| Each year, Tidewater Virginia has an exciting schedule | | | | residents and visitors. |
| of festivals and other public events. The following is a | | | | Bayou Boogaloo & Cajun Food Festival |
| list of some of the more popular festivals which run | | | | The Bayou Boogaloo & Cajun Food Festival is |
| from Spring through the holiday season. | | | | Norfolk's annual New Orleans' and Bayou culture |
| Virginia Arts Festival | | | | festival. This 3-day summer festival delivers the heart |
| Begun in 1997 as a way to promote tourism, this spring | | | | and soul of Louisiana to visitors to Town Point Park in |
| festival showcases artists from around the world as | | | | true Cajun and Creole style. |
| well as the Virginia's best professional artists. A variety | | | | Norfolk Latino Music Festival |
| of performances include exhibitions of music, theatre | | | | This August festival features the largest outdoor |
| and dance. Festival events are held in eight cities | | | | dance floor in Hampton Roads filled with salsa, |
| across Hampton Roads in concert halls, performing | | | | merengue, and guaguanco dancing and live music by |
| arts centers, opera houses, theatres, museums, | | | | local, regional, and national Latin recording artists. |
| outdoor stages, and historic churches. | | | | Virginia Beach Neptune Festival |
| North American Sand Soccer Championship | | | | The famous Virginia Beach Neptune Festival runs |
| The North American Sand Soccer Championship, held | | | | throughout the spring and summer, and concluding on |
| annually in Virginia Beach in early June. Between | | | | Boardwalk Weekend. The award winning festival |
| games, players and spectators, mingle and relax on | | | | began in 1973 and has blossomed over the years into |
| the the beach. Often during the event, street vendors | | | | the city's largest event and one of the most |
| attend selling foods and art on the boardwalk. Teams | | | | successful festivals on the East Coast. It continues to |
| for this event are a mix of adults, teenagers, and small | | | | be recognized among the top 100 celebrations in the |
| children. There are all-male teams, all-female teams, | | | | nation and one of the top festivals in Virginia. Events |
| and coed teams that make up each division. A pro | | | | are held on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront Boardwalk |
| division includes a team from the United States as well | | | | between 1st & 32nd Sts. |
| as from other countries. | | | | Suffolk Peanut Fest |
| Norfolk Jazz Festival | | | | Suffolk Peanut Fest offers concerts, amusement rides, |
| Held in Town Point Park over 2 days, this is the | | | | contests and competitions, a demolition derby, a truck |
| region's longest running outdoor jazz festival. The | | | | and tractor pull, motorcycle rally, fireworks, as well as |
| festival recruits nationally known artists as well as a | | | | local and national entertainment. The event has been |
| selection of local and regional jazz favorites. | | | | featured in numerous magazines, including Virginia |
| The Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show & | | | | Business, Southern Living, The Southern Farmers |
| Festival | | | | Almanac, Best Festivals-Mid Atlantic and others. |
| The Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show & | | | | Newport News Fall Festival of Folklife |
| Festival is one of the Commonwealth's most highly | | | | The Newport News Fall Festival of Folklife is held in |
| anticipated events. Attendance often exceeds 350,000 | | | | Newport News Park annually. This is Southeast |
| visitors and art sales can surpass $2 million annually. | | | | Virginia's biggest traditional craft show. The event |
| The event has been ranked in the top 50 best fine art | | | | features over 200 vendors, crafts, trades, |
| & design shows in the nation by Sunshine artist | | | | entertainment, foods and children's activities. |
| magazine. Prize money for artist awards reached | | | | Holidays in the City |
| over $30,000 in 2008, a milestone which has attracted | | | | Holidays in the City celebrates 25 years with six |
| high-caliber artists and art collectors since. | | | | weeks of magical festivities, saluting the holidays of |
| Hampton Jazz Festival | | | | Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and |
| The Hampton Jazz Festival is held each year during | | | | New Year's Eve. The festivities in late November with |
| the last full weekend in June. Festival organizers | | | | the Grand Illumination of the downtown skyline. The |
| evaluate available jazz, R&B and blues artists that | | | | highlight is the annual Grand Illumination Parade where |
| are on tour during the time of the festival, bringing in the | | | | floats, marching bands, giant balloons, dancers and |
| best musicians possible. Held in the Hampton Coliseum, | | | | Santa himself parade through downtown Norfolk. |
| the venue is highly respected by Hampton Roads | | | | |