INSIDE COMMISSIONING WEEK IN ANNAPOLIS: THE HIGHLIGHTS & MUST-SEES
Graduation Week for the United States Naval Academy, also known as Commissioning Week, takes place in Annapolis, Maryland each year at the end of May. Commissioning Week is a truly special and unique time in Annapolis, marking the beginning of summer for local “Annapolitans,” but it is also the culmination of four years of hard work coming to a close as the latest class prepares to become newly commissioned Officers ready to join the fleet at duty stations around the world.
This year, May 19th marked the beginning of Commissioning Week, and so far, it is off to a strong start. Below, we are sharing the top highlights of the week, sharing everything you need to keep and eye out for, and catching you up on what you may have missed.
What Does Commissioning Week Look Like in Annapolis?
Commissioning Week in many ways feels like a week-long holiday each year in Annapolis. USNA families travel from all over the county each year to celebrate their graduating seniors, or “firsties.”
Local families rent their homes out to graduating families for a premium years in advance, schools close early for the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration(s), and the town as whole is bustling with excitement, lots of traffic, fanfare and the purest form of Naval pride.
The Commissioning Week calendar is robust and jam-packed with events, ceremonies and gatherings all over Maryland’s state capital. We’ve broken down the top highlights of the week here in this “Go-To” Guide.
The Top Commissioning Week Highlights and Events
Commissioning Week in Annapolis is full of events and shows for families. Below, we are sharing some of the top events that are happening this week. Be sure to mark your calendar.
Blue Angels Airshow
Each year, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels come to town for an airshow, always taking place on the Wednesday at 2:00pm of Commissioning Week.
Equally as exciting, they also fly into town and practice the airshow in full the day before on Tuesday. Boats filled with families and friends flock from all over to the Severn River, the Naval Academy grounds, downtown Annapolis, and its surrounding areas to catch a front-row seat to the Sound of Freedom.
Annual Herndon Monument Climb
The Annual Herndon Monument Climb is also a highlight of the week. This year, it was held on May 14th. Each year, the freshman, or “plebe” class at USNA faces the challenge of climbing the Herndon Monument, which is a tall, concrete structure with a sharp point at the top, shaped almost identically to a missile.
The Herndon Monument is located centrally on the Yard of USNA, just across from the Naval Academy Chapel nestled in the middle of the beautiful gardens. The caveat? The Monument is covered in lard, which makes it incredibly slippery and therefore, very challenging to climb.
A midshipman’s hat, or “cover” is placed at the very top. The men and women of the plebe class must get creative, building human pyramids, using articles of clothing as bolsters for support to ascend to the top to retrieve the cover.
Once this mission is complete, it signifies the end of their plebe year as a class. “Plebes no more!” can be heard echoing throughout the Academy grounds and beyond on this day.
The Commencement Ceremony
Last but not least, Commencement Ceremony for the graduating Class of Midshipmen takes place on the Friday of Commissioning Week, usually falling just before Memorial Day Weekend. This year, the commencement ceremony will take place on May 23rd at 10:00am in the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
The Commencement Ceremony takes place rain or shine in Navy- Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, nestled conveniently in the heart of Annapolis, walking distance from USNA.
Commencement speakers over the years have included distinguished guests such as Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels remain in town for this day, and perform a low-level F/A-18 flyover of the commencement ceremony.
Additional Commissioning Week Events to Check Out in Annapolis
Above, we shared some of the top highlights of the week. But, Commissioning Week events aren’t solely limited to the one listed above.
Here are some other events that are worth checking out as the week comes to a close.
Thursday, May 22nd
Color Parade
Time: 11:00am
Location: Worden Field
Catholic Mass
Time: 12:50am - 1:20pm
Location: St. Andrew’s Chapel
Prizes & Awards Ceremony & Reception
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Alumni Hall
Friday, May 23rd
Class of 2025 Procession
Time: 9:00am
Location: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Blue Angels Graduation Fly-By
Time: 10:04 am
Location: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
In closing, Commissioning Week is a week equally celebrated both by families of the Naval Academy as well as local Annapolis residents. Navy pride runs deep in Annapolis all year long, but during Commissioning Week, it feels even more palpable.
Whether it is taking off from work and school to witness the “Sound of Freedom” soar over the Severn River, celebrate graduating seniors, or cheering on the Academy’s newest students as they complete their final missions of the plebe year, there is truly nothing like it.
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