Norfolk has many claims to fame, but maybe none more special than the ability for anyone to hop on an air conditioned cruiser and experience a guided tour of the world’s largest naval base – from the water. On the Victory Rover, visitors get an up-close-and-personal glimpse into the busy life at Naval Station Norfolk, a place where military power and maritime tradition blend in full view.
Lasting roughly two hours, a Rover cruise departs near Nauticus in Downtown Norfolk, swings over to scenic Portsmouth, then makes a beeline up the Elizabeth River, passing the Norfolk Waterside, Ghent, ODU and the naval base. Along the way, passengers get a front-row seat to America’s sea power, including destroyers, cruisers, subs, amphibious assault ships and, if you’re lucky, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier that’s among the largest ever built for warfare.
Popular with naval veterans, military/history buffs, families and anyone looking to see the inner workings of the U.S. Navy, the Victory Rover is an informative and fascinating mid-morning cruise that sheds light on Norfolk’s importance to the nation’s readiness.
Marvel at the Arsenal
When the Victory Rover rounds the north end of the base, visitors are treated to an incredible lineup of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. These sleek and deadly ships are built to move – and move quickly without being noticed. Further up, you’ll spot the wide decks of amphibious Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships like the USS Tortuga and USS Arlington. Used to haul Marines, helicopters and hovercraft into fighting positions, these workhorses may resemble pickup trucks on the water, but that’s for a reason – their landing decks can support multiple Ospreys and helicopters.
At Pier 3, keep your eyes open for submarines — some Los Angeles-class, some Virginia-class. They’re easy to miss, but fortunately the captain calls attention to them. Sporting no hull numbers or names, these long, black vessels are nuclear-powered and armed with some heavy duty artillery. In fact, many don’t need to be refueled for over a decade, but when they do, they park right here in Norfolk.
Seabound Giants of the Navy
Just past the sub piers is the USS Harry S. Truman, a Nimitz-class supercarrier. More than 1,000 feet long and home to more than 6,000 personnel, it’s more of a city on water than a ship. The Truman features theaters, gyms, chow halls and multiple chapels.
As the Rover cruises past the final piers, the captain calls out local landmarks: Fort Monroe to the north, where Jamestown’s settlers first dropped anchor in 1607. The mouth of the Chesapeake looms beyond the breakwater. Across the way, look for Newport News Shipbuilding, where every Navy supercarrier is built by hand, including the next-generation Gerald R. Ford class.
The sights are unforgettable (and please don’t forget your camera), but a trip on the Rover brings perspective more than anything. Perspective on how many people it takes to build a world-class navy and to keep its ships running day in and day out.
Plan Your Visit
The Victory Rover departs daily from Nauticus in downtown Norfolk, leaving at 11 a.m. sharp and returning just before 1 p.m. Onboard, there’s a snack shop selling souvenirs, beer, wine and treats – and there’s plenty of blissful air conditioning for those hot Virginia afternoons. When the weather is perfect, sitting above deck or walking to the open-air bow and stern is a must for the perfect group photo or selfie.
Before or after your cruise, check out the nearby Hampton Roads Naval Museum inside Nauticus and walk the USS Wisconsin. Tickets for the Victory Rover cost $19 for children and $29 for adults. Purchase tickets here.
The City of Norfolk is excited to roll out a new parking initiative designed to make it easier and more affordable to visit Downtown Norfolk. Beginning July 1, 2025 residents and visitors will be able to enjoy two hours of free parking in City garages, new short-term meter rate options and discounted rates through a new business validation program.
The new parking rate plan is designed to provide more access to Downtown businesses for more people, enhance the visitor experience and encourage tourism.
Key Features Include:
Two Hours of FREE Parking in City of Norfolk Parking Garages: Parkers get the first two hours free in 14 parking facilities. After the initial two-hour free period, prevailing parking rates will apply.
Updated Meter Rates: To fund the two-hour free parking program, on-street metered parking spaces located in Tier 1 and Tier 2 areas will increase by $0.50 per quarter hour/$2 per hour.
Business Validation Program: Local businesses can offer 50 percent parking discounts to customers staying longer than two hours. For example, a three-hour visit to downtown could cost as little as $2 in City garages or $1 at MacArthur North and South Garages with validation.
City of Norfolk parking facilities offering two-hours of free parking:
Bank Street Garage
Main Street Garage
Boush Street Garage
Scope Garage
Charlotte Street Garage
Town Point Garage
Fountain Park Garage
Waterside Garage
Freemason Street Garage
W. Plume Street Garage
MacArthur North Garage
Union Street Lot
MacArthur South Garage
York Street Garage
Special events are excluded and customers should refer to rate signs posted at parking facility entrances and exits.
For more information on the two-hours free parking program, including a list of City-owned parking garages, or to inquire about other parking programs, visit www.norfolk.gov/parking.
For fans of long-running cable series “Impractical Jokers,” Sal Vulcano needs little introduction. The Staten Island born and raised comic has been creating gut-busting laughs via awkward moments on his prank-based show for 12 seasons. He’s currently touring his new standup set, entitled “Everything’s Fine,” which kicked off in November 2024. Vulcano will bring his comedy to Norfolk on Thursday, June 26, 2025, performing at Chrysler Hall at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $35.75-$55.75 plus applicable fees. Purchase tickets here.
