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May 26, 2023
Dear Valued Tourism Partners,
After 30 years of leasing office space on various floors of 2101 Parks Ave., the Convention and Visitors Bureau will be moving to a new location across the street at 600 22nd St. on the 2nd floor. The physical move will begin the week of June 5 and is anticipated to take one week. To reach a member of our staff, we encourage you to reach out through your normal channels or email them directly. Thank you in advance for your patience with our response time; we will be working from various locations throughout the move. We look forward to welcoming you to our new office location for an open house in the near future. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Brande Rumpf at 757-282-1876 or via email at brumpf@visitvirginiabeach.com.
Thanks to everyone who came out last Friday evening to give pro skateboarder Chad Caruso a warm Virginia Beach welcome as he rolled into our coastal city after a long 3,000+ mile journey from Venice Beach, CA. By completing his cross-country trip in less than two months, Caruso is on track to set a world record as no such trip by skateboard is currently logged with Guinness World Records. To watch Chad’s final journey please visit https://youtu.be/H-byHYR8_-o. His arrival also marked another personal goal: he arrived in Virginia Beach in time for the JACKALOPE Festival, an action sports event which begins next Friday, June 2 and runs through Sunday, June 4, at the Oceanfront. Montreal-based JACKALOPE is an action sports event which is expanding to the U.S. this year and taking place in Virginia Beach for the first time. The free festival will feature demonstrations by world-renowned skateboarders, including Tony Hawk, boulderers and base jumpers leaping from the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotel. Skimboarding, freestyle motocross and beach volleyball competitions will also be held. Learn more about this unique festival by clicking here.
Tidewater Veterans Memorial Day Ceremony Set for Monday, May 29, 2023, Moved To Convention Center: Due to impending inclement weather forecasted for Monday, the ceremony will be held inside the Virginia Beach Convention Center, 1000 19th St., across from the Tidewater Veterans Memorial, beginning at noon. Guests are encouraged to bring their memorial wreaths with them as they join Virginia Beach Mayor Robert M. "Bobby" Dyer and the Mayor's Committee for Veterans for this annual event held in tribute to the men and women of the armed forces "who gave their all." Find the ceremony information and event details here.
Recent Press Coverage:
Summer Fest 2023 at Town Center Returns Nightly Entertainment to the Fountain Plaza - Enjoy free live music on the Town Center Fountain Plaza nightly from 5:30 - 8:30 pm starting tonight (Fri., May 26th) and continuing through Monday, September 3rd. Be there as the Fountain Plaza comes alive with performances from local musicians and special guest acts. Everyone is invited to come for the music and stay for the Town Center experience! Enjoy your favorite artists beginning this weekend with Frank Sings Frank, The Taylors and the Doorway Singers! There are several restaurants in Town Center which offer outdoor seating within earshot of the music. Your options are anything but limited when it comes to jamming the night away with good tunes, cool drinks, and delectable cuisine in Virginia Beach Town Center. For a complete list of Town Center restaurants, visit www.towncentervb.com. This event is provided by the businesses of Town Center of Virginia Beach, Armada Hoffler Properties, and the City of Virginia Beach, and is produced by the Central Business District Association. Know Before You Go: Town Center parking and WIFI are always free. Garage parking is recommended; please be mindful of on-street parking time limitations. In inclement weather, all outdoor entertainment may be canceled.
Memorial Day Weekend’s Oceanfront Salute To Summer - Enjoy the cool sounds of summer as the season of sun and fun kicks off on Memorial Day Weekend! Free concerts at 17th Street Park, 24th Street Park, and 31st Street Park feature local bands representing different genres and musical stylings. These concerts, starting tonight and running through Sunday, May 28, complement the perfect weekend to sun, swim, and surf at the East Coast’s premier resort destination. Experience the Heroes’ Walk banners along the boardwalk, essays composed by local Virginia Beach history students which tell the stories of various wars and conflicts the United States has been involved in over the years. They are a great reminder of the sacrifices made throughout our history. For more information and the musical lineup for the weekend, click here.
Sales Activity & CVB News - The M&C Team has two site visits this week with national clients and is gearing up for a very busy June with four out-of-town sales missions and two major events in town. The Sports Tourism team is set to host an exciting week filled with five diverse sporting events, attracting a total of more than 7,900 athletes to the City. One of the notable events taking place is the NHSCA (National High School Coaches Association) National Duals. As a premier wrestling tournament, it brings together high school athletes from across the country to compete in team-based matches. This event serves as a platform for young wrestlers to demonstrate their skills and pursue national recognition. Other events include the Steel Pier Classic, U16 and U14 Regional Club Field Hockey Championships, and the Ralph Downey Memorial Soccer Tournament which brings together teams of various age groups and honors the memory of Ralph Downey while fostering a spirit of camaraderie and passion for the game of soccer. Along with Election Officials Training and the written exam for Fire Department candidates, the VBCC also welcomed Towne Bank for their annual shareholders meeting this week and looks forward to hosting the LifeNet Staff Meeting next week as we prepare for the start of a busy June. On Monday, May 29th, join us for the Memorial Day Ceremony at the Veterans Memorial to honor all those that sacrificed their lives in service to our country. Please note, 19th Street will be closed from Parks Avenue to the Sports Center for most of that day. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved inside the VBCC.
Visitor Information Centers (VIC) Open For Summer – The VIC is kicking the summer off this Memorial Day weekend with the opening of several locations. The two oceanfront kiosks, located at 24th Street on Atlantic Ave and 17th Street on the boardwalk, will be open daily from 9 am to 5 pm starting today (Fri, May 26) through Labor Day. The Visitor Center at 2100 Parks Avenue will be open 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday, and 10 am to 4 pm Saturdays & Sundays. The Chesapeake Bay Center at First Landing State Park will be open from 9 am to 5:30 pm beginning June 16 up to September 3rd. Our team is excited to assist and answer questions from locals & visitors about all Virginia Beach has to offer!
EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
Our current Calendar of Events is available here. Take a look and see more of what’s on the horizon.
My team and I are committed to you and our industry and are here to help. Please let me know how we can assist. Sincerely,
Nancy Helman
CVB Director
Hotel Occupancy for the week of May 7 - 13: According to Smith Travel Research, Virginia Beach’s hotel occupancy rate for the week of May 7 – May 13 was down -3.6% year-over-year at 60.7% occupancy and -0.5% for the running 28-day trend. ADR was up 3% at $147.05 for the week and up 11.7% for the running 28-day trend. RevPAR was down -0.8% at $89.19 but up 11.2% for the running 28-day trend. In comparison to the month of May 2019, we have a decrease in occupancy of -16.73% but counter this with an increase in ADR and RevPAR of 8.54% and 8.47% respectively.
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