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Portsmouth previews High Street Fest / Sail Virginia June 19–22: tall ships, parades, street closures and events planned
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Summary
EDA staff briefed the board on High Street Fest / Sail Virginia events June 19–22, which will feature four visiting tall ships, two stages, an estimated 100 vendors, STEM activities, boat races and street closures; staff expects up to 10,000 visitors per day and is coordinating parking, ferries, volunteers and sponsors.
Portsmouth leaders outlined plans for High Street Fest and Sail Virginia, scheduled for June 19–22, during the EDA’s April 21 meeting.
A presenter described an event that will include four visiting sailing vessels (Intrepid, a French 70‑foot vessel; Lady Maryland, a 60‑footer; Eliza from Galveston, ~210 feet; and Gazala, ~110 feet). Two ships may berth at High Street Landing depending on tide/depth, and others will be positioned along the waterfront. The schedule features the Parade of Sail on Friday morning, an evening reception for ship captains, Juneteenth programming on June 19 (in partnership with the Urban League), live music across two stages, a vendor market (roughly 100 vendors), STEM exhibits, a kid-focused boat-building activity with races on Sunday in North Landing, a dual Ferris wheel, and fireworks on Friday and Saturday nights. A Blue Angels flyover is planned when ships are moored Friday.
Event logistics include closing High Street beginning late Wednesday or Thursday night for setup, shuttle and parking planning (including accessible parking and vendor/employee lots), volunteer ambassador and block-chief coordination, and coordination with police, fire and sheriff’s departments. Staff said they are seeking sponsors (including discussions with the Rivers Casino and other partners) and are working on ferry arrangements with Norfolk and service providers; Norfolk has committed a $20,000 grant toward vessel costs once invoices are finalized. One ship (Eliza) carries a reported transport cost of about $50,000 to bring to port, and staff is pursuing sponsorship support to offset those costs.
Board members asked about event advertising and volunteer signups. Staff said advertising includes social media, television, radio and billboards and that volunteer signups and vendor pages will be posted on the event website. The presenter emphasized the initiative is a citywide effort intended to showcase Portsmouth’s businesses, arts and waterfront.
