For five decades, Harborfest has brought tall ships, live music, and hundreds of thousands of people to Norfolk’s waterfront. Over the years, some have chosen not to attend, believing the festival celebrates the region’s role in the slave trade.
As part of this milestone anniversary, News 3 wanted to find out how Harborfest began and whether that belief is true.
Inside the Sargeant Memorial Collection at Slover Library, the history of Harborfest is preserved in photographs, newspaper clippings, and records spanning decades…