Following is the Q&A of a conversation Vulcano had with VisitNorfolk ahead of his appearance.
VisitNorfolk: You started this tour nearly a year ago at this point? You keep adding new dates – did you expect it to go on this long?
Sal Vulcano: Oh, yeah. I tour for usually two years per special. So I started this around November 2024. I’ll be touring through 2026 because by the time I get to every market, I’m able to work out all the material and get it prepped in time and get it ready for actual shooting (of the special).
VN: How did you come up with the tour’s name, “Everything’s Fine,” which is a play on the popular meme of a dog sitting and smiling in a house that’s clearly on fire?
Vulcano: It was kind of like all my hang ups from like, my fear-based stories and bits for my childhood into adulthood. It’s just about now. It’s like the current day, and just how I just feel the most unsteady I have felt in my adult life, yeah, with where we stand right now. And I talked about for the very first time my family, which I was never public about, but now that I have a child, and I’m married, those kind of things are just exacerbated a bit. So it’s kind of through that lens, but it’s all fun and funny and escapism. There’s nothing like political or controversial.
VN: Did you always want to be a family guy?
Vulcano: I wanted to be a dad my whole life. I come from a big family and I couldn’t wait. And just for me, it just happened a little later than I had thought. But yeah, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me by far. So just feel really blessed between the family and the comedy career and stuff to do what I want to do.
VN: Talk about your set a little bit. It seems like crowd work comes heavily into play with your shows.
Vulcano: I mean, anything goes, you know. In the last few years, because of the internet, it has become a good way for comics to put some content out there and not burn the actual material from the show. So it kind of is kind of a necessity these days with keeping up. And I love it anyway. I take it as it comes. I like to mix it up with the crowd, get to know them a little bit before I even get going. Warm them up a little bit with that.
VN: For people who only know you from “Impractical Jokers,” what are they in for at your show?
Vulcano: When I do stand up, I don’t really talk about the show at all. It’s two separate creative entities and this is straight standup. It’s bits, it’s stories, it’s crowd work and it’s a lot more of an insight into me, my life and my personality. This tour, for the very first time, I’m talking about my family, my wife, my daughter, which I’d never had before. I’ve been in the public eye for 15 plus years, and I only just now started to come out with that kind of stuff and talk about that on stage. It’s really fresh and new for me, because prior to that, I did not. It is definitely more intimate.
VN: But “Impractical Jokers” is a great reference point for those coming into your standup, though, right?
Vulcano: I would say so, for sure. My launching pad for touring was being known from the show, but since we’ve been touring for the last eight, nine years, and I’ve had a couple of podcasts, I’ve culled another niche audience strictly from the stand up and the podcasting. So now they all kind of come together. But yeah, the show definitely is a means to touring for me, especially initially, for sure.
VN: Are you ever starstruck?
Vulcano: For the most part, I don’t really get star starstruck. It’s very, very, very few and far between. But there are definitely people – like, one time I met Martin Short and I was a little bit taken aback. If I ever met David Letterman or Eddie Murphy or Nathan Fielder, who is a contemporary of mine and someone I think is just beyond genius … someone like that, that’s inspiring to me.
VN: Any pre-show rituals?
Vulcano: Right before the show, I’ll do 100 crunches and 100 push-ups to get my adrenaline flowing. (Long pause) I’m completely joking. Actually, I usually eat about 100 pizzas right before, as well.
VN: Sure, sure you do!
Vulcano: Really, I just take five or 10 minutes alone with my notes, just kind of go through them. Every single show I’m trying to do something extra, something different, change something, I have to take away something from every time I’m on stage. So I try to be strict with that, because there’s no point to it if I’m just going up there, going through the motions. So just, just kind of inflection … but I probably should be doing crunches and push-ups.
VN: How different is it to craft a solo standup set as opposed to your usual environment of working in an ensemble?
Vulcano: You know, it’s so great to collaborate and to write for the show as a team, because our show, unlike any other, is like a joke writing machine. We have different scenarios, and anything we dream up is what we can do. We don’t have to follow anything linear, any script, any characters, we could become anything you want. So as far as comedy goes and TV comedy goes, it’s a dream job. (With standup), it’s just me and my own sensibility, and I fall on my own sword, but I love that, too. It’s just two completely different things.
Both have their challenges and both have their payoffs. It’s nice, especially after doing collaborations for so long, because I met the guys 35 years ago, we’ve been doing comedy for 26 years together and I’ve been doing improv and sketch comedy. Those are all ensemble things, so it is really, really nice to sit down and say, “what is on my mind that’s funny?” And then to get out there and just have a direct, literal, immediate line to the audience is awesome.
The weather isn’t the only thing hotter than a firecracker in Norfolk, this July. The entertainment and activities schedule is also red-hot. Here’s a few of our favorite events coming your way in the first full month of summer.
Your Norfolk Tides, Triple-A affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles offer up a trio of long homestands this month, taking on the Durham Bulls, the Syracuse Mets and the Memphis Redbirds throughout July.
