Premier Boardwalk Events

Virginia Beach's boardwalk hosts a series of major annual events. The Boardwalk Art Show, established in 1955 and produced by the Museum of Contemporary Art, has become a respected outdoor fine arts show on the eastern seaboard, drawing 300 artists, attendance of more than 250,000, and taking place each June. The East Coast Surfing Championship is the second oldest surfing contest in the world and brings contestants and hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts to the beach each August for a three-day, multi-event spectacle. The Shamrock Marathon began in March 1973 with 59 runners and one race category and has grown to more than 30,000 participants in five race categories, combining a Saint Patrick's Day theme with status as a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon. Created in 1974 by the Virginia Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Neptune Festival celebrates the city's lifestyle and culture throughout September and includes a Boardwalk Weekend that draws more than 500,000 people for events including a grand parade, an international sandsculpting championship, an air show, athletic competitions, and an open-air art show. Since 1992, the Virginia Beach Polar Bear Plunge has drawn 36,000 participants, including 3,300 in 2014, and raised $8,100,000 for the Special Olympics-Virginia Program through a two-day February event. Since 2001, Holiday Lights at the Beach has brought more than 40,000 families each year to drive the boardwalk between 2nd and 32nd streets past nautical and holiday displays featuring more than 100 miles of lights and a 40 foot tall Christmas tree.

Virginia Beach, Virginia · United States