Since its inception in 2005, the Navy Week program has visited more than 95 markets across the United States, including three prior visits to Duluth, most recently in 2019. This year’s Navy Week holds special significance as it coincides with the U.S. Navy’s 250th birthday, marking a quarter-millennium of maritime excellence, national security, and global leadership. 

More than 70 Sailors will take part in Duluth Navy Week, connecting with the community and sharing their experiences serving in the Fleet. One of those Sailors is Senior Chief Master-at-Arms KC Dueñas, a native of Duluth and 2002 graduate of Duluth East Senior High School, who now serves in the Security Operations Department at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. Dueñas enlisted in the Navy from a recruiting station in Duluth at 17 years old and last reenlisted for her current tour of duty at Enger Tower in October 2024 before heading for Cuba.  

“Wearing the uniform for 23 years has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Dueñas said. “Coming back to the city that raised me reminds me of where my values were built. The Navy gave me opportunities I never imagined, but the heart of who I am came from this community … [and] if even one young person sees me in uniform and imagines themselves serving, then this week will have made a lasting impact. I want them to know the world is bigger than they think, and their story can start right here in Duluth.”

Duluth Navy Week is the seventh of 15 Navy Weeks in 2025, which brings a variety of assets, equipment, and personnel to a single city for a weeklong series of engagements designed to bring America’s Navy closer to the people it protects. Each year, the program reaches more than 140 million people – about half the U.S. population.

“This year, as we mark the Navy’s 250th birthday, we celebrate not only our rich history but also the generations of Sailors who have proudly served our nation,” said Cmdr. Julie Holland, Navy Office of Community Outreach director. “Minnesota and the Great Lakes region is rich with naval history, and I am proud to help showcase the strength, resilience, and dedication of America’s Navy to the community of Duluth and beyond.”

Throughout the week, Sailors will participate in community service projects with organizations such as Second Harvest Northland, Superior Hiking Trail, Union Gospel Mission, Keep Duluth Clean, Animal Allies and Douglas County Humane Societies, and Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory. They will also engage with local students through STEM-focused sessions at STARBASE Minnesota and offer healthcare presentations and scholarship opportunities at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the College of St. Scholastica. The Navy Band will perform live at venues across the city, bringing Navy pride and energy to Duluth residents. Duluth Navy Week will also include a city proclamation with Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert, officially recognizing the event and honoring the Navy’s contributions to the Great Lakes region and to the nation.

Media organizations wishing to cover Duluth Navy Week events, to include interviewing hometown heroes and the senior Navy executives, should contact Lt. j.g. Josh Keim at (901) 232-4451 or via email at joshua.a.keim.mil@us.navy.mil. 

Join us at one of our top events, or visit https://outreach.navy.mil/ for the week’s full schedule:

• July 1, 10-11 a.m.: Mayoral Proclamation at USS Duluth (LPD 6) Anchor on the Lakewalk

• July 1, 1-2 p.m.: Navy Band Great Lakes performance at Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center

• July 1, 2 & 5: Duluth Huskies baseball games – Activities vary but may include first pitches, parachute demonstrations by the Navy LEAP Frogs, Navy band performances, and hometown Sailor recognition

• July 2, 5-7 p.m.: Performances, demonstrations and displays at Wednesday Night at the Races

• July 3, noon and 5:30 p.m.: Navy Band Great Lakes performance at The Depot (12 p.m.) and Duluth Public Library (5:30 p.m.)

• July 4, 2-8 p.m.: Parachute demonstration, Blue Angels pilot introductions, and a band performance at Fourth Fest

• July 4, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Navy Band Great Lakes performance and Sailors marching in the City of Superior Fourth of July Parade

• July 4, noon-3 p.m.: Navy Band Great Lakes performance at the Carlton County Historical Society

• July 4: Meet Sailors at the Cloquet Fourth of July Parade and celebration

• July 5 & 6, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.: Blue Angels flight demonstrations, Navy LEAP Frogs parachute demonstrations, enjoy Navy virtual reality experiences at “The Strike Group” trailer, and view other displays at the Duluth Air and Aviation Expo

Stories featuring Sailors from Duluth and Minnesota:

Senior Chief Master-at-Arms KC Dueñas, Duluth native and 2002 East High School graduate

https://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2025/06/east-high-school-alum-returns-home-for.html

Cmdr. Nehkonti Adams, Burnsville High School and University of Minnesota alum

https://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2025/06/burnsville-native-returns-to-minnesota.html

Follow Navy Outreach on social media:

• Instagram: @navy.outreach

• Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn: @navyoutreach

• #NavyWeek #AmericasNavy250

• PRESS KIT

About Navy Week:

Navy Weeks are a series of outreach events coordinated by the Navy Office of Community Outreach designed to give Americans an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity. Since 2005, the Navy Week program has brought the Navy’s mission, people, and capabilities to hundreds of communities nationwide, inspiring new generations and strengthening the bonds between the Navy and the American people.