This would be the first Navy Week in Denver in a decade. The Navy Office of Community Outreach is working closely with community partners in Denver. We are 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 if the in-person events can be accomplished safely, Denver Navy Week will feature in-person and virtual demonstrations, performances, and engagements throughout the week that will include:
- Senior Navy Leaders – Flag officer and senior civilian Navy leaders with ties to Denver and the surrounding area.
- Namesake Sailors – Sailors serving on USS Colorado (SSN 788), a Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine, USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship.
- Hometown Heroes – Events featuring Colorado natives serving in the Navy.
- Navy Band Northwest - Virtual performances and masterclasses with Navy Musicians.
- Blue Angels Tactical Air Demonstration Team – Premier Naval aviators performing in The Great Colorado Air Show in Loveland, CO.
- 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 Colorado and the Navy.
- USS Constitution – In-person Sailor demonstrations about 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 allow the citizens of Denver to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity. The Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) coordinates Navy Weeks.
“The Navy is excited to be back in Colorado and reconnect with the people of Denver safely and responsibly,” said NAVCO’s director, Cmdr. John Fage. “Denver Navy Week will allow us to show the people of Denver what their Navy does for them and why the Navy is important to national security. 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.
“We coordinate about 75 outreach events during a Navy Week,” said NAVCO Navy Week program manager Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Chambers. “Outreach events range from corporate, civic, government, education, media, veterans, community service engagements. The 2021 schedule has been exciting for us because we were in several brand-new markets, as well as returning to communities like Denver.”
For more information on 2021 Navy Weeks, visit http://outreach.navy.mil. For more information on Denver Navy Week, visit https://www.outreach.navy.mil/Navy-Weeks-2021/Denver/ or contact Lt. Joshua Kelsey at (901) 302-5166 or joshua.l.kelsey@navy.mil.