Norfolk’s Sail 250 Virginia celebration plans spark concerns over Juneteenth overlap

NORFOLK, Va. — The City of Norfolk and Norfolk Festevents are planning a massive celebration for next summer in honor of the United States’ semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of its founding. 

However, at a city council work session this week, event planning conversations were met with pushback because the festival is set to take place the same weekend, and in the same location, as Norfolk’s Juneteenth celebrations. 

Councilman JP Paige, Ward 4, said, “I just want to go on the record. I think it’s a horrible idea.”

The event would bring more than 60 ships to Norfolk’s harbor and is forecasted to have three million attendees with a $150 million economic impact. Sail 250 Virginia representatives also say more than 20 countries will participate in the weekend events and an estimated 30% of visitors would be from out of state. Still, there are concerns it will overshadow concurrent Juneteenth celebrations.

“I don’t know if it’s a horrible idea,” Mayor Kenny Alexander said, adding, “I do think Juneteenth is going to get lost in what’s planned. It’s well-planned and you’ve been planning this for a very long time. We’re trying to be inclusive and accommodate.”

Karen Scherberger, Norfolk Festevent’s Executive Director and Sail 250 Virginia’s Executive Chairman, insisted planners are working to integrate Juneteenth themes into the weekend, not overlook them.

“We have it on our planning schedule to incorporate the Juneteenth theme throughout the whole weekend,” she said. “All three themes are all being planned together.” 

City Council members floated the idea of celebrating Juneteenth on a different day or in a different location. Juneteenth events are currently set for Friday and Saturday at Town Point Park, while Sail 250 Virginia is set to have a Parade of Sail both days, spanning Virginia Beach, Hampton, Portsmouth and Norfolk.

“Location, location, location may be problematic,” Mayor Alexander explained. “Juneteenth, in my opinion, may get swallowed up, may get lost in all the festivities.”

City Manager Patrick Roberts said the city will take the comments into consideration and come back with an update in the near future.