Sussex County Navy Week will bring sailors to engage directly with communities in the Diamond State through a series of performances, STEM educational activities, community events, and service projects, showcasing the modern fleet and mission-ready sailors.

Navy Weeks bring the Navy to regions without a major naval presence, fostering connections and demonstrating how the Navy’s mission ensures security, prosperity and freedom for our nation. The Navy Week program has visited over 100 U.S. cities since the program’s inception in 2005.

As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026, Navy Weeks continues to take sailors on a celebratory “Road Trip to 250,” serving as symbolic stops across the United States, highlighting the Navy’s history, heritage, and continued commitment to defending freedom and supporting American communities.

“We’re excited to bring Navy Week to Sussex County for the first time and continue the 2026 tour in Delaware,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Richard Chernitzer, director of the Navy Office of Community Outreach. “As the first state, Delaware has a proud legacy dating back to the founding of our nation. Sussex County Navy Week allows us the opportunity to honor that history while strengthening the connection between our sailors and the communities of Sussex County.”

Navy Week events will feature sailors from various commands across the fleet. The program aims to provide residents with a firsthand look at the Navy’s mission and the men and women who serve our nation around the world.

The event will build on these existing relationships, showcasing a lineup of performances, demonstrations and community engagements from the following:

• Naval History and Heritage Command: Explore Delaware’s proud naval legacy and the contributions of generations of Delawareans who have served across the fleet, through interactive exhibits and educational displays.
• Navy Band Northeast: Enjoy live musical performances and masterclasses from Navy musicians as they appear at venues throughout Sussex County and during the annual Sea Witch^® Festival.
• Navy STEM: Experience hands-on demonstrations displaying STEM capabilities, giving residents a close look at the technology and expertise behind today’s Navy.
• Sailors from across the fleet: Engage with sailors from commands around the world, including “hometown heroes” from Delaware who will return to represent their Navy and share their stories with the Sussex County community.

For more details on Sussex County Navy Week, visit https://outreach.navy.mil/navy-weeks/ or contact Ensign Han Fiori-Puyu at han.a.fioripuyu.mil@us.navy.mil or (901) 232-4449. 

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