ROANOKE, Va. (May 13, 2016) – Residents and all media representatives are invited to gather in Roanoke’s Historic City Market just before noon on Monday, May 16th, for a proclamation from City leaders celebrating May 16 – 22 as Roanoke/Lynchburg Navy Week.
Kick-off Event Rundown
• 11:00 a.m. Navy Band - Ceremonial Band Performance
• 11:45 a.m. Navy Ceremonial Guard Drill Team Performance
• 11:50 a.m. National Anthem
• 11:55 a.m. Proclamation with remarks from Rear Admiral Mark Fung & City leaders
• 12:15 p.m. Navy Popular Music (Rock) Band Performance
Roanoke Navy Week kicks-off in the City Market Monday and continues through the entire week with service projects, public events, and plenty of opportunities for the entire community to learn more about the capabilities and mission of the U.S. Navy. Roanoke Navy Week coincides with the Lynchburg Regional Airshow, and is designed to give area residents an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people and its importance to national security and prosperity.
“Navy Weeks are designed to help Americans understand that their Navy protects and defends America on the world’s oceans, that their Navy is deployed around the world around the clock, and is ready to defend America at all times,” said Mr. John Wallach, Deputy Director of the Navy Office of Community Outreach, which plans and executes the Navy Week program. “Because the Navy is concentrated primarily on both coasts, we’re challenged to communicate our mission away from fleet concentration areas. That’s where the Navy Week program comes in.”
Additional public events and media opportunities during the week-long celebration include the following. Please follow Twitter @NavyOutreach and Facebook @U.S.FleetForcesBand for updates throughout the week.
Monday, May 16th
• Kick-off and Roanoke City proclamation celebrating Roanoke-Lynchburg Navy Week at City Market in downtown Roanoke.
Tuesday, May 17th
• Vehicles, personnel and activities on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation, 9:00a.m. - 12:00p.m. Admission to the museum is FREE for the day.
• U.S. Fleet Forces Fleet Jazz Combo will perform a stand-alone jazz concert on the lawn of the Roanoke City Main Library at 11:45 a.m.
Wednesday, May 18th
• Rear Admiral Fung and Navy personnel wreath laying ceremony at National D-Day Memorial, 9:00a.m.
• Navy EOD and divers public demonstration at Hunting Hills Country Club Pool,
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 19th
• Personnel and demonstrations inside Center in the Square, 9:00a.m. - 12:00p.m. Navy assets including the Explosive Ordnance Group, Navy Band, sailors from USS John Warner (SSN 785) and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 2 will visit for a day of community outreach.
• U.S. Fleet Forces Woodwind Quintet will perform in the atrium of the Taubman Museum of Art at 11:30 a.m.
• Wind Ensemble feature concert at Mill Mountain Theater. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 20th
• McAfee Knob hike with Navy personnel. Leaving parking area at 8:00 a.m.
• Navy Night at the Salem Red Sox Game. In addition to the Navy Band Popular (rock) Music Group “Four Star Edition” performing for the pregame festivities at 5:30 p.m. and various demonstrations from Navy personnel, the Navy Leap Frogs will parachute in to kick-off the game!
Saturday, May 21st
• Armed Forces Day 5K at National D-Day Memorial, 7:30 a.m.
• Lynchburg Air Show featuring the Blue Angels and Leap Frogs.
• U.S. Fleet Forces Wind Ensemble will perform at Local Color Festival. National Anthem at 11:00 a.m., feature concert begins at 3:00 p.m.
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About Navy Weeks
Since 2005, Navy Week has served as the Navy's principal outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, with 181 Navy Weeks held in 68 different U.S. cities. The program is designed to help Americans understand that their Navy is deployed around the world, around the clock, ready to defend America at all times. Navy Weeks outreach events are coordinated with corporate, civic, government, education, media, veterans, community service and diversity organizations in the selected Navy Week cities, and include participation from Navy assets including the Blue Angels, the Navy Parachute Team, Navy bands, Navy divers, namesake ship and submarine crews, hometown Sailors, medical personnel, environmental displays, USS Constitution Sailors and equipment, and Navy recruiting properties.
About Navy Office of Community Outreach
The Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) connects Americans with their Navy. With most of the Navy's personnel and equipment logically concentrated on America's coasts, NAVCO oversees a number of community outreach programs designed to bring America's Navy to cities throughout the country which do not enjoy a significant Navy presence. Visit www.outreach.navy.mil for more information.