Aircraft flyovers, the smell of barbecue in the air, American flags plastered on hats, sweaters and shirts, and live music playing on Memorial Day — it was the final day of this year’s L.A. Fleet Week.

Hundreds gathered on the San Pedro waterfront to mark the close of the annual, multiday celebration of the nation’s sea services. The day was packed with active duty ship tours, military displays and equipment demonstrations, live entertainment, food trucks and more.

Lines at the entrance to the expo were long Monday morning, but some were able to skip the line by going through security at the 22nd and Miner streets checkpoint.

This year’s L.A. Fleet Week had additional shuttles taking people to the 22nd Street area and directly to the ship tours, which organizers said seemed to help the flow of visitors.

Memorial Day marked the conclusion of the popular festival, celebrating the U.S. sea services at the Port of Los Angeles. The day had much significance for many attendees.

For Tammila Goodwin, Memorial Day means a lot to her because she remembers her father who died on the holiday and for his service in the Navy Seabees.

“It’s a sad day,” Goodwin said. “We want to remember all of the fallen heroes, but this is a good way to come out and be with everyone with a like mind. We know it’s a sad day for a lot of people, but we want to celebrate the armed forces, the Marines, all of the branches of the military that are here.”

Goodwin was at the festival with her partner, Ron Madison, who retired as a major in the Marine Corps. The San Diego residents were looking forward to the ship tours.

“It’s the best use of Memorial Day possible,” Madison said.

They have been to other Fleet Weeks but they don’t compare to Los Angeles, he added.

By early afternoon, all available ship tour times for Monday had been booked.

“All the branches here are so accommodating,” Goodwin said, “and they really put a lot of effort into instructing the kids, which is really important because they’re the ones that are going to grow up and hopefully join.”

Many attendees were looking forward to meeting service members, which is always a highlight emphasized during Fleet Week events.

“It’s nice to see the opportunities that the younger generation get to see what they can look forward to,” said Sabrina Mancilla of West Covina.

It was Mancilla’s first time at L.A. Fleet Week, and she, like many, was excited to interact with military vehicles and equipment.

“Today I’m remembering how thankful I am to see our troops who are out there for us and reminds me of my brother,” she said, adding that her brother is in the Navy. “We’re just very thankful, and we’re here to support them.”

Some of the military trucks on display were from the Navy Seabees, a force within the Navy that specializes in military construction and engineering. They are responsible for building and maintaining infrastructure for the Navy and Marine Corps and provide disaster relief and civic action support.

“It’s good to show our community and be able to bring awareness to us because we’re a small part of the Navy,” said Anthony Luces, a civil engineer corps officer part of the Seabees. “It has been fun to interact with the public. We get to talk about our equipment and much more.”

This was Luces’ first time at L.A. Fleet Week, and he said it was a great experience. Currently stationed in Wyoming and from Guam, he was excited to be in California’s sunny and warmer weather.

L.A. Fleet Week allowed service members to show off different skills as well, including e-sports and dodgeball competitions throughout the weekend.

Several booths and vendors were available for attendees to explore.

People also enjoyed live entertainment, including performances by Just Us 4, which performed jazz, Broadway, and swing classics, and beach-rock band Safety Orange.

“It’s a great place to bring the kids, families and to meet all the service members,” Culver City resident Ramona Cortez said. “I was impressed with the commitment of each service member, and they were so kind and willing to take pictures with me.”

Cortez said her favorite part about L.A. Fleet Week was being able to talk to the service members while touring the ship and learning how diverse the military has become, especially how many women and people of color are in different branches.

“It’s a great way to spend Memorial Day,” she added.

The festival was set to close out with an evening memorial service at the Main Expo, honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation.