America’s largest free maritime festival, Harborfest, is back in Norfolk.
The three-day festival begins Friday when the Parade of Sail, a medley of watercraft including tall ships and Navy vessels, arrives downtown at noon.
Harborfest continues Friday till 11 p.m., and runs Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Attendees will have a chance to tour ships on Friday and Saturday and to catch evening fireworks lighting up the sky Saturday. Free concerts are scheduled for the main and boathouse stages in Town Point Park, and there will be a smorgasbord of food options.
Check out the events schedule and what roads to avoid below:
Friday
Water events
- Parade of Sail, noon
- Emergency response vessel boat demo, 1:30 p.m.
- Search and rescue demo with the U.S. Coast Guard, 2:45 p.m.
- Public visitation aboard tall ships and character vessels, 3-6 p.m.
- Splash City Golf in partnership with Dick’s House of Sports, 3-8 p.m.
- Drone show, 9:30 p.m.
Main stage concerts
- Pressing Strings (traditional folk/string fusion), 3:15 p.m.
- Yam Yam (funk/soul/jazz), 6 p.m.
- Robert Randolph Band (funk/soul), 8 p.m.
Boathouse stage concerts
- Joslyn & The Sweet Compression (funk/soul), 2:45 p.m.
- Jacob Vanko Band (Americana), 4:45 p.m.
- Allen Hudson & The Halfmoons (alternative rock), 7 p.m.
- LittKeys (live DJ), 9:45 p.m.
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Saturday
- Public visits on tall ships and character vessels, 12-6 p.m.
- Splash City Golf in partnership with Dick’s House of Sports, 12-8 p.m.
- Search and rescue demo with the U.S. Coast Guard, 1:30 p.m.
- Tug muster, 4:30 p.m.
- Fireworks, 9:30 p.m.
Main stage concerts
- Empire Strikes Brass (brass/funk/rock), 3:15 p.m.
- Virginia Coalition (rock), 6 p.m.
- Simply Tina: The Ultimate Tina Turner Tribute Show (soul/rock), 8 p.m.
Boathouse stage concerts
- PC Duo (guitar duo), 1 p.m.
- 2 Islands Band (classical rock/pop/ R&B/reggae), 2:45 p.m.
- Woodwork (jam band/rock), 4:45 p.m.
- Anthony Rosano and The Conqueroos (blues rock), 7 p.m.
- DJ CanRock (live DJ), 10 p.m.
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Sunday
Water events
- Public visits on tall ships and character vessels, 12-6 p.m.
- Splash City Golf in partnership with Dick’s House of Sports, 12-6 p.m.
- Ultimate build-a-boat race (Freemason Harbor), 2:30 p.m.
Main stage concerts
- Palmyra (folk fusion), 2 p.m.
- Easton Corbin (country), 4:30 p.m.
Boathouse stage concerts
- Forte (jazz), 12:45 p.m.
- Nature’s Child (reggae), 3:15 p.m.
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Road closures
According to the city, multiple roadways will be closed for the festival from 10 a.m. Thursday to 11:59 p.m. Sunday:
Boush Street
- Southbound: Brambleton Avenue to City Hall Avenue will remain open. The southbound median turn lane will remain open from City Hall Avenue to Plume Street for garage access.
- Northbound: Main Street to Brambleton Avenue will remain open.
Waterside Drive
- Eastbound: Closed from Main Street to Martin’s Lane for event setup. All lanes from Atlantic Street to St. Paul’s Boulevard will remain open.
- Westbound: Closed from Atlantic Street to Main Street for event setup.
Martin’s Lane
- Southbound: Main Street to Waterside Drive will be closed to through traffic. Southbound access to the TowneBank-Prince Books parking lot and the World Trade Center loading dock will be maintained at all times.
Atlantic Street
- Northbound: Open from Waterside Drive to Main Street.
- Southbound: Closed to through traffic from Main Street to Waterside Drive.
Commercial Place
- Will remain open to traffic from Waterside Drive to Main Street.
Elizabeth River Trail
- Users should follow detour signs from 5 p.m. Thursday to 11 p.m. Sunday.
For more information:festevents.org or norfolk.gov/harborfest.
Colin Warren-Hicks, 919-818-8138, colin.warrenhicks@virginiamedia.com
