Fleet Week brings sailors to Seattle

Sailors in whites, Marines and Coasties in uniforms, and a slew of military vessels along the waterfront mean one thing in summer: It's Seafair's Fleet Week.

Why it matters: Started in San Diego in 1935, Fleet Week began as a way to showcase the nation's naval prowess , but in our increasingly high-tech city, it's also one of our last high-profile links to our maritime heritage and seafaring history.

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Driving the news: Tours of the USS Sampson , an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer home-ported at Everett Naval Station , and a Coast Guard vessel will be open to the public from 10am to 4pm Thursday through Sunday.

• The ships are docked at the Coast Guard Base on Pier 46 , according to Seafair .

State of play: Visitors can explore the Coast Guard Museum Northwest and see exhibits from the Navy League of the United States, Puget Sound Navy Museum and the U.S. Marine Corps, including artillery displays, military working dog demonstrations, pugil stick simulators and Humvee displays.

Flashback: The Seafair tradition can be traced back more than 120 years when there was a desire to keep Seattle in the public eye, so the city launched a one-week festival called the Golden Potlatch, according to the Magnolia Historical Society .

• In 1911, the only naval aviator in existence at the time, Eugene Ely, performed flying demonstrations, foreshadowing the feats of the Blue Angels in later years.
• The festival was suspended at the beginning of World War I but reintroduced as Seafair in 1950 .

Between the lines: On the surface, Fleet Week is a celebration of the troops and a mission of goodwill between the military and civilians, tattoo artist Norman Collins wrote in his Sailor Jerry blog.

What they're saying: "Underneath the official sheen, it (may be) the first time in a long time many of these men and women have seen the outside of the ship. So naturally, it's a week-long party," Collins wrote .

The Parade of Ships during the start of Fleet Week. Photo: Genna Martin/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

To ensure tours are completed by 4pm, lines may be cut off earlier in the afternoon, per the Navy .

• Visitors must have a government-issued ID and may be searched while going through an airport-style security checkpoint.
• Visitors must wear closed-toe shoes and be physically able to maneuver on board, including climbing narrow ladders.
• Strollers, walkers and wheelchairs are not allowed on the ships.
• Prohibited items include large bags, weapons, fireworks and drugs.

Parking is not available on site, but people can park at the sports stadiums and walk to the base or walk from downtown via the Elliot Bay Trail.