A parade of tall ships from across the world will traverse the Hampton Roads waterfront next summer to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States.
“America was really founded by Virginians. This story is one that we have to remind ourselves is part of not just our national narrative, but Virginia's,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in Norfolk Friday.
“Therefore, could it be any more appropriate for us to come together this time next year and welcome 60 vessels from 20 countries that will sail into this mighty harbor and once again help us remember that America is a lot more than just a declaration.”
The governor and city leaders gathered at the American Rover ship docked at the Waterside marina to formally launch Virginia’s preparations for the celebration, called Sail 250.
Norfolk is one of a handful of host cities nationwide, along with Baltimore, Boston, New York and New Orleans.
In Virginia, it will run for 10 days starting June 12, with tall ships moving through the Chesapeake Bay from Alexandria to stops in Hampton Roads, including Yorktown, Portsmouth, Smithfield and Cape Charles.
The end point in Norfolk will include a 26-nautical-mile parade of sail starting at the Lynnhaven Inlet in Virginia Beach, west past Ocean View and Fort Monroe and ending at Town Point Park in downtown Norfolk.
Dozens of ships will come from countries including Germany, Peru, Romania, Ecuador, Sweden and Malaysia. They’ll be crewed by more than 10,000 people total.
Karen Scherberger, president and CEO of Sail 250 Virginia, said Friday that the event “honors our naval heritage, promotes international goodwill and brings millions in economic activity.”
Mayor Kenny Alexander said the celebration reaffirms “Norfolk's identity, not only as a harbor city, but as a global port.”
Officials will now ramp up logistics planning for the event that has been underway for years, including using a $3 million boost from the General Assembly in 2023.
At a City Council meeting this week, some council members voiced concerns about Sail 250 overlapping with and potentially overshadowing celebrations of the Juneteenth holiday. Officials said they’re still planning how to balance the two.
