NEW YORK – Every May, crisp dress uniforms dot the landscape and intersect with the city that never sleeps, as millions of New York City residents extend a warm embrace to approximately 2,500 men and women of the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps.
The weeklong event is the city’s time-honored celebration of the sea services, and an unparalleled opportunity for the citizens of New York and the surrounding tri-state area to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness firsthand the latest capabilities of today’s maritime services … and the musical talents of its band.
“Each year, in addition to public ship tours, aviation demonstrations, Navy diver exhibits, and numerous other community outreach events, Navy Band Northeast has the distinct privilege of helping connect the public to their U.S. Navy through dozens of high-visibility public performances,” said Lt. Joel L. Borrelli-Boudreau, the band’s director.
Fleet Week New York is one of those performances.
Since the inception of Fleet Week New York in 1984, Navy Band Northeast has helped to ensure New Yorkers better understand the service and sacrifice the more than 300,000 active duty sailors and their families make to keep our nation secure and its interests protected around the world.
In one short week – through a three-day concert series held in Times Square, national news network appearances, performances at high-profile athletic events, ship arrival receptions, or concerts at a local children’s hospital – Navy Band Northeast brings a sense of pride and joy to thousands of Americans who may have never met a member of their U.S. Navy before Fleet Week.
“Wherever the band goes, members know that they represent not only the U.S. Naval War College and its president, but they also represent and more broadly understand the significance of the emotional connection and public trust their musical professionalism creates,” said Borrelli-Boudreau.