VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Do you remember the ‘no cursing’ signs in Virginia Beach?
They will soon serve a new purpose years after they were taken down.
Back in the 1990s, the Virginia Beach Police Department was trying out new methods to tame crowds at the Oceanfront. One of their late-night solutions was bright lights and classical music blaring on Atlantic Avenue. But even that combination didn’t draw as much attention as the no cursing signs.
To emphasize a Virginia law that had been in place since 1792, signs with crossed-out expletives went up all down the strip, raising questions, and eyebrows, from visitors and locals.
Some people wondered if it was even enforceable, while others were confused about what the signs meant.
Fast forward to 2019, ahead of the first Something in the Water Festival, the signs were taken down. A year later, the centuries-old no-cursing law ended as well.
Now that the dust has settled, the signs are ready to serve a new purpose.
Mayor Bobby Dyer tells us the signs will be donated to the Virginia Beach Police Foundation, and then sometime later this year, they will be auctioned off to raise money for the foundation.
Signs once used to curb cursing will now be flipped to help maintain the police memorial on 35th Street and fund K9 vests for the department.
While there's no longer a state law, cursing in Virginia Beach is considered a misdemeanor that can carry a $250 citation.