Seafair 2013 was a saddening break from tradition for many as the U.S. Navy was forced to cancel their Blue Angels flight squadron show and Fleet Week ship visits due to budget cuts. On Oct. 18, the U.S. Department of Defense announced they plan to bring the fun back, albeit in a limited capacity.

Pentagon officials announced the plan “will enable the military services to resume conducting community and public outreach activities in the new fiscal year, but at a significantly reduced capacity. This cost-cutting measure will yield a savings of $104 million in … 2014.”

“It is unfortunate that sequestration restrictions have kept us from connecting with nearly a half-billion people worldwide over the last six months, and required us to withdraw support from more than 2,800 events throughout the country,” Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a press release.

The Department of Defense said all outreach will be cut by 45 percent this year, but specifics were not given.

A Navy statement released the same day said the Blue Angels will be back with “full schedules” and five Fleet Weeks are returning, including Seattle.

Seafair Fleet Week will take place from July 30 to August 3, 2014.
Even with the federal announcement making it seem everything is in place for the Blue Angels to wow our skies and Fleet Week ships to dominate the Sound, Seafair officials are taking a careful approach, stating on Oct. 21:

“As Congress is still negotiating appropriations for 2014, Seafair remains cautiously optimistic the Blue Angels and Fleet Week will be part of its 65th Anniversary celebration next year.”