VBHA News

2026 Upcoming Events in Virginia Beach

Photo Courtesy of the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival/Photo By Jessica Shea Photography

Virginia Beach Neptune Festival Wine Festival

Not only is Virginia Beach a charming coastal city with amazing beaches, it is an entertainment destination. All year long Virginia Beach hosts a wide array of events and activities, from free family-friendly concert and movie series at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront to highly anticipated performances by top music industry artists at its premier venues. Whether you’re looking for live music, farmers markets or local art, Virginia Beach is a go-to for incredible events offering something for all ages and interests.

While summer is certainly a spectacular time for visiting Virginia Beach, don’t forget about May for a last-minute getaway. This is a special window of time slightly before in-season with less crowds than during summer and possibly even some better deals, with warming temps and fantastic events. Virginia Beach’s May event calendars are filled with fun events throughout the month leading up to Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial kickoff to summer.

It’s strawberry season and due to its strong agricultural heritage Virginia Beach is the “ripe” place for celebrating this spectacular fruit. Enjoy live music, vendors and strawberries at a variety of local strawberry events, including Strawberry Jamz Festival (May 9) at New Realm Brewing, Strawberry Jam at Cullipher Farm (May 16), Strawberry Festival at Back Bay Farmhouse (May 22-24), Pungo Square Strawberry Festival (May 23) and Strawberry Jam Weekend at Blue Pete’s Restaurant (May 28-31). Also take advantage of the pick-your-own experiences at local farms, a fun time for the whole family!

Wine lovers will want to get ready for the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival’s 21st Annual Spring Wine Festival (May 16), happening on 31st Street Park at the Oceanfront. The beloved event will feature more than 70 wines from eight countries, as well as zero proof options. Grab tickets and come enjoy good wine while listening to live music, amongst the stunning Atlantic Ocean backdrop.

The Dome, also at the Oceanfront, is one of Virginia Beach’s newest entertainment venues and catching a show there is a must-do while in town. The state-of-the-art, indoor/outdoor facility has a robust show lineup in May including David Lee Roth (May 9), Sam Barber (May 14) and SatchVai Band Featuring Joe Satriani and Steve Vai (May 23), just to name a few. And on June 18, Chicago returns for another performance. See The Dome’s full show lineup by visiting TheDomeByRutterMills.com.

Throughout May, the Virginia Beach Oceanfront is the location of a number of exciting large events. On May 8-9, both the Virginia International PANFest (24th Street Park) and Beachy Music Weekend (31st Street Park) will hold performances on stages steps off of the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. The following weekend, the Pungo Offroad Monsters on the Beach will take over the beach between 4th and 8th Streets, followed by the Memorial Day Weekend Salute to Summer (May 22-24) and Jackalope Fest (May 29-31).

Families might particularly enjoy the following events. Chalk the Walk (June 13) is a colorful and free event at the Boardwalk, which becomes covered with vibrant chalk art. Another outstanding option, a historic event in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary will be sailing into Virginia Beach mid-June and is a can’t miss opportunity. Featuring a fleet of more than 50 ships, Sail250® Virginia will be in Virginia Beach, June 16-19, near the Lesner Bridge.

Looking ahead, an additional event not to be missed in early September is the Super Girl Festival (Sept. 5-7), when the largest ladies’ sports music and lifestyle festival on the globe will come to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Stay tuned to details about this free mega festival featuring live concerts, competitive sports and much more!

Mark your calendar for more VB events still to come in 2026.

EVENTS CALENDAR

May 8: Old 60: Smokestack Town Tour

The Dome