2025 Oceanfront Event Season: Planning Ahead Heightens Oceanfront Experience

Virginia Beach City officials from the Resort Management Office, Communications Office and Police Department presented 2025 Oceanfront Event Season information in a community meeting on July 31. The event season is a series of performances and activities in the Resort Area offered annually by the City that draw more than 10,000 attendees a day. 

They provided valuable traffic, parking and safety tips and tools to help residents and visitors navigate the busy roads and dense crowds en route to their destinations to heighten their Resort Area experience. Planning ahead continues to be a consistent message during this presentation and the City’s other communications channels, advising everyone to use the Waze app to check road conditions and the VB Go app to learn of parking options before leaving home. 

The community meeting, presented before a subcommittee of the Resort Advisory Commission and widely promoted to invite the general public, covered the second half of the 13-event season for 2025. Those events are from the Funk Fest Beach Party and East Coast Surfing Championships held in late August through the Holiday Lights at the Beach starting in November and ending in January. The meeting was recorded for those unable to attend and the recording is available at VirginiaBeach.gov/EventInfo.  

For each event season, the City’s aim remains the same — to enable residents and visitors to have an enjoyable experience at the Oceanfront and ensure that the City can address matters such as traffic, parking, safety, crowds and communications. 

In addition to using the Waze and VB Go apps, meeting attendees were urged to plan and prepare before heading to their event destination by checking out VirginiaBeach.gov/EventInfo.  

The City recommends that the public carpools, ride shares, bicycles and walks to events after parking further out to reduce traffic and parking congestion. Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), a community partner with the City, also offers year-round and seasonal bus routes to Virginia Beach, in addition to the seasonal HRT VB Wave Trolley, so you can leave the driving to HRT. 

• Watch Presentation

Stay Informed 

VirginiaBeach.gov/EventInfo is the central communications hub for event logistics and impacts throughout the year. Prior to each event, “know before you go” information is added. The information also is shared on City social media, such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, along with email channels before each event. 

• Visit VirginiaBeach.gov/EventInfo to view potential impacts to residents and visitors, such as road closures and parking restrictions, prior to each event. This page also has a “Resources’ section with downloadable materials, such as an event flyer and social media graphics.
• Enroll in VBAlert text notifications to receive updates and emergency alerts during all major events at the Oceanfront. Text VBEVENTS to 67283 to sign up. You can opt out at any time by replying LEAVE VBEVENTS. 
• Register to receive the City email newsletter at VirginiaBeach.gov/BeInTheKnow 
• Follow the event season or specific events on social media: Facebook | X | Instagram 
• Submit questions about event logistics to OceanfrontEvents@vbgov.com

Stay Safe 

Several City of Virginia Beach departments work closely each year to plan and implement safety measures and access to traffic and parking at the Resort Area, so everyone can have a safe and enjoyable experience. The Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) has a zero-tolerance policy for crimes that threaten the safety of residents and visitors. 

Planning for events and activities is a large part of the process. Several departments and offices work together, along with key stakeholders — residents, business owners and civic leagues. 

VBPD has a Special Event Task Force dedicated to public safety planning throughout the year, and it plans collaboratively with Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Emergency Communications and Citizen Services (ECCS), Emergency Management, Fire, Public Works, Sheriff’s Office and partner agencies.  

PD, Fire and EMS all have response plans and staff for the entire Oceanfront area. Citywide situational awareness and monitoring occurs during all of the events. For unexpected emergencies, contingencies are also in place.  

All public safety agencies are at a single command during events to ensure real-time, integrated communications. During event weekends, the agencies are staffed for the entire city, in addition to the event area. The departments review post-event reports for all events during the planning process to address issues and create future best practices. 

Any impacts for major Oceanfront events can be found at VirginiaBeach.gov/EventInfo. 

Event Schedule & Logistics 

There are 13 major events planned for the 2025 Oceanfront Event Season with an anticipated attendance of 10,000 or more people per day. These events have special traffic, parking and public safety planning needs. For a full list of events, visit VisitVirginiaBeach.com. (Note: Event details are subject to change.)

Funk Fest Beach Party, Aug. 22-23 

• Time: 6-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday
• Location: 30th Street on the beach
• Traffic: No road closures planned. Heavy traffic expected between 25th-29th streets on Atlantic Avenue.
• Parking: 31st Street parking garage may be at capacity.

East Coast Surfing Championships (ECSC), Aug. 22-24 

• Time: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday-Saturday; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday
• Location: 1st-10th streets on the beach and boardwalk
• Traffic: No road closures planned. Beach access for 2nd Street will be closed for event use. Heavy traffic is expected between Rudee Loop and 5th Street on Atlantic Avenue.
• Parking: Options for parking include municipal parking lots, garages and on-street parking.

Virginia Beach 10 Miler & 5K, Aug. 30-31 

• Time: 7-11 a.m., Saturday-Sunday
• Location: Race will begin at 15th Street and Pacific Avenue and end at 11th Street on the Boardwalk.     
• Traffic: More details to follow.
• Parking: Expect 9th Street, 25th Street and 31st Street parking garages to be utilized and at capacity in the morning.

Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend, Sept. 26-28 

• Time: noon to 11 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday
• Location: 1st-33rd streets on the boardwalk and beach
• Traffic: Road closures on Atlantic Avenue from 2nd-32nd streets on Sept. 27.
• Parking: Options for parking include municipal parking lots, garages and on-street parking. More details to follow.

Boardwalk Art Show, Oct. 10-12 

• Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday
• Location: 24th-37th streets on the boardwalk, 24th Street and 31st Street parks
• Traffic: No road closures planned.
• Parking: Options for parking include municipal parking lots, garages and on-street parking. More details to follow.

Wicked 10K, Oct. 25 

• Time: 8 a.m.
• Location: Race will begin at 19th Street by the Virginia Beach Convention Center and end at 20th Street on the Boardwalk.     
• Traffic: More details to follow.
• Parking: Expect 9th Street, 25th Street and 31st Street parking garages to be utilized and at capacity in the morning.

Holiday Lights at the Beach, Nov. 13-Jan. 1 

• Time: 5:30-10 p.m.
  • 5:30-8 p.m., Nov. 13 – Holiday Lights Bike Night
  • 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., Nov. 14-Dec. 31
  • 5:30-8 p.m., Jan. 1 – First Night Holiday Hike
• Location: 2nd-33rd streets on the boardwalk
• Traffic: Heavy traffic is expected near Rudee Loop.

• Event Info