Norfolk is home to a pair of recurring farmers’ markets, with Ghent hosting them the first and third Fridays of each month from 4 to 7 p.m., and East Beach holding them each Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
The Hermitage Museum & Gardens celebrates its 15th year of Sunsets on the River, where live music, craft beer, regional food trucks and more combine for the perfect night along the shoreline of the Elizabeth River. July’s event features Kamboombox for music and LCast Iron, Deutscher Imbiss and Joysicles for food trucks.
Fourth of July Fun Various Venues
July 4, 2025
Head to Grain for a Brews & BBQ Patio Party where they’ll fire up the grill for a spectacular cookout featuring a delectable 4-course menu, expertly paired with 4 refreshing craft beers. Starts at 6:30 p.m. Or, join our friends on the American Rover for a July 4th fireworks cruise on the water from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Another way to experience the pageantry of the Fourth from the water is on the Spirit of Norfolk, which offers a dinner cruise from 8 to 10:30 p.m. If you prefer to stay on land, join the festivities at Town Point Park from 5 to 10 p.m. where Festevents will host the Great American Picnic and Fireworks extravaganza. There will be hot dogs, burgers, live music from military brass bands and, of course, the fireworks display at 9:30 p.m.
Spend your lunch break at Nauticus for a fascinating EdTalk featuring Dr. David F. Winkler, USNR (Ret.)—renowned naval historian, author, and Smithsonian scholar. Learn how a converted coal ship named USS LANGLEY launched America into the era of naval aviation and changed the course of military history. Winkler is a retired Navy commander and award-winning author who has spent his career preserving and interpreting maritime history. With a Ph.D. from American University, he has taught at the U.S. Naval Academy and Naval War College, served as historian at the Naval Historical Foundation, and was the Charles Lindbergh Chair at the Smithsonian.
Now in its 13th year, FUSE Fest returns on July 12th at Purpose Park, 801 Church Street, offering a vibrant and immersive experience where voices often left unheard rise in power and visibility. This year’s theme, “Unseen to Unstoppable,” honors the resilience, creativity, and strength of marginalized communities—especially young people—who are forging a new reality rooted in hope, justice, and joy.
Visit the Zoo AND beat the summer heat for Adult Night – an adults-only (21+) evening at the Zoo! Unleash your inner wild child with the chance to explore exhibit trails after hours, dance the evening away to a DJ’s tunes, partake in free bounce houses, play lawn games with a refreshing summer cocktail in hand, and enjoy mouth-watering eats from amazing local food trucks.
Castlewood, Virginia-based country rock band 49 Winchester comes to the NorVa for one night only July 17 at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.). The band’s album, “Leavin’ This Holler,” features the songs “Hillbilly Happy,” “Tulsa” and “Make it Count.”
Willis scored country hits with her solo albums after signing to MCA Records. Leigh has cultivated a following resurrecting honky tonk that attracted collaborators like Asleep at the Wheel and fans in Rodney Crowell and Guy Clark. Carper, raised on Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash, “sounds like a voice from a bygone era . . . evoking the cool, smoky croon of a lounge singer,” according to Rolling Stone. They come together for a show at the Annex.
at, drink, and salsa the night away at the Norfolk Latino Music & Food Festival on Saturday, July 19, 2025 from 2pm to 11pm at Town Point Park along the Downtown Norfolk Waterfront! Featuring explosive live music performances, an eclectic offering of Latin cuisine including tacos and empanadas, fun family-friendly activities, authentic dance lessons and performances, and much more, the festival celebrates Hampton Roads’ vibrant Latin community.
Join this free family-friendly concert presented by Festevents. Take a musical journey across the big screen and find what makes a ‘hero‘ and what makes a ‘villain’. Enjoy tales of inspiration and bravery with John Williams’s “Superman March”, Grieg’s music from Peer Gynt, selections from West Side Story and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, and more.
If you know, you know. And if you didn’t already buy tickets in the lottery months ago, you’re likely out of luck. But if you did, get ready to experience BananaBall with this pair of sister teams of the Savannah Bananas. Harbor Park will transform into a total party zone for three nights on July 24-26.
We Came As Romans’ ascent was quick and assured, catapulting the band (who met as teens) into the hearts of diehard fans immersed in the metalcore, post-hardcore, and Warped Tour subculture. Their hook-filled heavy music carried an uplifting message and connects with even greater urgency live.
The Descendents invented pop punk. Overstatement? Perhaps, but spend ten minutes scanning FM or the idiot box and you’re bound to witness a ditty or video that tips its hat to a musical genre that was refined to a high art — if not created outright — by the ‘Dents. Formed in 1978 against the fertile musical backdrop of Los Angeles’ South Bay scene (see: Black Flag, Minutemen, SST Records, etc.), the caffeine-addled crew released their first 7″ single “Ride The Wild” as a trio in 1979. Not long after, the boys recruited one Milo Aukerman (microbiology Ph.D. in waiting and poster boy for adolescent ne’er-do-well alienation) for vocal duties.
Laufey returns to Virginia Arts Festival in a new partnership with Chartway Arena. The jazz singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer will be joined by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra on July 31, 2025.
