime Institute will once again host the Festival of Sail from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Downtown Harbor, between West Fifth and Sixth streets and South Harbor Boulevard. The festival, meant to celebrate the heritage of sails and sail exploration in Southern California, will offer free tours to L.A.’s tall ships: the Irving Johnson and Exy Johnson — and the fleet’s newest addition, American Pride.

From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., there will be a cannon battle reenactment. Cost: $60 for adults and $30 for those 12 years of age or younger. The ships set sail at 5:30 p.m.

STEM Expo

If you like science, technology, engineering and math, them the STEM Expo — presented by The Boeing Co. — is the place to be. The expo is at Berth 46 in the Outer Harbor. The main highlight is the Battleship Blast High School Robotics Competition. The STEM Expo runs daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s free to attend.

Historic Fireboat

The Los Angeles Fire Department’s old Fireboat No. 2, a national historic landmark, will be open to visitors throughout Fleet Week. The boat is 94 years and currently under restoration, with the L.A. Fire Department Historical Society planning to open it as a museum next year. Visitors can check it out from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Aerial demonstrations

Throughout the weekend, the skies above the L.A. waterfront will be home to more than 30 aerial demonstrations, including flyovers of the Navy’s F-18, helicopters, and other military aircraft. Most of the aircraft and demonstrations will come from the Navy, but the Coast Guard — including search-and-rescue teams — and other military and first-responder teams will also show off their skills.

The newest feature of the annual aerial demonstration, however, is the daily parachute jumps by the elite Navy Leap Frogs. The Leap Frogs are the official parachute team of the U.S. Navy and its Naval Special Warfare Command, according to a Fleet Week press release. The team will perform jumps at 1 p.m.

Source: Orange County Register