VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Crews, crowds and local businesses are gearing up for the inaugural Audacy's Oceanfront Concerts, which kicks off this weekend at the Virginia Beach Boardwalk.
On Thursday, crews spent hours setting up the main stage on the beach next to Neptune's Park, where famous hip-hop artists like Juicy J, Tee Grizzly and NLE Chopper will perform, starting at 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
"The crowds are fun. We've been around them before, so we'll just see how it is coming in and out," said concert attendee Aubree Midgett, who attended Something in the Water music festival last year.
The three-day live music event — which is happening on the same weekend SITW festival has previously taken place — will also feature free music at the 17th and 24th street stages. A huge lineup of local artists will perform there each day from noon to 5 p.m., when gates open for the main concert area.
Organizers say the concert series is aimed toward college-aged students, but the concerts are open to all ages. Guests over the age of two must have a ticket, and an adult must accompany minors.
Virginia Beach officials are not sure how much money the concert series will bring in for the city, since it is the inaugural event, but they said they plan to study it once the event is over. One thing is for sure: big crowds are expected! And that means more business for Oceanfront restaurants and less available parking for people going to the beach.
"It's always exciting to get people down here to see our beach and enjoy all the great restaurants on the Oceanfront," said Eddie's Seafood Restaurant manager Debbie Lou Hague.
"Parking is one thing Virginia Beach lacks," said Jimmy Holt, who manages an Atlantic Avenue parking lot. He said that although his parking lot was empty Thursday, he expects all 130 spaces to be filled over the weekend.
Who is performing at Audacy's Oceanfront Concerts and when?
Here's a breakdown of the schedule, according to Z104's Instagram.
Friday:
- 5 p.m.: Pk Clasik
- 5:30 p.m.: DJ 2Much
- 6 p.m.: Alexander Star & The Golden People
- 6:25 p.m.: DJ Rayvon
- 6:55 p.m.: Shordie Shordie
- 7:40 p.m.: Tee Grizzley
- 9:15 p.m.: NLE Choppa
Saturday:
- 5 p.m.: DJ Mista Cham / DJ Julian Rivera
- 6 p.m.: DJ Infamous
- 7 p.m.: 310babii
- 7:30 p.m.: DJ Akademiks
- 8 p.m.: Skilla Baby
- 9:15 p.m.: Juicy J
Traffic impacts, where to find parking at Virginia Beach Oceanfront
According to Visit Virginia Beach, municipal parking lots are also available and can be found on Atlantic Avenue at 4th Street, Rudee Loop, 2nd Street, and Croatan Beach. The lots charge a daily fee from April 1 to October 31. The municipal parking garages are located on Pacific Avenue at 9th Street, 25th Street, and 31st Street. The maximum fee for the day at any of the garage locations is $20 unless staying overnight. (Croatan is free from October 1 to March 31)
On-street metered parking can also be found throughout the resort area, which is $2 per hour from April 1 through October 31.
Visit Virginia Beach says to call 757-385-4800 for additional parking information at the Oceanfront.
Attendees can find info about parking and prohibited items on Audacy's website.