Where, When To See Blue Angels For Naval Academy Graduation Week

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Road closures and boating restrictions on local waterways will start next week as Commissioning Week events ramp up at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, including aerial performances by the Blue Angels and the commencement ceremony.

The Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron will perform above the Severn River, Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22. These events are free and open to the public. Viewing areas for the show will include Ingram Field, portions of Farragut Field and Hospital Point on the Naval Academy grounds. Visitors may experience delays due to an increased number of visitors on the Yard.

Blue Angels practice and air show will affect traffic along these routes: Taylor Avenue, Rowe Boulevard, Route 450 northbound and southbound in the area of the Naval Academy Bridge, Route 648, Greenbury Point Road and St. Margaret's Road. Residents plan for some streets and the U.S. Naval Academy Bridge to close at times, warned Anne Arundel County Police. Drivers on these routes should expect delays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on May 21 and 22.

A speaker has not been announced for graduation, which is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 24, at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis. The Blue Angels will make a fly over above the stadium during graduation. In the ceremony, the graduating midshipmen will be commissioned as ensigns in the Navy or 2nd lieutenants in the Marine Corps. The graduation ceremony is invitation only.

Commissioning Week activities run from May 17-24. The week before the commissioning ceremony, Annapolis residents and visitors should expect heavy traffic, temporary road and bridge closures, parking limitations, maritime traffic restrictions and increased security, city officials warn.

HEAVY TRAFFIC: Allow extra time and please be courteous to out-of-town drivers who are unfamiliar with city streets. Download the “Prepare Me Annapolis” mobile app to receive local traffic alerts. On Friday, May 24, traffic around Navy Marine Corps Stadium on Rowe Blvd. will be heavy until about 3 p.m.

TEMPORARY ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES: On Tuesday, May 21, the Route 450 (Taylor Avenue) bridge will close between 10:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. for the Blue Angels circle and arrival (weather date for circle and arrival is Wednesday, May 22). The bridge closes again Tuesday and Wednesday, May 22 at 1:45 p.m. until about 4 p.m. for the Blue Angels rehearsal (Tuesday) and flight demonstration (Wednesday).

On Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22, U.S. Naval Academy gates will be closed to vehicles between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

On Friday, May 24, there will be early morning road closures in the area of Rowe Blvd., Taylor Ave., and King George Street.

PARKING LIMITATIONS: Expect parking to be limited throughout the week. Visit AnnapolisParking.com to reserve parking in advance. Authorities will enforce metered parking, two-hour limited spaces, residential permit zones and red zones. Visitors are asked 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 Circulator downtown.

On Friday, May 24, there will be no state employee parking at Navy Marine Corps Stadium lot, which will be reserved for graduation attendees. City and state employees who normally park at Navy Marine Corps Stadium should relocate to the Calvert Street Garage.

MARITIME TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS: Boaters need to have a map or understanding of boating safety zones during the Blue Angels demonstrations on May 21 and 22. Follow all maritime laws, especially those that require a personal floatation device for each person on board and children younger than 13. The area will be patrolled by the Coast Guard, Department of Natural Resources Police, Coast Guard Auxiliary and Annapolis Police and Fire Rescue boats.

Severn River Marine Restrictions: On Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22, there will be restrictions to boat traffic between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., including no boat traffic and anchoring from areas on the Severn River and its tributaries. The southern boundary will be established by Naval Academy Yard Patrol craft, which will mark a line drawn from the quick flashing light at the south end of the Naval Academy seawall to Greenbury Point. The northern boundary is marked by the U.S. Route 50 Severn River Bridge. Limitations to boat traffic include boats that are moored to a permanent dock along the shoreline.

INCREASED SECURITY: City officials urged all residents and visitors to remain aware of their surroundings, and to identify suspicious people, packages or behavior to authorities. If you see something, say something, officials said in a news release. Dial 9-1-1 for emergencies.

The Annapolis Call Center will be activated from Tuesday, May 21 through Friday, May 24 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Call Center can be reached at 410-260-2211.

Here's the schedule for Commissioning Week 2019:

Monday, May 20- MIDSHIPMEN COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS CEREMONY - USNA in Memorial Hall

• Midshipmen will be honored for their volunteerism within the community. Numerous local community organization leaders will be represented. Midshipmen volunteer over 26,000 hours to the community annually.

Monday, May 20 – HERNDON MONUMENT CLIMB - USNA in front of Chapel

• Members of the fourth class (freshmen or "plebes") will climb the 21-foot obelisk in order to retrieve a white plebe "dixie cup" hat on top of the monument and replace it with an upperclassman's hat.

Tuesday, May 21 - BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE- Over the Severn River

• Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. the Blue Angels will arrive for their performance the following day; flight rehearsal is at 2 p.m.

Wednesday, May 22 - BLUE ANGELS PERFORMANCE- Over the Severn River

• The U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron's Blue Angels will perform a variety of high-speed, aerobatic precision-maneuvers in an approximate two-hour performance over the Severn River. Best viewing areas are from Ingram Field (narration can be heard from this area), portions of Farragut Field and Hospital Point on Naval Academy grounds. Spectators from other viewing areas can tune-in to WNAV-AM (on 1430 AM and 99.9 FM) to hear the broadcast of the narration.

Thursday, May 23 - Color Parade USNA on Worden Field

• The highlight of the 11 a.m. Color Parade is the formal presentation of the color company pennant by the superintendent, the company commander and the "color honoree," to the newly designated spring color company. Each semester, the color company is designated by virtue of its excellence in academics, athletics and professional accomplishments throughout the semester. The color company competition began in 1867.

Friday, May 24 – Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony at Navy/Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

NOT OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC (By invitation only) Speaker: Not announced, could be the Secretary of the Navy or the U.S. Secretary of Defense.

• The 10 a.m. commissioning and graduation ceremony is the culmination of the four-year education and training of the men and women of the Class of 2018. Each graduate receives a Bachelor of Science degree and takes the oath of office as they are each commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy or as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

For more information about the Naval Academy's Commissioning Week, visit www.usna.edu.

For more information about the Blue Angels, visit www.blueangels.navy.mil.