NEWPORT NEWS—Keen observers may have taken note that Newport News has added some new events this year to their already packed festival calendar including the Winter Carnival, which was held in February at the former K-Mart location in Denbigh.
The other three events include Sham-ROCK, a concert that will be held on St. Patrick’s Day at City Center, featuring adult beverages and fun giveaways, a Spring EGG-stravaganza that will take place on April 2 at King-Lincoln Park to celebrate spring, and the Outdoor Enthusiasts event, which is planned for April 23 in Newport News Park. Some of the activities that will be showcased there include boating, hiking, ax throwing, fishing, zip lining, camping, and biking.
“Coming out of the restrictions of the pandemic, we took a look at our 2022 calendar and wanted to add a bit of variety to the activities and quality of life experiences for the city’s residents and guests,” said Shelly Ezanno, superintendent of Special Events in Newport News. “We wanted to provide a broader array of ‘fun in the sun’ opportunities that are city-wide, that give people more chances to get outside, connect with nature, and enjoy the great outdoors. With everybody basically having sat inside for two years or more, we were very optimistic and felt very positive about being able to add some other events to the calendar and increase the opportunities for people to get outside and enjoy life.”
In addition, another long-time crowd favorite will return this year, the two-day Fall Festival at Newport News Park in October.
“As with all our events in the recent past and near future, we’re seeing almost triple the numbers we previously had,” said Ezanno. “I think it’s because folks are so excited about getting outside the house, communing, and having that social experience again. We’re seeing really high attendance numbers.”
Another event that got canceled last year due to inclement weather will be making its debut this year. The Backyard Bash at Super Block Park will be happening in June.
“A lot of our events are hosted in parks,” said Ezanno. “We like to showcase the outdoor spaces, the green spaces, and places where you have room to move around and be comfortable in a crowd.”
Other upcoming events include:
- Children’s Festival of Friends, Newport News Park, May 7
- Sister Cities Day, City Center, May 21
- Junteenth Festivities, Multiple Locations, June 11-18
- Stars in the Sky, Victory Landing Park, July 4
- Southeast Summer Concert, King-Lincoln Park, July 16
- Celebrate Summer Family Movie Night, Former K-Mart Site, July 23
- Play Ball, South Morrison, August 10
- Southeast Summer Concert, King-Lincoln Park, August 13
- End of Summer Family Movie Night, City Center, August 27
- Back to School Family Movie Night, Former K-Mart Site, September 10
- Halloween Family Movie Night, Former K-Mart Site, October 22
- Celebration in Lights, Newport News Park, November 24–January 1, 2023
And speaking of 2023, don’t forget to mark your calendar for the One City, One Celebration events that will be happening after race weekend, featuring the One City Marathon, early next March.
For a full list of other events that will be going on in Newport News throughout the year, visit https://www.newport-news.org/visitors/events-and-festivals/.