Norfolk Harborfest: dates, tall ships, fireworks and parking

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year. Facts come from Norfolk Festevents, which runs the festival.

Norfolk Harborfest is the city’s biggest summer weekend: three free days of tall ships, music, food and two nights of fireworks on the downtown waterfront each June. The 2027 dates had not been announced when this page was last checked. The 50th Harborfest ran Friday to Sunday, June 19-21, 2026, at Town Point Park. Watch festevents.org for next year’s dates.

Festevents calls Harborfest “America’s largest, longest-running, free maritime festival.” It is built around the Parade of Sail on the Elizabeth River, Navy exhibits, family shows and one of the largest fireworks shows on the East Coast, the festival page says.

Who to call

• Festival questions, lost and found, accessibility requests: Norfolk Festevents, 757-441-2345, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays
• Official site: festevents.org
• Emergency: 911

Harborfest at a glance

What happened in 2026

The 2026 festival was the 50th, and it shared the waterfront with Juneteenth Norfolk and Sail250 Virginia, the tall ship gathering for the nation’s 250th birthday. Festevents said the three events filled five days, June 19-23.

• Opening: a Juneteenth opening ceremony at 11 a.m. Friday.
• Parade of Sail: noon Friday, when international tall ships, military vessels, tugs, classic wooden boats and power cruisers passed in review off Town Point Park, led by the Virginia Pilots Association.
• Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. Friday, a Juneteenth Freedom Fireworks show, and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, the main Harborfest show, both over the Elizabeth River.
• On land: acrobat and stunt comedy shows, a pirate show, RC boats, the Elizabeth River Project’s Learning Barge with touch tanks, and a Discovery Deck at the Nauticus Pavilion open noon to 7 p.m. daily.
• Food and drink: more than 50 food and drink stands, from crab cakes and fried oysters to barbecue, funnel cakes and ice cream, plus a Virginia wine, spirits and craft beer garden in TowneBank Fountain Park.

The full 2026 schedule is on the land events page and the music lineup page.

Where to watch the Parade of Sail and fireworks

Festevents listed these viewing spots in 2026:

• Parade of Sail: Plum Point, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Front Street Piers and Festival Park, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Town Point Park and Freemason, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Fireworks: Town Point Park, TowneBank Fountain Park, Front Street Piers and Festival Park, Freemason and Plum Point Park.

Getting there and parking

Town Point Park is on Waterside Drive next to Waterside, at the foot of downtown. From I-264, take Exit 9, Waterside Drive, Festevents’ directions page says.

• Garages closest to the park: the Waterside garage at Waterside Drive and Atlantic, the Town Point garage at West Main and Boush streets (entrance on West Main) and the Main Street garage at West Main and Atlantic. Downtown has more than 19,000 metered and garage spaces within walking distance, Festevents says.
• Transit: The Tide light rail and the Elizabeth River Ferry from Portsmouth both serve downtown; check times and fares with Hampton Roads Transit. Amtrak’s Norfolk station is downtown too.
• By boat: Town Point Park sits at Mile Marker Zero of the Intracoastal Waterway. Festevents sells boater packages for Harborfest weekend.

See our getting around guide for more on parking and transit downtown.

What to know before you go

These are Festevents’ standing park rules and tips:

• No outside alcohol, glass containers, tents, shade structures or large umbrellas.
• No skates, skateboards or bicycles in the park.
• Pets: service animals only, unless an event is posted as pet-friendly.
• Alcohol: you must be 21 with a valid photo ID to buy or drink.
• Accessibility: Town Point Park and TowneBank Fountain Park are fully accessible, with accessible portable toilets near the Waterside Drive and Main Street entrances. Call 757-441-2345 ahead for special accommodations.
• Sensory zone: a fenced Sensory-Inclusive Zone with seating and an accessible restroom was listed for Harborfest.
• Lost children: report to event security. There are no public address announcements for lost people or items.
• Weather: Festevents can postpone, cancel or evacuate events in bad weather.

More on the waterfront

Town Point Park also hosts the Town Point Virginia Wine Festival each spring and fall and the city’s Fourth of July fireworks. For the rest of the year, see things to do in Norfolk and our downtown Norfolk guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Norfolk Harborfest 2027?

Norfolk Festevents had not announced the 2027 dates when this page was last checked on Oct. 19, 2026. The 50th Harborfest ran Friday to Sunday, June 19-21, 2026, at Town Point Park.

Is Harborfest free?

Yes. Festevents bills Harborfest as free and open to the public. Food, drinks and the wine and craft beer garden cost extra.

What time are the Harborfest fireworks?

In 2026 there were two shows over the Elizabeth River, at 9:30 p.m. Friday and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Town Point Park, TowneBank Fountain Park, Front Street Piers, Freemason and Plum Point Park were listed viewing spots.

Where can I watch the Harborfest Parade of Sail?

In 2026 the Parade of Sail passed Town Point Park at noon Friday. Festevents listed Plum Point, the Front Street Piers and Festival Park, Town Point Park and Freemason as viewing spots.

Can I bring my dog or a cooler to Harborfest?

No pets other than service animals unless an event is posted as pet-friendly, and no outside alcohol, glass, tents, large umbrellas, bikes or skateboards in Town Point Park, Festevents’ park rules say.