Blue Angels, Naval Academy Commissioning Week 2022 Schedule

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Always a major event, this year's Commissioning Week activities at the United States Naval Academy include President Joe Biden attending the graduation ceremony, and flights over Annapolis by the Blue Angels.

Commissioning Week runs from May 22 to 27. The graduation and commissioning ceremony for the Class of 2022 will take place on Friday, May 27 at 10 a.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis, according to a news release.

Biden will speak at the Naval Academy's graduation ceremony May 27. The ceremony is closed to the public, but residents can watch a livestream on the Naval Academy's Facebook and YouTube pages.

The Blue Angels flight demonstration takes place in the skies above the Severn River each year as thousands of spectators gather to view the show from the shoreline, or from a boat anchored on the river. Private charters, sailing tours and boat cruises offer ways for visitors to see the planes, says Visit Annapolis. For the more adventurous, join a flotilla of kayakers and paddleboarders with Capital SUP.

Pedestrians line up to watch the flights across the bridge between Eastport and Annapolis or line up along City Dock. Another favorite is at hospital point on the grounds of the Naval Academy.

This year’s Flight Demonstration is at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, weather permitting. You might catch an earlier glimpse of the Blue Angels during their flight rehearsal on Tuesday, May 24 around the same time. And on Friday, May 26, graduation day, the Blue Angels will do a flyover at 10 a.m. above the graduation and commissioning ceremony at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

For a full listing of events and activities, visit https://www.usna.edu/CommissioningWeek.

In the days before the graduation and commissioning ceremony, Annapolis residents and visitors should expect heavy traffic, temporary road and bridge closures, parking limitations, maritime traffic restrictions and increased security in downtown.

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. With the closure of the downtown Hillman Garage for a rebuild, the closest parking garage options are: Gott’s, Knighton and Park Place. For more information on parking and navigating downtown, visit: www.AccessAnnapolis.com.

HEAVY TRAFFIC: Allow yourself plenty of extra time and be courteous to out-of-town drivers who are unfamiliar with city streets, officials said. Download the “Prepare Me Annapolis” mobile app (Apple/Android) to receive local traffic alerts.

On Friday, May 27, traffic around Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Rowe Boulevard will be heavy until about 3 p.m.

TEMPORARY ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES: On Tuesday, May 24, the Route 450 (Naval Academy) bridge will be closed between 10:45 a.m. until about 3:45 p.m. for the Blue Angels flyover rehearsal. The bridge will close again on Wednesday, May 25 at 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 Garage in advance. Please note that there will be strict enforcement of metered parking, two-hour limited spaces, Residential Permit Zones and red zones. Visitors are 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 shuttle.

On Friday, May 27, 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.

MARITIME TRAFFIC:

• MAIN STEM OF SEVERN/SPA CREEK RESTRICTIONS: Boaters should watch for markers that delineate exclusionary zones and the temporary channel (marked by red and green buoys). Do not anchor in the temporary channel. Look for public safety boats and follow instructions promptly. Follow all boating safety laws. The Annapolis Harbormaster operates on VHF 17. The area 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.

• SEVERN RIVER RESTRICTIONS: On Tuesday, May 24, and Wednesday, May 25, there will be restrictions to boat traffic between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. No anchoring or boating in the following areas on the Severn River and its tributaries: North of the quick flashing light at the south end of the Naval Academy seawall to Greenbury Point and South for a line marked by the Rt 450 Severn River Bridge. All boats including those tied to private docks are prohibited from navigation in this exclusionary zone.

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.