Norfolk 250 & Juneteenth

Norfolk Celebrates Freedom & Liberty

The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding in 1776 – The United States of America’s semi-quincentennial. For this milestone occasion, a fleet of the world’s most magnificent international tall ships and military ships, in an epic peacetime gathering, will sail into the port of Virginia as part of Sail250^® America. In the tradition of the past five iconic OpSail events held in the Norfolk/Hampton Roads/Chesapeake Bay region since 1976, the fleet will once again bring extraordinary experiences and opportunities to every corner of our communities.

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas in 1865 and serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for freedom and equality. Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day that marks the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced that enslaved people were free – two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. In Norfolk, we’ve celebrated our heritage for the last five years, and 2026 promises to be even greater with a plethora of celebrations throughout Norfolk and the Region.