What: MJ’s Tavern Where: 4019 Granby St., Norfolk, VA Hours: 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. every single day Website:https://mjstavern.com/
It’s Tuesday afternoon and already the tables are filling up at MJ’s Tavern in the Riverview neighborhood of Granby Street. Owner John Childers walks the floors like a man satisfied with a dozen years of hard work at building one of Norfolk’s top spots for both LGBTQ+ culture – and, oh yeah, great food.
In the corner, a group of senior ladies sit playing Mahjong. We later discover they’ve been meeting here for decades – since the place was known as Mason’s Eastern Shore Seafood Restaurant in the 1940s and ‘50s. At the bar, patrons sip beers and watch sports while others mill about outside on the deck. Others tuck into plates of steaks, chicken strips and french fries. It’s an impressive scene for any time of day, much less a midweek afternoon in mid-spring.
“Every day is a good day,” Childers says. “It’s a nice little crowd in there too. When you get to 65, everyday is a good day.”
Ok, so John is technically 64 and a half, but he’s reached the stage of life where he’s earned a little rounding up.
Food. Friends. Family.
Twelve years ago, Childers and then-husband, Mike, bought the old restaurant and got to work adding a patio and, eventually The Shed, a gathering place for local groups who play poker and other shared interests on weeknights. With an eclectic background in the military, shipbuilding and fast food, it was an inevitability that Childers would end up serving his community.
“We wanted it to be like our house, like our church,” he says. “Everybody is welcome.”
Everybody includes the house dog, Caviar, who quietly follows Childers through the property, eager to go for a post-interview walk.
“I really like this. And if you don’t like this, this is not a job for you.”
Thanks to this inclusive approach to clientele, the LGBTQ+ community of Norfolk sees MJ’s as something of a refuge from everyday life. A place where patrons can be themselves without catering to societal expectations, and where they can find comfort food at its finest.
“That’s the way my church is. You come to my house and you’re hungry, you better eat. And if you do go away hungry at my house or here, it’s your own fault because we serve you a very fine portion for a reasonable price and most people take like half a sandwich home with them,” Childers says.
What’s On The Menu
The menu at MJ’s stays relatively stationary except for seasonal additions. Childers says this is purposeful because he has always listened to what customers like and don’t like.
Credit: @mjstavern Instagram
Favorite menu items include chicken strips and fries (the top seller) and a daily Blue Plate special of chicken fried steak, meatloaf or spaghetti. Homemade mashed potatoes and gravy round out the menu while each day has its own culinary theme.
“People like it, and it’s fast, it’s easy.”
Country Fried Steak smothered in-house pepper gravy with mashed potatoes Credit: @mjstavern Instagram
A Busy Events Schedule
According to Childers, “there’s always something going on.” It’s karaoke on Monday, music bingo and pool on Tuesday, bar trivia on Wednesday, Texas Hold ‘Em poker in the Shed on Thursdays and a brunch followed by Sunday Tea to cap off each week.
Speaking of what he calls the “Tea Dance,” Childers says, “Back in the day, gays would get together and they would they couldn’t be out and open. So we’d be sitting like this car and we would be drinking our tea, which would be spiked, of course, and we’d be dishing the tea.”
Childers says this is a way of honoring people who came before him.
In between, there have been marriages, celebrations of life, birthday parties and military reenlistment ceremonies at MJ’s.
Childers is quick to recognize those who keep the operations running on a day-to-day basis. He calls out bar manager Jamie, kitchen manager Greg and a trio of James’s and a Dakota who also contribute to MJ’s success.
“This is the best staff I’ve ever had,” he says. “We are very, very blessed. I can go out of town. I went 13 days to Hawaii. And I came back and it was still here. That’s a good thing. That is a wonderful thing.”
What: Alkaline Ramen Where: 742 W. 21st St. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday; closed on Monday and Tuesday Details:www.alkalineramen.com/
Technically, it’s factual to say that Alkaline is a ramen shop in Ghent. But that doesn’t tell you a single thing about one of Norfolk’s top culinary institutions. Step inside and sit a spell, maybe over a bowl of triple garlic tonkotsu or a plate of miso butter cake, and it dawns on you that this little ramen joint isn’t running after the latest trends or following a template. Alkaline is a deeply personal experience, and it is shaped by the story of owner Kevin Ordonez and the flavors that have defined his life so far.
“This restaurant is built around me being a first-generation Filipino-American where I grew up eating both things,” he says, “and I kind of exist in between being Asian and American. I don’t speak Tagalog. I’m not Japanese. The way that I chose was to do it based off what I thought my life was like. I wanted to design a restaurant or build a concept around what I liked.”
Pacific Roots
When you learn about Ordonez’s life story, it all starts to make sense. For the most part, his culinary journey stretches across the Pacific. Born in San Diego, raised in a Navy family, he lived in Guam and Washington State before spending six formative years in Japan. “Those were the years where I was really starting to form opinions about the world.”
Despite his time in some of the world’s top hotspots for mouthwatering food, Ordonez is clear on one point: “None of our food is traditional. Like, not even the appetizers. Everything starts from something — maybe it’s a flavor, or an ingredient, or just a feeling I’m trying to recreate from a memory.”
