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August 18, 2023
Dear Valued Tourism Partners:
Today is the start of the 6th Annual ViBe Creative District Mural Festival and we are very excited that our main Visitor Information Center (VIC) building at 2100 Parks Ave. is one of 10 locations selected for a mural this year! International and Virginia Beach based artist Troy Summerell, aka OnieTonie, has been chosen to paint the mural. Everyone is encouraged to stop by the VIC to watch Troy transform the building into a work of art!
Over 10 days, or through Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023, a total of 10 new murals will be painted by 10 different national and local artists at properties throughout the arts & culture district. The project allows the artists a 10-day timeframe, to paint their artwork designs to completion providing the public ample time to explore and engage with the artists while they work. All 10 murals are located within a 1.5 mile perimeter, and visitors are encouraged to take a self-guided, walking mural tour at their leisure.
Many ViBe Creative District area retailers and restaurants are offering discounts and specials during the festival. Here is a link for the menu specials at participating restaurants, as well as a map of the artwork locations.
For more information, check out the ViBe’s website for details on free public programming and events happening during the festival. Visit: Mural Festival - ViBe Creative District. To find all the murals in the ViBe Creative District use the online ViBe Google Mural Map at: ViBe Creative District - MURAL TOUR - Google My Maps. Remember there is FREE parking on 18th Street near ViBe Park and at the nearby Convention Center, metered parking along 19th Street and paid lots at 19th St. and Pacific Avenue.
CVB Sales Activity and News: The M&C Sales & Services Team has had another busy hot week of summer! Jamie Mitchell is working on future growth by attending Northstar Meetings Group’s Destination Southeast in Coral Gables, FL. She has 22 one-on-one appointments this week to engage with professional planners of the South East and to share why they should bring their meetings & events to Virginia Beach! Sally Noona and Amy Overstreet are working on the follow-up to more than 140 contacts met on the tradeshow floor in Atlanta. Dee Mittman is preparing to go to Minneapolis next week for Connect, and our Services team is diligently prepping for the Mid-Atlantic Shrine Association’s arrival in early September.
In Sports Tourism, we are gearing up for another action-packed week with two exciting sports events. First up, the 2023 Charm City Beach Bash at the Sports Center will draw over 200 athletes and their families for an electrifying volleyball showdown. Meanwhile, the iconic 2023 East Coast Surfing Championships at the Oceanfront will welcome a staggering 20,000+ to celebrate our surf sand beach culture and witness thrilling wave-riding action, a vendor village and more.
Exciting news from the Convention Center: Beyond Van Gogh has been so successful that the show has been extended to September 10th. The VBCC has enjoyed engaging with the community through this art form and is delighted at the positive response! This week we welcomed the MDI Expo, a new event for the Convention Center. MDI is one of the largest grocery wholesale companies on the East Coast. Superstar Anime opens this weekend, and on Saturday we will welcome another IGNITE Business Series event, hosted by Councilmember Sabrina Wooten. The theme is "Growing Business in the Beach '' where attendees can hear from a panel of subject matter experts on topics such as Professional Brand Tips, Business Beyond the Pandemic, and Emerging Entertainment Business Growth. In the coming week, we look forward to hosting the Virginia Beach City Council Retreat as well as graduations for the Fire Academy, Virginia Beach Summer School, and Commonwealth Challenge.
We are pleased that our brand is shared through the voices of a variety of journalists, writers, and bloggers eager to cover Virginia Beach and all our destination has to offer. Here are a few examples:
- Virginia Beach featured in TripAdvisor’s “Best places to travel in August in the U.S.”
- A-Z animals features Virginia Beach in “The Longest Beach in Virginia Is 35 Miles of Paradise”
- Virginia Beach and First Landing Charters are included in Dandelion Chandelier’s “Discover the 6 Best Places for Whale Watching on the East Coast”
In an effort to be accountable to you, our valued partners, we are pleased to share news and updates from your state tourism office, Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC):
- Virginia Tourism Corporation Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program Opens -
- VTC is pleased to announce that the Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program grant will open on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023 and close on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. Small tourism-oriented businesses with less than 20 full-time employees and organizations such as Main Streets, Chambers of Commerce, officially-recognized Destination Marketing Organizations, and Downtown Merchant Associations are eligible. More information on the program can be found at www.vatc.org/mmlp. For a full list of upcoming funding programs, please visit www.vatc.org/grants. Potential applications can email VTCMLPGrant@virginia.org with questions about the program.
- VRLTA Webinar - VTC Grant Opportunities -
- On Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023 from 10 - 11 am, EST, you’re invited to join VRLTA and the VTC Grants team for a funding programs webinar. VTC offers several funding programs to assist the Virginia travel industry. Join Staci Martin, Grants Director; Noah Salaah ad-Deen, Grants Specialist; and Caleb Leech, Grants Coordinator, for a deep dive into the current and future programs. You will leave with a better understanding of each program, the marketing focus, who is eligible, in-kind and cash match requirements, timelines, and deadlines, and how to apply for each program. The webinar is free but advance registration is recommended.
VBGO App Makes Finding and Paying for Parking Easier - Did you know that the City has a parking management resource page which includes information on the real-time web application VBGO? With this app, residents and guests can find and pay for parking from a mobile device. Get the details on rates and find all the parking information you may need here.
Bike Buddies Program - The Resort Management Office wants to remind our partners of the Parks & Recreation Bike Buddies program. The Bike Buddies Program combines the installation of much-needed bike parking with the opportunity to memorialize an event, a loved one, or gain positive exposure for an organization or business. Partners are reminded they can sponsor a bike rack today at select locations along the Oceanfront Boardwalk or Mount Trashmore. Learn more about the program here.
Funk Fest Beach Party Returns for 13th Year - For 13 years, the Virginia Beach Funk Fest Beach Party has brought the “funk” to the Oceanfront for two days of electrifying music, great food, and unique vendors. Music is the heart and soul of the festival, to be held on the beach at 24th Street Friday-Saturday, August 25-26. This festival is rain or shine. This popular music genre draws influence from R&B, jazz, gospel, and blues. Funk artists like James Brown and George Clinton (the leader of Parliament-Funkadelic) inspired many musicians and helped spawn other genres like disco and hip hop. For ticket information, click here.
Labor Day Weekend Shoreline Showdown Cornhole Tournament - Looking for a different way to spend the Labor Day weekend? Check out a new offering from Virginia Beach Events-the Shoreline Showdown Cornhole Tournament. A limited number of spots are available. Grab a friend and register today! Find all the details here.
Chartway Virginia Beach 10 Miler and 5k - Speaking of Labor Day, we’re excited to host the Chartway Virginia Beach 10 Miler and 5K over the holiday weekend. Hosted by J&A Racing, the 5K takes place on Saturday morning, 9/2, and the 10 Mile race takes place on Sunday morning, 9/3. Race start time is at 7 am both days. Resort area businesses, guests, and residents will be impacted during the races. Please advise guests that there may be restricted access out of hotel parking lots and garages during the race period.
- The VBPD will work to allow vehicular access out, as deemed safe. Saturday morning – all roads are expected to be re-opened by 8:30 am.
- Sunday morning – roads will reopen as deemed safe by VBPD with all roads expected open by 11 am.
Find the Road Closure Notice for the races here.
Events & Happenings
The CVB Events Calendar for July 1 - December 31, 2023 may be found here. To view the Resort area entertainment schedule, click here. For Town Center events and activities, 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
CVB Strategic Pillars:
Engagement|Growth|Brand|Culture|Accountability
Note: Hotel occupancy data was not available at publishing; we will resume publishing when the data is available to us.
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