VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Temperatures are rising, which means we are inching close to beach season and a packed event schedule down at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
It’s a season jam-packed with music, athletic feats and fireworks. There will be some new faces, like the all-new reggae festival Point Break and familiar favorites including Jackalope Fest.
"Really there’s something going on every weekend," Erin Goldmeier with the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau told 13News Now.
Upcoming festivals, events in Virginia Beach this summer
Here's a look at the seven events this summer expected to draw thousands to Virginia Beach.
First up, Audacy Oceanfront Concerts is running April 26-28. It’s a weekend typically held by Something in the Water, however, when Pharrell Williams decided to choose another undisclosed date, Audacy stepped in to produce three days of national and local Hip Hop acts.
Then, the beach will host the Salute to Summer on Memorial Day weekend. That will include free concerts at 17th Street Park, 24th Street Park and 31st Street Park featuring local bands of different genres.
June 1-2 welcomes the Point Break Music Festival — an all-new reggae event featuring artists like Wiz Khalifa, Sublime, and Rebelution. It’s an event expected to bring in 15,000 people per day.
That same weekend, the Oceanfront sees the return of Jackalope Fest! The three-day event features skateboarding, freestyle motocross and base jumping. This year, you can get in on the action with tandem base jumps from a crane — yep, you read that right. You can experience the thrill yourself!
There’s even more for sports fans to enjoy with the North American Sand Soccer Championship from June 7-8, bringing in about 35,000 people per day.
The summer wraps up with the annual Stars and Stripes celebration on the 4th of July and the Funk Fest Beach Party that runs August 23-24.
Virginia Beach community welcomes summer events at Oceanfront
"Entertainment and fun is what makes Virginia Beach a great place to live and a great place to do business," said George Kotaridis, owner of Dough Boys at the Oceanfront. "I'm really excited for all the entertainment that's on the way this year."
He said these festivals are a great draw for crowds.
"Of course, we love a lot of people down here, that means it’s good for business," he said. "We also like a safe secure environment."
Goldmeier said the increase in summer festivals put Virginia Beach on the map.
"We have seen an uptick in visitation from outside of the city," she said. "They’ve also made a huge economic impact on the city."
With a lot of new events, she said people are curious.
"They offer new experiences for people that we haven't really had in Virginia Beach before."
Mary Souther said living on the North End, she and her neighbors have some concerns with the large crowds coming.
"We’ve had some issues with short-term rentals, or what we call spillover events where a big house party spills onto the beach," she said.
Souther said knowing there will be a strong security and police presence, she’ll be able to enjoy what these festivals have to offer.
"I have a relative competing in Jackalope, my kids have already bought tickets for the Point Break Fest," she said. "I volunteer at these events so that people outside of our community feel welcome."
Kotaridis said he hopes to be part of the fun too.
"I hope I’m so busy that I can’t go, but sometimes we escape," he laughed. "For sure, I’ll be checking out some of the entertainment this summer."
Are "Something in the Water" and "Beach It!" returning to Virginia Beach in 2024?
As for two other notable events, city leaders say there are no plans for the country music festival, "Beach It," to return. City leaders are still in negotiations for "Something in the Water" and said they hope to make an announcement soon.
Goldmeier said if you plan to visit the Oceanfront for any of these festivals, please be patient when it comes to parking.
"Obviously, there's going to be a little bit of traffic, so we just ask for some patience," she said. "I think it's going to be a really fun summer season. Really, we have a little bit of everything."
Check back with 13News Now for the summer festivals happening in Norfolk.