Hand-Crafted Goodness
That philosophy plays out across a menu that’s part focused and part experimental. Yes, there’s a stable foundation. Just look at the core ramen dishes and longtime staples like sticky wings and tots. Yet, if you look at the printed paper menu, it rotates with seasonal dishes created by the staff. Kitchen manager Lerone, who started part-time in 2018, now leads that side of the kitchen. “He’s amazing,” Ordonez says. “All the specials you’ve seen in the last year? That’s all him. I almost don’t have a hand in it anymore.”
On the bar side, Danni brings a similar approach, often spending 72 hours building the bases of drinks. “Her cocktail program has the same mentality as our food. It’s very intentional, very prep-heavy, and then quick on the pickup because all of our stuff is designed to be pretty quick.”
Alkaline’s menu reflects the layered, in-between identity Ordonez has lived his whole life. A bowl might start with dashi, finish with coconut and carry just enough heat to linger. The Love Letter cocktail, a bright, citrusy pink number, plays against type, bringing a touch of nuance to a simple coupe glass. And that miso butter cake? “To me, it’s got that warm, memory kind of feeling. Take it home and have it with your coffee in the morning and it’s like the best way to start your day.”
Emerging from Difficult Times
Like many independent restaurants, Alkaline faced a mind-bogglingly brutal stretch during the pandemic. They pivoted to takeout, launched a campaign called Feed 1500, and partnered with José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen to serve nearly 8,000 meals to local hospitals and first responders. But the real challenge came in the years that followed.
“From 2020 to 2023, it was just trying to lose the least amount of money possible,” Ordonez says. “But last year, we finally broke even. We’re like, ‘okay, like, maybe we can make it.’”
Rising food costs, shrinking margins, and staffing challenges forced the team to adapt. Pre-COVID, the kitchen ran with five people in the morning and eight at night. Today, it’s two in the morning and a much smaller crew overall. The menu has been streamlined, the operations tightened, but the standard remains the same: fully from-scratch cooking with no shortcuts.
“All of our food is authentic, and what I mean by that is everything, like everything we make here is made here,” he says. “We’re a fully from scratch kitchen. We’re not really buying in product. That’s not really what we do. And I don’t have any judgment towards that one way or another. But that’s just how we do it here.”
Ordonez adds, “I don’t care if it makes a ton of money. If I was (concerned about money), I would’ve opened five of them by now. Cookie-cutter Alkalines. But that was never the goal. You can’t replicate this.”
Alkaline, Ordonez stresses, is too tied to the people, the process, the way the team works.
These days, Ordonez splits his time between Alkaline and expanding Virginia Beach hot dog joint Frank and Patty’s. But even as his world expands, Alkaline remains something close to home. In the end, Alkaline is an extension of his story, his culture, and the food that shaped him.
Kevin’s recommended meal for two:
Cocktails: Love Letter
Starters: Brussels sprouts or green bean salad (vegetarian), Tater tot Okonomiyaki, Asian sticky wings (featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives)
Entrees: Triple garlic tonkatsu ramen, Spicy red curry ramenBeef noodle soup (featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives)
June means many things to people in Norfolk, from the rapidly warming temps to the kickoff of Harborfest and beach days. But it’s also the time of year when Hampton Roads’ LGBTQIA+ community comes out in full force to celebrate the region’s diversity and acceptance.
From family-friendly gatherings to rambunctious nightlife, the city provides activities for residents and visitors alike all month long.
Pride Month Events in Norfolk
Pride Kickoff at d’Art Center May 30, 2025 The d’Art Center launches Pride Month with an evening of art, music, and community engagement. Attendees can explore exhibitions by LGBTQIA+ artists and participate in interactive workshops.
Pride Night at the Virginia Zoo UPDATE: Rescheduled to June 27, 2025, 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM The Virginia Zoo hosts an inclusive evening featuring animal encounters, live entertainment and educational exhibits. This event welcomes families and individuals of all ages to celebrate diversity in a unique setting.
Hampton Roads Pride Weekend Highlights
Neon Dreams Pride Block Party at The NorVa June 20, 2025, 7:00 PM The NorVa hosts a high-energy evening with DJ sets, drag performances, and dancing. This 18+ event serves as the official kickoff to Pride Weekend.
PrideFest at Town Point Park June 21, 2025, Noon – 7 PM PrideFest features live music, a boat parade, and a family zone. The event is free and open to the public, offering activities for all ages.
Official PrideFest After-Party at Waterside District June 21, 2025, 8 PM Waterside District continues the celebration with music, cocktails and socializing. Attendees can enjoy performances and connect with the community in a festive atmosphere.
LGBTQ+ Friendly Norfolk
When it comes to reputation, Norfolk has long been one of the most inclusive cities in Virginia. Mermaid City has a strong LGBTQ+ presence woven into its neighborhoods, nightlife, arts scene and local politics. The city scored a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, thanks in part to anti-discrimination laws, city leadership, and support for LGBTQ+ residents and visitors. Look around, and you’ll see rainbow crosswalks in the NEON District and active community representation through organizations like Hampton Roads Pride, Stonewall Sports, and the LGBT Life Center.
Nightlife is a central part of the local LGBTQ+ experience, and Norfolk offers options ranging from casual bars to full-on drag venues. The Wave is a long-running nightclub known for high-energy dance floors and late-night drag shows. MJ’s Tavern is more laid-back, with strong drinks, pub fare, and a popular Sunday drag brunch.For a quieter evening, Cure Coffeehouse and Commune both offer safe, inclusive atmospheres for coffee or cocktails.
