VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Beach It! Country Music Festival is making its debut at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront this weekend and the excitement is building for its star-studded lineup of country music artists.
The festival will take place from Friday, June 23 to Sunday, June 25, and is expected to bring a large crowd to the Oceanfront.
It comes a couple of months after Pharrell Williams' Something in the Water music festival made its triumphant return to the Oceanfront in April, after two years of COVID-19 cancellations and a year in Washington D.C.
The festival is hoping to fill the void left by the Patriotic Festival, a country music festival that moved from the Oceanfront to Scope Arena in Norfolk in 2022. In 2018, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival brought in $6.5 million in revenue.
13News Now rounded up all the information you need to know to navigate the festival, from the performers to the best way to get to the festival site.
Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, and Luke Bryan are the headliners
Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, and Luke Bryan will perform the headlining shows Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, from June 23 through 25.
Other artists on the main stage will include Riley Green, Jo Dee Messina, Kip Moore, Megan Moroney, Brothers Osborne, Jameson Rodgers, Dee Jay Silver, Nate Smith, Alana Springsteen, Cole Swindell, Lily Rose, and Hailey Whitters.
You can find the full schedule on the festival's website.
What am I allowed (or not allowed) to bring?
There are restrictions on what attendees can and cannot bring to the festival. Items such as alcohol, blankets, weapons, coolers, and musical instruments will not be allowed.
Guests will be allowed to bring things such as towels, beach chairs, E-cigs, empty reusable bottles, and a gallon bag size bag full of snacks.
Towels cannot be used to "save" spots on the beach, and beach chairs can only be set up in designated areas. Chairs will not be allowed in the VIP section.
Bags are also allowed, but cannot be bigger than a fanny pack or a clutch. Clear bags are also welcomed but cannot be bigger than 15 x 23 centimeters.
If attendees wish to lock up any of their items at the festival, they can reserve a locker. It is $25 a day to reserve one, and it is $60 for the entire festival.
How do I get to the festival?
The festival will be located on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront between 3rd and 8th Street. The main entrance and exit will be next to the Boardwalk by 7th Street, near the Next From Nashville Stage.
The VIP entrance and exit will be on the Boardwalk closer to 4th Street and the ADA entrance will be closer to 5th Street.
Organizers are encouraging people to use a rideshare to get to the festival, but there are plenty of parking garages at the Oceanfront.
The rideshare pickup and drop-off will be located at 9th Street.
Where will the stages be located?
The main stage will be located at 3rd Street and the Next From Nashville Stage will be located around 7th Street.
How can I stay updated during the festival?
The festival has an iOS and Android app allowing people to customize their schedules and get reminders about when their favorite artists will perform throughout the weekend.
The app will also have options listed for food and drinks, shopping, and other things to do. People are encouraged to have their push notifications turned on to get updates and "special surprises."
Virginia Beach officials are also encouraging people to sign up for RAVE alerts to get updates and emergency notifications during the festival. Text BEACHIT to 67283.
How bad will the traffic be?
Virginia Beach officials are encouraging people to download the Waze app in anticipation of heavy traffic at the Oceanfront.
During the festival, Rudee Loop at 3rd Street will be closed to the public including vehicle and foot traffic. Also, access south of 5th Street will be restricted to city-issued passes.
Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets are available on the festival's website and there are options for one or three-day general admission passes, as well as a three-day VIP pass and three-day VIP reserved pass.
The festival will also have a box office open from Thursday to Sunday near 8th Street and the Boardwalk.
If there are storms, will there be refunds?
The festival's terms and conditions say all sales are final and there won't be any refunds or exchanges.
In an interview with 13News Now's Ashley Smith Wednesday, festival organizer Brian O'Connell said there will be "a refund situation" if bad weather causes an entire day of the festival to be canceled.
The show will go on rain or shine, but O'Connell said they will pause things if there's lightning outside.
"We will shut it down for lightning, and if that happens, we will try to resume," he told 13News Now.
Can I bring cash?
The festival won't accept cash, but people will be able to pay for things using the cashless program on the festival wristband, credit cards, debit cards, or Apple Pay/Google Pay.