This would be the first Navy Week in North Dakota since 2018. The Navy Office of Community Outreach is working closely with community partners in Fargo and is carefully monitoring guidance from public health officials to determine what events may be held in-person. Navy Weeks have been conducted virtually since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
If health conditions permit and in-person events can be accomplished safely, Fargo Navy Week will feature live demonstrations, performances, and engagements throughout the week that will include:
- Senior Navy Leaders – Flag officer and senior civilian Navy leaders with ties to Fargo and surrounding area
- Namesake Sailors – Sailors serving on USS North Dakota (SSN 784), a Virginia-class nuclear powered submarine
- Hometown Heroes – In-person and virtual events featuring North Dakota natives serving in the Navy
- Navy Band Great Lakes - Virtual performances and masterclasses with Navy Musicians
- Blue Angels Tactical Air Demonstration Team – Premiere Naval aviators in an airshow for Fargo
- Navy Parachute Demonstration Team – Conversations and skydiving events with the Leap Frogs
- Naval History and Heritage Command – Educational presentations and lesson plans about the deep ties between North Dakota and the Navy
- USS Constitution – In-person Sailor demonstrations and live, virtual tours aboard the oldest commissioned ship in the Navy
- Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Educational STEM presentations by technicians, medics, and divers
- Many other education-focused groups and events!
Navy Weeks are the service’s signature outreach program, designed to give the citizens of Fargo the opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people and its importance to national security and prosperity. Navy Weeks are coordinated by the Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO).
“The Navy is excited to reconnect with the people of Fargo, and we are committed to doing so safely and responsibly,” said NAVCO’s director, Cmdr. John Fage. “Our Navy Week in Fargo will allow us to show everyone what their Navy does for them and why having a strong Navy is critical to the American way of life. We are excited to continue connecting with the communities we belong to and serve and are looking forward to a great Navy Week.”
Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy’s flagship outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, with over 250 Navy Weeks held in more than 80 different U.S. markets. Fargo is the seventh Navy Week in 2021.
“During a Navy Week, we coordinate about 75 outreach events with corporate, civic, government, education, media, veterans, community service and diversity organizations in the city,” said NAVCO Navy Week program manager Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin Anderson. “The 2021 schedule is exciting for us. We’ll be in several brand-new markets, as well as returning to communities like Fargo.”
For more information on 2021 Navy Weeks, visit http://outreach.navy.mil. For more information on Fargo Navy Week, visit https://outreach.navy.mil/Navy-Weeks-2021/Fargo/ or contact Lt. Joshua Kelsey at (901) 302-5166 or joshua.l.kelsey@navy.mil.