ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Blue Angels return to Annapolis later this month to fly in the U.S. Naval Academy Air Show.
Marylanders will have three chances to see the elite squadron of Navy fighter jets during the Naval Academy’s Commissioning Week.
The Blue Angels run to both extremes. The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets fly as fast as 700 mph and as slow as 120 mph during the demonstration. They can reach altitudes as high as 15,000 feet or as low as 50 feet. The jets sometimes are only 18 inches apart.
The Blue Angels arrive Tuesday, May 21. They will circle the city from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Their flight rehearsal, which is similar to their full demonstration, is at 2 p.m. over the Severn River.
The full flight demonstration is Wednesday, May 22 at 2 p.m. over the Severn River.
The Blue Angels will also fly over the Midshipmen’s commissioning, or graduation, ceremony on Friday, May 24. Residents can catch a glimpse of the flyover at 10:04 a.m., but the commissioning ceremony at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is closed to the public.
Commissioning Week runs from Friday, May 17 through Saturday, May 25.
More information on Commissioning Week is posted at usna.edu/commissioningweek. To learn more about the Blue Angels, visit blueangels.navy.mil.
Where To Watch
A popular place to watch is Hospital Point on the Naval Academy campus, known as the yard.
Many visitors also watch from Ego Alley or the Spa Creek Bridge sidewalks in downtown Annapolis.
The Severn River and Spa Creek have clear vantage points for boaters, but the maritime restrictions posted below will be in effect.
The Anne Arundel County Public Library is hosting a free Wednesday, May 22 watch party at the Westfield Annapolis mall atop the green parking garage.
Capital SUP has paddleboard and kayak tours during the practice and full demonstration days.
The Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park has a boat cruise with lunch and drinks for the full demonstration day.
Charter boats are available through Island Chill Yacht Charters and Ben and Fritz Charters among other places.
Where To Park, Anchor
The City of Annapolis posted the parking and boating information below:
PARKING: The best option for getting onto the yard is to park at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and take the free shuttle to enter through the Visitor Center at Gate One. For those coming downtown for Blue Angels rehearsal and/or flight demonstration, City garages are the best bet and include Hillman (150 Gorman Street), Gott’s (45 Calvert Street), Knighton (1A Colonial Ave.), and Park Place (One Park Place).
HEAVY TRAFFIC: Make a plan to accommodate the increase in cars and pedestrian traffic as much as possible. Allow yourself plenty of extra time and please be courteous to out-of-town drivers who are unfamiliar with City streets. Download the “Prepare Me Annapolis” mobile app (Apple/Android) to receive local traffic alerts.
On Friday, May 24, security around Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Rowe Blvd. could make traffic slower than usual until approximately 3 p.m.
TEMPORARY ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES: On Tuesday, May 21, the Route 450 (Naval Academy) bridge will be closed between 10:45 a.m. and approximately 3:45 p.m. for the Blue Angels rehearsal. The bridge will close again on Wednesday, May 22 at approximately 1:45 p.m. until approximately 4 p.m. for the Blue Angels flight demonstration.
DOWNTOWN PARKING LIMITATIONS: Expect parking to be limited throughout the week. Visit www.AnnapolisParking.com to reserve garage parking at Gott’s and Knighton garages. Please note that there will be strict enforcement of metered parking, two-hour limited spaces, Residential Permit Zones and red zones. Visitors are strongly encouraged to park at Knighton (Corner of Colonial Avenue and West Street) and Park Place (Just off of West Street and Spa Road) garages and take the free downtown “magenta” shuttle. The shuttle can be tracked using the transloc app or on the web: https://accessannapolis.transloc.com/routes.
On Friday, May 24, 2024, there will be no state employee parking at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Lot. The parking lot will be reserved for graduation attendees. City and state employees who normally park at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium should relocate to the Calvert Street Garage.
INCREASED SECURITY: All residents and visitors should remain aware of their surroundings. Please identify suspicious personnel, packages, or behavior to local authorities. If you see something, say something. Dial 9-1-1 for emergency response. For non-emergency inquiries or questions, contact the Annapolis Call Center at 410-260-2211.
MARITIME TRAFFIC: Boaters must pay close attention to markers that delineate exclusionary zones and temporary channels (marked by red and green buoys) on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Please look for public safety boats and follow instructions promptly. The Annapolis Harbormaster operates on VHF 17. The area of Spa Creek and the Severn River will be patrolled by the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Natural Resources Police, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Annapolis Harbormaster, Annapolis Police and Annapolis Fire Rescue boats. For complete information on maritime traffic rules and procedures, visit: the Annapolis Harbormaster’s web page on maritime rules for Blue Angels.
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