Something in the Water, Jackalope Fest, Beach It! Festival and Beyond Van Gogh are some of the highly anticipated events happening this year in Virginia Beach. The city has incredible events planned throughout the year, not just at the oceanfront but in its other diverse districts, such as the nearby ViBe Creative District and Town Center. See below for events to check out this spring and summer.
April 15-16: Bulls and Barrels Beach Rodeo Met up at 3rd Street at 3 p.m. at the oceanfront for an afternoon packed full of bull riding and barrel racing competitions, and much more.
April 21-23: Catch Me if You Can Catch this new musical based on the hit film starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo Di Caprio at one of the showings at the Sandler Center.
April 22: Crush N’ Run Come crush it at this 7th annual 5K race and fundraiser, while supporting local charities.
April 22: East Coast She-Crab Soup Classic Sample She-Crab soup from restaurants in the region and vote in this tasty competition.
April 28-30: Something in the Water 2023 This music festival and cultural celebration is one of Virginia Beach’s biggest events of the year.
May 5: Ballet Hispanico Get your tickets for Virginia Arts Festival’s one-night showing of Ballet Hispanico.
May 6-7: Atlantic Coast Kite Festival Watch kites fly high in the sky at the oceanfront from 16th to 18th Streets at this popular, family-friendly event.
May 12-13: Beach Music Weekend Buy your tickets and get ready to dance on the beach at 30th Street at the oceanfront May 12-13 for a music festival featuring bands playing nostalgic tunes.
May 13: Virginia International PANFest Presented by the Virginia Arts Festival in cooperation with Live! On Atlantic, check out this annual festival that includes scheduled performances as well as a competition of steel bands and ensembles.
May 13: Mark Morris Dance Group: The Look of Love Come see the Mark Morris Dance Group perform The Look of Love with music by Burt Backarach at the Sandler Center.
May 19-21: Pungo Offroad Monsters on the Beach Brace yourself for this thrilling—and loud—Monster Truck show, including racing and battles, at the oceanfront.
May 20: CoVa Burger Battle Prepare to sample burger sliders and local brews at this fun, juicy event at the Military Aviation Museum.
May 20: 18th Annual Spring Wine Festival Enjoy wine tastings at 31st Street Park, which will include stations with more than 70, plus live music.
May 26-28: Memorial Day Weekend Salute to Summer Kick off the summer at this free event with concerts at 17th, 24th and 31st Street Parks, featuring a variety of local bands.
May 27-29: Coastal Edge Steel Pier Classic Catch the waves at the 20th annual Steel Pier Classic, including a surfing contest and surf art expo, on 2nd Street at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
June 2-4: Jackalope Fest Experience this thrilling event showcasing Canada’s action sports with competitions and demonstrations including skateboarding BASE jumping, breakdancing and much more!
June 16-17: La Fiesta Come party at La Fiesta on 24th Street at the oceanfront, where you’ll experience authentic food, Latin music and much more.
June 17: Chalk the Walk Discover the amazing ways artists transform the Virginia Beach Boardwalk (between 16th and 18th Streets) into a colorful canvas during this unique competition.
June 17-19: Juneteenth at the Beach Don’t miss this family-friendly Juneteenth festival at 24th Street Park and the Boardwalk at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
June 23-25: Beach It Festival Country music will take over the oceanfront at this huge event including headliners Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and Luke Bryan.
June 24: SOVA Awards Head to Mount Trashmore Park for the S.O.V.A Awards (Sign of a Verified Artist) for a celebration of independent music artists.
June 30-July 2: Totally Tribute Music Fest Enjoy great music concerts and free admission at 17th and 24th Street Parks.
July 6-Sept. 2: Beyond Van Gogh: This summer at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, observe more than 300 artworks by Van Gogh in an immersive experience with advanced projection technology.
July 4: July 4th Celebration at Mount Trashmore: Celebrate Independence Day at Mount Trashmore Park and enjoy a fireworks display, live music and food trucks.
July 4: 4th of July Stars & Stripes Celebration: Experience a salute to our nation at this free 4th of July celebration including live musical performances at various stages at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
July 18-22: Beach Blanket Movie Fest: Grab your blanket and a spot on the beach at 29th Street and watch a movie under the stars at this free, family-friendly event, July 18 through July 22.
Aug. 5: Water Lantern Festival: Buy your tickets in support of Water.org for this unforgettable event and experience the glow of beautiful floating lanterns on the lake at Mount Trashmore Park.
Aug. 20-27: Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships: In its 61st year, come see the world’s oldest continuous surf competition at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront from 1st Street through 5th Street.
Aug. 25-26: Funk Fest Beach Party: This annual event has been entertaining audiences for 13 years. With sounds of R&B and jazz to blues and gospel, listen to fabulous tunes on the beach at 24th Street. General admission is free.
Aug. 26: Coastal Craft Beer Festival: Head to Neptune Park at the Oceanfront for this 8th annual beer festival, with more than 60 beers including local craft beer, cider and seltzer.
All dates and times are subject to change. Please call ahead or check online before attending.