Outside of nightlife, the city also has LGBTQ+-owned and allied businesses throughout the arts, wellness, and retail communities. d’Art Center and the Chrysler Museum of Art regularly feature queer artists and exhibitions. In the NEON District and Ghent, you’ll find boutiques like Velvet Witch, a metaphysical shop run by queer owners, and Kitsch, which carries goods from LGBTQ+ makers. Whether you’re here for a weekend or making a longer stay, Norfolk offers not just tolerance, but meaningful visibility and connection.
Getting to Norfolk and Navigating the City
When parking in Downtown Norfolk, fear not. The city has more than 19,000 public parking spaces, including garages within easy walking distance of the park. The closest garages include:
Waterside Garage (135 Waterside Dr.)
Main Street Garage (110 W Main St.)
MacArthur Center Garages (across the street from the park)
Visitors coming from out of town can arrive via Amtrak to Norfolk Station or fly into Norfolk International Airport. The Tide light rail also stops a few blocks away at MacArthur Square Station. Those driving can find handy highway directions on the Festevents site here. Locals should consider riding the Tide or, if the weather cooperates, biking the Elizabeth River Trail to get to Town Point without worrying about parking.
Well, would you look at that? June, already! This month in Norfolk is defined by live music, waterfront festivals, historic observances and film and art programming. Here’s just a small sampling of Mermaid City’s late spring/early summer offerings.
Norfolk Tides
Harbor Park June 1; 10-15; 24-29, 2025
Your Norfolk Tides, Triple-A affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles offer up a pair of long homestands this month, taking on the Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers) and the Gwinnett Stripers (Atlanta Braves).
Norfolk is home to a pair of recurring farmers’ markets, with Ghent hosting them the first and third Fridays of each month from 4 to 7 p.m., and East Beach holding them each Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Steve Earle is one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation. A protege of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, he quickly became a master storyteller in his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, and countless others. 1986 saw the release of his record, Guitar Town, which shot to number one on the country charts and is now regarded as a classic of the Americana genre. Most recently, Earle’s 1988 hit Copperhead Road was made an official state song of Tennessee in 2023.
One of the most beloved and celebrated singers of our time, 2023 Kennedy Center Honoree and National Medal of Arts recipient Renée Fleming captivates audiences around the world with her sumptuous voice, consummate artistry, and compelling stage presence. In this breathtaking performance inspired by the Grammy Award-winning album, Fleming explores humankind’s evolving relationship with nature, performing works by Handel, Björk, Fauré, Puccini, and Jerome Kern, with a beautiful projected film created for the program with National Geographic. “Nothing short of mesmerizing… the music and the stunning film enveloped listeners… engendered awe and wonder” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer).
Presented by Virginia Arts Festival. A dream team of expressive, virtuosic artists! “Electric, vibrant” (Musical Opinion) violinist Lana Trotovšek, “sensitive, elegant” (Gramophone) cellist Nina Kotova, and award-winning pianist János Balázs join Olga Kern in an exploration of Beethoven classics.
Pop-punk veterans Mayday Parade return to The NorVa for a night that will appeal to fans of the early 2000s emo revival and younger audiences alike. Known for their energetic live shows and emotionally direct lyrics, they’re joined by supporting acts Microwave, Grayscale, and Like Roses. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and this one is likely to sell out.
The Naro continues its partnership with Exhibition on Screen, presenting a thoughtful look at how artists like Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Pissarro shifted the course of Western painting. This film dives into the context and consequences of the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874. Ideal for those looking to learn something on a weeknight without feeling talked down to.
The city’s signature waterfront event, Harborfest has been running for nearly half a century and remains one of the most ambitious free maritime festivals in the country. Visitors can board tall ships and Navy vessels, browse vendor tents along the Elizabeth River, and take in live music all weekend. It opens with Friday’s Parade of Sail and ends with a major fireworks show on Saturday night. festevents.org
Keyshawn “The Businessman” Davis has his scope set on a successful title defense. Davis will defend his WBO lightweight crown in a homecoming spectacle against Dominican knockout artist Edwin De Los Santos on Saturday, June 7, at Scope Arena.
At just 25, she already has three Grammy Awards, including the 2023 Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album and the 2024 Best Jazz Performance. Samara Joy’s 2024 Virginia Arts Festival performance sold out—order your tickets now to guarantee your seats for this return engagement.
Hailed as “The Nicest Man in Stand-Up,” by The Atlantic Magazine and “One of the Funniest People,” by CBS Morning, Grammy nominated comedian, podcaster, director and producer Nate Bargatze is selling out shows and breaking venue attendance records with more than 1.2 million tickets sold on his The Be Funny Tour. He is currently the #1 earning comedian in the world according to Pollstar’s recent report, and #12 in overall live tour tickets sales, putting him in the company of Coldplay, Madonna and U2.
