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June 9, 2023
Dear Valued Tourism Partners,
Before I begin this week’s message, I’d like to offer a sincere congratulations to all the graduates of the Class of 2023, especially those who have supported our industry while finishing up their studies. We appreciate their dedication and wish them well as they take their next steps. Happy Graduation, Class of 2023!
Wow! Was last weekend a thriller or what?? Gravity-defying skateboarding, bouldering, base jumping and motocross - each action sport had the crowds in awe, including me! Watching someone base jump off one of our hotels was probably one of the most memorable moments of the weekend, although there were so many I just about lost count. Thanks to everyone who helped make the JACKALOPE Action Sports Festival all we hoped it would be and more. We can’t wait for next year!
Thank you for your patience with us as we transition to our new office space on the second floor of 600 22nd St. (across from our former offices). We began physically moving this past Monday and all things considered with a move of this proportion, we are in good shape. Please continue to reach out to CVB staff 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 as we complete our transition. These are exciting times for us all and 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.
It’s definitely summer fun in the sun and festival season in Virginia Beach! As the most populous city in the Commonwealth, and a destination chosen by millions of guests each year, I am extremely proud of the dynamic, diverse and endless experiences and options offered to everyone who makes the decision to visit Virginia Beach. Our sports events and venues, and arts, culture and entertainment offerings are second to none!
Here’s a look at some of what’s to come:
Pride in the ViBe 2023 - Join the community this Sunday, June 11, for the 3rd Annual Pride in the ViBe celebration. Presented by Chesapeake Bay Distillery, ViBe Creative District and Hampton Roads Pride, there will be live music, food trucks, special performances, and much more. This event is family-friendly and open to all. Please note that traffic will be affected - please see the Road Closure Notification here. For more event information, click here.
2023 Ferguson North American Sand Soccer Championships - We’re thrilled to welcome the 2023 Ferguson North American Sand Soccer Championships back to our coastal shores for another epic sand soccer competition. Beginning today and running through Sunday, the NASSC is back with more than 750 soccer teams and players from across the country and the globe. The largest sand soccer tournament in the world, the Virginia Beach playing fields will span from 6th - 33rd Street. An estimated 10,000 attendees are expected during the three day festival which includes an interactive vendor village this year. NASSC is open to the public at no charge. For more information and all the details on the Festival, click here or call 757-368-4600.
La Fiesta Virginia Beach Returns! For two days, June 16 – 17, Virginia Beach will celebrate the sights and sounds of the Latin experience! La Fiesta Virginia Beach 2023 is presented this year by the Hispanic Chamber of Coastal Virginia and will feature Jose Alberto “El Canario,” Rubby Perez, Diveana, La Banda Blanca, Wanda Lopes, Eddy Kbrera, Ballet Folklorico Mexican Tradition of Julio Ruiz, and more! La Fiesta Virginia Beach possesses the key ingredients of authentic food, colorful cultural costumes, and high-energy national Latin music. Latin Grammy Award nominees and winners headline concerts on the Beach stage at 29th Street each night, so everyone can dance to their heart's content! Authentic Latino and Hispanic food vendors and retail vendors will be on site to round out the festival experience. For a full listing of all the performers and times, click here.
Out of This World: Chalk the Walk 2023 - Chalk the Walk takes over Virginia Beach June 17 as artists gather to turn the boardwalk into an impromptu canvas of color! At Chalk the Walk, participants draw out-of-this-world four-by-four-foot chalk drawings for three blocks along the boardwalk. Competitors will complete chalk drawings with the “out of this world” theme to be evaluated by a panel of judges. Judges will score the drawings according to criteria such as composition, use of color, adherence to theme, and creativity. There will be three competitive divisions: Amateur, Professional, and Youth. The Youth division will be for ages 12-16. There is no fee to participate, but it is recommended that artists bring their own chalk. Interested? Find out more here.
Juneteenth in Virginia Beach - Everyone is invited to join in on the activities honoring Juneteenth, a celebration of freedom! From panel discussions to art exhibits and live performances, find a way to join your community to celebrate here.
3rd Annual Pride At The Beach Party - Hampton Roads Pride and the City of Virginia Beach invite you to the 3rd Annual Pride At The Beach Party on Sunday, June 25, 2023, at the 24th St. Park. For more information about this free public event, which includes entertainment, click here.
My team and I are committed to you and our industry and are here to help any way that we can. Please let me know how we can assist you
Sincerely,
Nancy Helman
CVB Director
nhelman@visitvirginiabeach.com
Hotel Occupancy for the week of May 21 - 27 - According to Smith Travel Research, Virginia Beach’s hotel occupancy rate for the week of May 21 – May 27 was down -1.5% year-over-year at 65.2% occupancy and -2.6% for the running 28-day trend. ADR was down -3.7% at $173.89 for the week but up 2.4% for the running 28-day trend. RevPAR was down -5.1% at $113.31 and down -0.2% for the running 28-day trend. In comparison to the month of May 2019, we have a decrease in occupancy of -10.56% but counter this with an increase in ADR and RevPAR of 28.35% and 15.07% respectively.
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