Save the date for the 10th Annual NEON Festival! Celebrate an incredible decade of festivities in the NEON District on October 16 and 17, 2025!
The NEON Festival is a free two evening event that encourages visitors to explore and discover the NEON District. The festival celebrates the energy in NEON and draws from the passion and creativity in Downtown and the region. Anchored by the Chrysler Museum of Art and Harrison Opera House and extending to The Plot on Granby Street, the NEON District includes many creative small businesses and arts partners that contribute to the festivities.
Volunteer with Us
Be part of the 10th anniversary of NEON Festival and help bring the energy of art, music, and community to life. Sign up to volunteer here.
Get hyped for the 2025 Festival!
ENTERTAINMENT
Some of Norfolk’s brightest musicians, comedians and performance artists will converge on the NEON to energize streets and stages throughout the district. Thursday, October 16 the festival enlivens the Chrysler Museum of Art campus while on Friday, October 17 the activities center around The Plot and Granby Street businesses. Make sure to swing by d’Art Center, Zeke’s and the Copeland Center for pop-up art galleries, The Plot for main stage entertainment, Push Comedy for belly laughs and the Cofer Lot for DJ sets and interactive art.
Thursday, October 16, 2025
The first night of NEON Festival highlights the west side of the District, taking place in and around the Chrysler Museum and Glass Studio.
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Snacks from local food trucks and more
- 7:00pm - 8:00pm Norfolk Tour Company Art Tour leaving from Grace Street
- 7:00pm AMI Dance Performance outside the Studio
- 7:30pm The Governor's School for the Arts Dance Performance
Hot glass and live music come together for memorable evenings as the Perry Glass Studio kicks off the first night of NEON Festival with Glass After Dark.
Cash bar. Free, registration recommended.
- Entire night: Community programming from TCC Art Students, Caricature Artists, the Maury Photo Club and WHRO
- 6:00pm The Governor's School for the Arts Jazz Band, Studio Lobby
- 6:20pm Strolling Strings, upstairs inside Studio
- 6:30pm NEON 10th Anniversary Celebration Toast inside the Hot Shop
- 6:30pm Melodic Meditation outside on the Studio loading dock
- 7:00pm - 10:00pm Glass After Dark in the Hot Shop
- 7:45pm Strolling Strings at the Studio entrance
- 8:00pm Glow Yoga with Vee and Bhav Brigade outside on the Studio loading dock
- 8:00pm Bread Collectors Band in the Hot Shop, alongside Glass After Dark
- 6:00pm - 8:00pm Susan Watkins and Women Artists of the Progressive Era Exhibition Preview Celebration (ticketed)
Friday, October 17, 2025
The second night of NEON Festival centers around The Plot, Granby Street, d’Art Center and the local businesses on the east side of the District.
Freshtopia with DJ Bee
- 6:00pm - 6:20pm Virginia Opera Emerging Artists
- 6:30pm - 6:50pm Teens with a Purpose
- 9:00pm - 10:00pm DJ Chef Dro
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Beer Garden with food trucks, vendors and sponsor booths
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Hampton Roads Quilting Guild
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Doodlefest in Granby Street
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Immortalize Yourself in Art!
Local artist Rowena Federico Finn invites everyone to contribute to her upcoming art exhibition "Crowd Control." By adding a single anonymous fingerprint onto a translucent capiz shell, you become part of the work—adding to the collective while maintaining your individuality. Together, the fingerprints create a powerful meditation on privacy in a data-driven age and the tension between personal identity and belonging to a larger whole.
- 6:00pm - 7:00pm Chalk art and temporary arm tattoos with The Governor's School for the Arts visual art students
- 7:00pm - 8:00pm Norfolk Tour Company Art Tour leaving from Cementiscope sculpture at the Plot
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Festival beer garden
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm TEN: Time, Transformation, and Togetherness Art Exhibition
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm DJ sets by House Revival Project
- 6:30pm - 7:00pm Hurrah Players presents scenes from The Addams Family
- 8:00pm - 10:00pm Truth Be Told: Virginia Story Launch
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Good Society vendor market in the street
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Ashleigh Bagwell flower sculptures in Magazine Lane
- 5:00pm - 9:00pm VIVID Exhibition Opening with live painting, fairy hair, a DJ, beverages and snacks
- 6:00pm VIVID Exhibition Award announcements
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm The Doper Show
- 9:30pm Foster Beauty Fashion Show Finale Walk
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Lunatique La Fete du Soir
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Black Out Juried Group Exhibition
- 9:30pm Winners Announcement
- 6:30pm - 9:30pm Free Improv Shows every 30 minutes featuring The Pushers and some of the Push Comedy Theater's funniest improvisers. Totally FREE!