He’s a 19-time Grammy winner who has performed for nine American presidents and been presented both the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. But beyond his musical mastery, Yo-Yo Ma has become an ambassador for humanity, championing music and the arts as a path to peace and understanding. This special performance pairs repertoire from the center of his musical firmament with reflections on how it has shaped his thinking about art, human nature, and our search for meaning. Together, the cellist’s music and words ask us to consider what music is for, and how it can guide us on a path to hope.
Gifted young stars and longtime Virginia Symphony Orchestra members join Olga Kern for unforgettable performances of classical favorites including Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet and others.
Bad Suns brings their polished, radio-ready indie rock to The NorVa with support from Texas-based Little Image and UK synth-rockers The Ramona Flowers. Expect a night of layered guitar work, crisp vocals, and tracks that toe the line between upbeat and melancholic. Doors at 6:30 p.m. General admission, standing room only.
This summer, join us at the Hermitage Museum & Gardens for our 15th Anniversary of Sunsets on the River! Relax on the shoreline and enjoy live concerts from across the musical spectrum, including Alternative Rock, Blues, Country, Yacht Rock, and more. June 12 features ROCKY 7.
Presented by the City of Norfolk and Festevents, this annual gathering marks the end of slavery in the U.S. with music, cultural presentations, and speakers. Expect a strong community turnout, food vendors, and a serious tone mixed with family-friendly programming. The event wraps with fireworks over the Elizabeth River at 9:30 p.m.
Perhaps he’s best known as Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” but Warner is also a musician, especially known as a spoken-word artist. With his jazz band Miles Long, he recorded the albums The Miles Long Mixtape (2004), Love & Other Social Issues (2007), and Selfless (2015). Warner’s Hiding in Plain View (2022) earned a Grammy Award nomination for best spoken-word poetry album. He also collaborated with other musicians, and in 2015 he shared the Grammy for best traditional R&B performance with the band the Robert Glasper Experiment and singer Lalah Hathaway for their rendition of the 1973 Stevie Wonder song “Jesus Children of America.” The single featured Warner’s spoken-word performance and Hathaway’s vocals.
To celebrate all the amazing fathers in our community, this Father’s Day we are offering free train rides on the Virginia Zoo Express to all dads, grandfathers or father-figures! Valid on Father’s Day, June 15, 2025 only.
Rising country-folk singer Sam Barber brings a stripped-down performance style that leans heavily on storytelling and sincerity. His songs—often just voice and guitar—have built a solid online following, and his live sets showcase an understated presence rarely seen on the touring circuit these days. If you like Zach Bryan or Tyler Childers, this one’s worth checking out.
This longstanding festival draws thousands each year and combines LGBTQIA+ advocacy with music, food, local organizations, and vendor booths. It’s celebratory but also grounded in the region’s community work. Past headliners have included drag queens, brass bands, and local DJs. Admission is free.
Staten Island native Sal Vulcano is best known for creating and starring in truTV’s long-running hit “Impractical Jokers,” and for “The Misery Index” on TBS. In addition to performing as part of The Tenderloins Comedy Troupe to sold-out arenas, Sal founded the No Presh Network in 2020, hosting “Hey Babe!” and “Taste Buds” podcasts. Sal’s debut solo comedy special ‘Terrified’ was released in May 2024 on YouTube.
Norfolk Public Library, Slover Memorial Main Branch, Location: Norfolk VA, Architect: Newman Architects
Led by Norfolk Tour Company, this free one-hour walking tour explores the built environment of downtown Norfolk. Topics include modernist development, historic preservation, and the political forces that shaped the city’s current layout. No reservations required, but early arrival is recommended.
Blending elements of country, trap, and mainstream pop, Kidd G occupies a space that appeals to younger audiences raised on Spotify playlists rather than traditional radio. His biggest tracks—“Dirt Road,” “Summer in a Small Town”—have clocked tens of millions of streams, and his live shows tend to skew energetic and unfiltered.
If you hear the sound of a second line or smell the distinctive aroma of Old Bay and crawfish boiling this weekend, that’s just the Bayou Bon Vivant Cajun Music, Food & Art Festival returning to Town Point Park.
The event runs Friday through Sunday May 16-18, bringing live crawfish (or mud bugs if you prefer) by the ton, a full lineup of Louisiana musicians and a healthy dash of regional art and food vendors. It’s one of Norfolk’s signature spring festivals, and this year’s schedule is packed.
Event Overview
The festival opens with a free lunch preview (food prices still apply) on Friday from noon to 2 p.m., followed by ticketed admission from 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday hours are noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday runs from noon to 6 p.m. The event takes place at Town Point Park, directly on the Elizabeth River waterfront.
Visitors can expect a mix of live music across two stages, a curated marketplace with more than 30 makers from New Orleans and the Southeast and a family area. Details on the daily schedule, pricing and activities are at https://festevents.org/events/2025/bayou/.
Food
Hard to believe we have to say this out loud, but yes, the food is a major draw. More than 8,000 pounds of live crawfish will be boiled on-site and served up with corn and potatoes and your hot sauce of choice (or if you’re a real pro, you’ll bring your own). You’ll also find staples like jambalaya, chicken and sausage gumbo, red beans and rice, shrimp and grits and fried gator tail. Beignets and chicory coffee round out the menu.
Everything is made to order and overseen by chefs with deep Louisiana roots. You can view the full food list and vendor information here.
