Spokane is known as an Air Force town, given its long association with Fairchild Air Force Base and Felts Field. But the U.S. Navy is working to make inroads here.
In 2012, the Navy held a week’s worth of events in the region and it’s back this year. Next week has been declared Spokane Navy Week as part of the Lilac Festival celebration.
“Navy Weeks are a way for the United States Navy to come into a town that really isn’t Navy-heavy, if you will, not a lot of Navy presence here,” said Gary Ross from the Navy Office for Community Outreach.
Recently he visited Spokane to meet with the mayor and Lilac Festival planners. He and four other Navy planners develop 15 Navy Week programs in American cities each year.
SPOKANE NAVY WEEK
15-21 MAY 2017
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
MONDAY, MAY 15
- 11 am – Noon:
- Navy band woodwind and clarinet trio concert at Spokane South Hill Library
- 1 – 4 pm:
- USS Constitution sailors volunteer at 2nd Harvest Food Bank
- 4 – 5 pm:
- Navy band woodwind and clarinet trio concert at Spokane Downtown Library
TUESDAY, MAY 16
- 9 am – 2 pm:
- “Navy Day” at Spokane Community College’s “Spring Fling”
- Come visit Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technicians with their bomb-diffusing robots, USS Constitution Sailors decked out in their 1813 period uniforms, USS Washington Sailors talking about the Navy’s newest Virginia-class submarine and life under the seas, a static display of our Navy’s largest helicopter - a CH-53 “Super Stallion,” and a Navy Band pop music group performance by Navy Band Northwest!
- “Navy Day” at Spokane Community College’s “Spring Fling”
- Noon – 1pm:
- Navy band brass quintet concert at Mobius Science Center
- 4 – 5 pm:
- Navy band woodwind and clarinet trio concert at Hillyard Library
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17
- 8 am – 4:30 pm:
- HM-15 sailors volunteer at Habitat for Humanity
- 1 – 2 pm:
- Navy band woodwind trio concert at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital
- 7 – 9 pm:
- “Navy Night” at the INB Performing Arts Center
- Come meet Sailors and officers, and enjoy a musical extravaganza performed by Navy Band Northwest’s Ceremonial Band and Popular Music Group!
- “Navy Night” at the INB Performing Arts Center
THURSDAY, MAY 18
- 11 am – 2 pm:
- “Navy Day” at West Valley High School (*Closed to the public)
- Come visit Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technicians with their bomb-diffusing robots, USS Constitution Sailors decked out in their 1813 period uniforms, USS Washington Sailors talking about the Navy’s newest Virginia-class submarine and life under the seas, a static display of our Navy’s largest helicopter - a CH-53 “Super Stallion,” and a Navy Band performance by Navy Band Northwest!
- “Navy Day” at West Valley High School (*Closed to the public)
- 5 – 8 pm:
- Block party with the Navy at West Valley High School (*Open to the public)
- Enjoy a free community spaghetti dinner with Sailors, visit with Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technicians with their bomb-diffusing robots, USS Constitution Sailors decked out in their 1813 period uniforms, USS Washington Sailors talking about the Navy’s newest Virginia-class submarine and life under the seas, a static display of our Navy’s largest helicopter – a CH-53 “Super Stallion,” and a Navy Band performance by Navy Band Northwest!
- Block party with the Navy at West Valley High School (*Open to the public)
FRIDAY, MAY 19
- 10 am – 3 pm:
- “Navy STEM Day” at Mobius Science Center
- Come visit Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians with their bomb-diffusing robots, USS Constitution Sailors decked out in their 1813 period uniforms and giving a STEM presentation of the ship, and USS Washington Sailors talking about the Navy’s newest Virginia-class submarine and life under the seas.
- “Navy STEM Day” at Mobius Science Center
- 12 – 1 pm:
- Navy band pop music group outdoor concert at Spokane Tribal Gathering Place (Huntington Park)
- 12 – 12:30 pm:
- Navy band clarinet trio concert at River Park Square
- 2 – 3 pm:
- Navy band brass quintet concert at Spokane Veterans Home
SATURDAY, MAY 20
- 2 – 3 pm:
- Navy brass band concert at the Lilac Festival Car Show
- 7:45 pm:
- Navy band parade concert in front of the Convention Center prior to the start of the Torch Light Parade
- 7:45 – 9 pm:
- Lilac Festival Torchlight Parade
- The U.S. Navy steps off in the annual Lilac Festival Torchlight Parade!
- Lilac Festival Torchlight Parade