NORFOLK, Va. — After 10 years of drawing crowds to Norfolk's Neon District, the Neon Festival is being replaced with a year-round cycle of events called Neon Nights.
Downtown Norfolk Council put out a call for artists last week for the first Neon Nights event, scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16. The location has not yet been determined.
The switch is largely tied to ongoing road construction in the district. For two years, the Neon Streetscape Project has worked to transform and beautify the city's first arts and culture district. But delays have left Granby Street torn up longer than expected, with orange construction barrels keeping people away and some businesses shutting down.
Neon Nights is designed to work around those challenges. Rather than a large street festival — difficult to plan amid active construction — the new format centers on individual businesses, with smaller activations spread across as many shops and venues as possible.
Paul Rice of Downtown Norfolk Council said the shift is intentional.
"We're looking at having a lot more intimate events and having events specifically in as many of the businesses and shops as possible, so you won't see as big of a street closure as in years past. But we'll have lots of smaller activations happening," Rice said.
Downtown Norfolk Council is offering grants between $250 and $750 to fund concepts, installations and performances at the inaugural event. Click HERE to apply.
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