Music & Entertainment
This year’s headliners include Tank and the Bangas, Better Than Ezra, The Soul Rebels, Bonerama and Big Sam’s Funky Nation. The full lineup features more than a dozen acts over three days, covering zydeco, brass band, funk, blues and indie rock.
Each day features its own distinct musical vibe. Friday leans into funk and soul. Saturday brings bigger acts with a party atmosphere. Sunday is lighter, but still delivers strong New Orleans roots performances. Set times are available here.
Bayou Bon Vivant, Courtesy Festevents
Getting to Norfolk & Parking
When parking in Downtown Norfolk, fear not. The city has more than 19,000 public parking spaces, including garages within easy walking distance of the park. The closest garages include:
Waterside Garage (135 Waterside Dr.)
Main Street Garage (110 W Main St.)
MacArthur Center Garages (across the street from the park)
Visitors coming from out of town can arrive via Amtrak to Norfolk Station or fly into Norfolk International Airport. The Tide light rail also stops a few blocks away at MacArthur Square Station. Those driving can find handy highway directions on the Festevents site here. Locals should consider riding the Tide or, if the weather cooperates, biking the Elizabeth River Trail to get to Town Point without worrying about parking.
It’s 2 p.m. on a mid-Spring Tuesday and the elevators at 254 Granby Street are packed with dancers in warmups, painters with portfolios and teenagers hauling cellos larger than themselves. This is how one school day ends and an afternoon of creative learning begins.
The Governor’s School for the Arts (GSArts) is a public, regional program serving high school students from across southeastern Virginia. Students arrive each afternoon from Chesapeake, Franklin, Portsmouth, Suffolk and, of course, Norfolk and Virginia Beach, to spend their second half of the day getting hands-on, intensive training across six disciplines: dance, visual arts, instrumental music, vocal music, theater/film and musical theater.
From a School Without Walls to a Downtown Footprint
While GSA has existed in various forms since the mid-1980s, its current home, which is divided among three adapted structures downtown, boasts early 20th Century retail architecture that’s been reimagined for today’s needs. Longtime locals may remember the building as being home to W.T. Grant’s in the 1950s. Touches of the store, such as a floor directory and signs pointing to Granby Street, remain. The terrazzo lobby, once trod daily by shoppers, now hosts parents awaiting performance call times. Elevators once built to transport floor-model furniture now carry upright basses, canvases and kilns.
“We were created as a school without walls,” said Assistant Director Debra Thorpe, who guided a recent tour through the facility. For years, GSARTs operated out of scattered borrowed spaces across Norfolk.
Selective, Competitive and Publicly Funded
The program serves about 420 students each year. Students are selected through competitive auditions and interviews, and demand is high. More than 400 applicants typically compete for roughly 100 openings each fall. GSA receives 45 percent of its funding from the state, with the remainder coming from tuition paid by the school districts it serves. A separate foundation supports special initiatives, scholarships and capital improvement.
Thorpe, who retires this summer after decades of work in education, pointed out that GSA’s strength lies not only in its infrastructure but in its people. Every faculty member is a working artist, she says. Better put, the school operates on mentorship by practitioners, not just teachers.
From Local Stages to Global Screens
Among the alumni: Adrienne Warren, who won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Tina Turner on Broadway; Flash star Grant Gustin; and jazz pianist and composer Justin Kauflin, who gained international attention in Keep On Keepin’ On, a documentary chronicling his mentorship with jazz trumpet legend Clark Terry and eventual work with Quincy Jones.
On a weekday afternoon, the building is anything but quiet. In one visual arts classroom, students sketch daily journal prompts that blend the philosophical with the irreverent.One asked herself, “What am I made of?” before filling a page with renderings of cheese. In the ceramics studio, others glaze mugs and sculptural forms. Downstairs, film students fine-tune edits in small bays ahead of their year-end showcase at the Naro Expanded Cinema.
Elsewhere, a violin ensemble rehearses with visible precision. Dancers float and pivot across a floor that was once part of the W.T. Grant stockroom. Musical theater students rehearse a full-length production in one room while, next door, a quiet hallway of individual soundproof practice rooms fills with bursts of soprano arias and jazz standards.
Partnering with Local Orgs
Another perk of attending GSArts is the school’s deep connection with local and regional arts organizations. According to Thorpe, “at the onset of the school, partnerships with arts organizations was always in the plan.”
Some of the groups GSArts students get to work closely with include Virginia Arts Festival, VA Opera and the Virginia Stage Company.
“The larger arts community understands the value of meaningful master classes and want to share their resources with our students,” Thorpe says. “Professionals bring years of real-world experience, offering practical advice, techniques and insights that go beyond academic theory.”
Thorpe adds that working with accomplished artists can inspire students to “push boundaries, stay motivated and envision new possibilities in their field.” She says, “master classes often create direct connections with industry professionals and fellow students, opening doors to future collaborations, mentorships, and job opportunities.”
More Ecosystem Than School
Combine all these elements and you don’t just get a romanticized “school of the arts” but something closer to a functioning arts ecosystem: part pre-professional training ground, part public education experiment and part working studio complex. In short, real art is made here by real students, and the school’s leadership – including Thorpe – wouldn’t have it any other way.
