Summers at Virginia Beach are unforgettable, mostly because of the beautiful beach and seaside culture, but also because of the huge variety of events happening on the beach constantly throughout the
summer season that you can take part in. Most of them are free or require no entry at all, and some require a little bit of forward planning, but either way, there is enough variety to keep anybody entertained for weeks.
On that note, there are too many events going on to list here, so we chose the top four that anyone visiting Virginia Beach or anyone living nearby simply must attend. Be sure to check out the listings for the summer, as you are bound to find something unique and interesting that is right up your alley.
Latin Fest
The Latin Fest is a celebration of the sounds, smells, and sights of Latin cultures. With national performers performing a variety of cultural music, as well as local and regional acts, this festival is sure to be very high energy and have beautiful sounds no matter where you wander. Salsa and Jazz will be prominently featured, as well as other Latin styles of music, for you to dance to and relax with.
There will also be vendors of all types and varieties at Latin Fest centered around the 24th Street Park, and the best part of all is that the festival is entirely free – all shows, admission,and special participation events are totally open to the public! You can of course order preferred viewing tickets, for $12 to $20 dollars, if you want to have a better view of the headliners and musical performances.
Latin Fest goes on from June 22 to June 23 on Virginia Beach.
Funk Fest Beach Party
Funk has been around longer than rock – seriously, the origins of funk can be traced back to the late 50’s. It’s a great American art style that has its roots in blues, soul and jazz while blending the three genres into one very high energy and dancable genre. The Funk Fest Beach Party takes place on the stage on the beach near 24th Street, and will display all of this and more in a festive and, well, funky vibe!
The festival will also have plenty of food and merchandise options, themed to the funky occasion of course, and dance contests throughout the day intended to bring all concert-goers under a shared groove.
The Funk Fest Beach Party is FREE to attend from August 24th to August 25th. Preferred viewing passes are available through ticketmaster, if you’ve rather watch the groove than be a part of the high energy pits.
American Music Festival
The American Music Festival encompasses a lot, because a lot of modern music began here in the US of A. Rock, jazz, country, rhythm and blues, and the blues themselves are just a few of the unique music genres that began here. The American Music Festival celebrates all of these varieties of music together for 3 days over Labor Day Weekend. It is one of the largest outdoor events on the entire East Coast, and brings together performers both nationally recognized and locally famous to celebrate American culture.
There are four stages, the 5th Street Stage, 17th Street Park, 24th Street Park, and 31st Street Park, all featuring national artists while remaining free to the public. Everything from local artists to spiffy vendors can be found on these streets, so be sure to spend some time away from the music and exploring the side shows as well!
The American Music Festival happens from August 31st to September 2nd, and is free with VIP tickets available.
Biplanes and Brews
Perhaps one of the more unique events to take place near Virginia Beach, Biplanes and Brews is an event run by the Military Aviation Museum of Virginia Beach to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the end of the First World War. The event aims to both highlight biplanes and vintage aircraft, as well as highlight local Virginia breweries in a vast diverse assortment of beer tastings.
What’s most awesome about this event, though, is the two air shows. At Biplanes and Brews,there will be both a WWI-themed airshow and a WWII-themed air show, with planes used during those times displayed not on the ground, but in flight above your head! There is also planned to be live music, vendors, and even biplane rides for the kids – but who are we kidding, I had you at beer tasting, right?
The event runs from October 6 to October 7 at the Military Aviation Museum, and tickets are anywhere from $12 to $45, with kids under 5 allowed in for free.
Groupon highlights of all the summer events in the VA Beach area.
By Dylan Moskowitz