- 6:00pm - 8:00pm Celebrate the 12th Annual Hat-tober
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Grab a taco or marg from NEON's classic dive bar
- 6:00pm - 9:00pm Old Dominion University Art Therapy Make and Take
- 6:00pm - 9:00pm Old Dominion University Pottery Sale & Fundraiser for 757 Community Fridges
- 7:00pm - 8:00pm ODU Writers in Community Poetry Reading
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Darknight Entertainment
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm XIMERAx
- 6:00pm - 10:00pm Rollbounce Rollout
EVENT PRODUCERS
Last year a talented group of local creatives reimagined the NEON Festival, bringing fresh energy, bold ideas, and new experiences to the district. This year we are keeping that momentum going with another outstanding lineup of producers. Each will take over their own area of the festival, curating unique entertainment, community partners, artwork, and more.
2025 NEON Festival Producers
- Fresh Radio
- Feed Your Soul with DJ Chef Dro
- 757 Makerspace and House Revival Project
- Norfolk State University Fine Arts
- Foster Beauty Fashion Show and The Digital Builders
- The Doper Show
- Rollbounce Rollout
- Ashleigh Bagwell
- Doodlefest
- GoodSociety
- 757 Create and High on Your Supply
- XIMERAx and Darknight Entertainment
- ODU Arts with Richard Nickel
- Heard Productions
PUBLIC ART
#10for10
Wander through the neighborhood and discover tiny art happenings, large-scale murals and pops of neon color and light. In honor of the 10th anniversary of NEON’s public art program, see 10 works in honor of 10 years on walls by celebrated international artists and local heroes.
In a reprisal of his original mural New Energy of Norfolk, Rick Nickel's smiling houses once again grace the NEON District. Painted in honor of the tenth anniversary of NEON, the new iteration of the mural now faces the northern entrance to the neighborhood but still is the friendliest of murals.
The NEON District and the condo owners of the Gray Building partner on providing a rotating window gallery space for young and emerging artists. This fall features students from Solstice Hybrid Academy.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Got a question about the NEON Festival? We’ve got answers! From parking to programming, expand the questions below for insights to make your NEON Festival experience a memorable one! For anything not covered or more information, you can contact us here.
NEON is an acronym for New Energy of Norfolk, which represents the energetic and creative community of Norfolk’s arts district.
Please contact neonnfk@downtownnorfolk.org for more information about the NEON District and the NEON Festival.
You can also reach festival organizers at the Downtown Norfolk Council at 757-623-1757.
Yes! We will need volunteers on Friday, October 17, 2025. We need beer pourers, festival guides and more! Stay tuned for a link to register this fall.
Thursday, October 16 the festival runs from 6pm-10pm at the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio. Friday, October 17 the festival runs from 6pm-10pm on Granby Street, Wilson Avenue and at The Plot.
The NEON Festival is a great place to bring kids for early evening festivities. There will be live music, arts and crafts, and other fun activities for kids and families.
Yes, the NEON Festival’s events are all free and open to the public.
Great question! On Thursday evening, the focus of the festival will be on the newly reopened Chrysler Museum Glass Studio. Chrysler Museum of Art will be open late for a member exhibition preview so non-members will have to pay a small entry fee.
On Friday evening, festivities include street activations. Granby Street in front of the Plot and W. Wilson Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic so that festival visitors can enjoy activities, shop, wander and drink an adult beverage throughout the street closure. It adds so much more space for vendors, visitors and lots more fun.
A LOT! Festival attendees can visit one of the NEON District eateries or find a snack at one of the food trucks or vendors around the festival.
You can also try one of the NEON businesses staying open late like Zeke's NFK, Commune or Sanctuary.
Yes! Both evenings of the festival offer many indoor activities in a variety of venues. In the advent of serious inclement weather, some outdoor programming may be moved indoors. Please follow @neonnfk or visit the festival page for updates.
2025 SPONSORS
The NEON Festival could not be possible every year without the generosity of our amazing sponsors:
PRESENTING SPONSORS
MEDIA PARTNERS
CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS
BEVERAGE SPONSORS
PRODUCING PARTNERS
FRIENDS
Honorable Courtney Doyle, Norfolk City Council