NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – The Norfolk Harborfest drone show scheduled to take place Friday evening has been postponed due to technical difficulties related to GPS positioning.
Festevents and Image Engineering are working on a solution that would bring the drone show Saturday evening prior to the fireworks display at 9:30 p.m.
The 47th annual Norfolk Harborfest will take place throughout the weekend at Town Point Park. Festevents has a full line-up of free activities and events on both land and sea for people to enjoy from Friday, June 9 through Sunday, June 11.
Over the three-day festival, there will be road closures in Norfolk beginning Thursday, June 8, continuing through Sunday, June 11.
The beautiful weather is drawing large crowds to the Norfolk waterfront. The city tweeted Saturday that several of its parking garages were full. Scroll down for a full list of parking lot options.
The City of Norfolk released the following information about road closures during Harborfest:
Road Closures
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: Will be closed from Main Street and Martin’s Lane for event set-up. All lanes from Atlantic Street to St. Paul’s Boulevard will remain open.
Westbound: Will be closed from Atlantic Street to Main Street for event set-up.
Martin’s Lane
Southbound: Main Street to Waterside Drive will be closed to through traffic. Southbound access to TowneBank/Prince Books parking lot and the World Trade Center loading dock will be maintained at all times.
Atlantic Street
Northbound: Will remain open from Waterside Drive to Main Street.
Southbound: Will be closed to through traffic from Main Street to Waterside Drive.
Commercial Place
Will be open to traffic from Waterside Drive to Main Street for the duration of the event closures.
Elizabeth River Trail
Users of the Elizabeth River Trail should follow the Downtown festival detour from Thursday, June 8, at 5 p.m. until Sunday, June 11, at 11 p.m. Detour signage will be in place. Please click here for a map of the detour.
Parking
Here is a map below of parking lot options in downtown Norfolk.
Parking will be removed in the following locations.
Waterside Drive
Eastbound: From Martin’s Lane to Atlantic Street from 9 a.m. Thursday, June 8, to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 11.
Westbound: From Atlantic Street to Martin’s Lane from 9 a.m. Thursday, June 8, to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 11.
Atlantic Street
Parking will be removed northbound from Waterside Drive to Main Street from 9 a.m. Thursday, June 8, to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 11.
Commercial Place
All parking will be removed from Waterside Drive to Main Street to be utilized for taxi and rideshare staging from 9 a.m. Thursday, June 8, to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 11.
Main Street
Parking will be removed from east and westbound Main Street between Boush and Granby Streets from 6 a.m. Friday, June 9, to 11 p.m. Sunday, June 11. Parking will remain on eastbound Main Street between Granby Street and Martin’s Lane. Parking will be removed from eastbound Main Street from Atlantic Street to Commercial Place for tour bus drop-off/pick-up.
Parking will be removed from eastbound Main Street from Martin’s Lane to St. Paul’s Boulevard from 6 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Saturday, June 10. This includes the taxi zone in front of the Marriott, which may be relocated to southbound Atlantic Street.
Plume Street
Parking will be removed westbound from Granby Street to Boush Street for festival support parking from 9 a.m. Thursday, June 8, to 9 a.m. Monday, June 12.
Boush Street
Parking will be removed northbound between Main Street and Brambleton Avenue from 10 a.m. Friday, June 9, to 6 a.m. Sunday, June 11, to support police and fire access.
Brooke Avenue
Parking will be removed eastbound and westbound between Granby Street and Boush Street 9 a.m. Thursday, June 8, to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 11, to support police and fire access.
Randolph Street
Parking will be removed from Plume Street to City Hall Avenue from 9 a.m. Thursday, June 8, to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 11, for festival support vehicle parking.
Rader Street
Parking will be removed southbound south of Front Street from 5 p.m. Thursday, June 8, to 11 p.m. Sunday, June 11, for Norfolk Police Harbor Patrol access.
Boating
The Norfolk Harborfest draws close to 500 recreational and commercial vessels and 50,000 visitors to the downtown Norfolk waterfront.
To assist in maintaining a safe waterway, Coast Guard Sector Virginia crews, along with regional partners, will enforce a safety zone, limiting the use of the Elizabeth River Channel from Friday June 9, through Sunday, June 11, 2023.
Waterway closures will be in effect during the following dates and times:
June 9: 2:15 p.m. – 3 p.m. during a search and rescue demonstration
June 9: 9:15 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. during a drone show
June 10: 1:15 p.m. – 2 p.m. during a search and rescue demonstration
June 10: 9 p.m. – 10 p.m. during the fireworks show
During these times, vessels are directed not to enter the regulated area. Operators must stop their vessel immediately upon being directed to do so and must proceed as directed by law enforcement vessels.
Throughout the event, Coast Guard small-boat crews are on scene monitoring VHF channels 13 and 16.
Mariners are requested to use extreme caution when transiting Town Point Reach.
Hampton Roads Transit
Hampton Roads Transit will be running enhanced service (extended and more frequent) for the Elizabeth River Ferry and The Tide light rail during Harborfest.
Starting at 10 a.m., Thursday, June 8, and ending around 11 p.m. on Sunday, June 11, 2023, the Routes 6, 45, 960, and 961 will detour due to the event. These routes will not service the MacArthur Light Rail Station or Waterside. Customers should board/alight at the Route 8 bus stop 6094 BANK & PLUME located in front of the Fountain Park Garage or at stop 0006 SAINT PAULS & PLUME at Civic Plaza.
For more information, please visit gohrt.com or call 757-222-6100.