THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 5, 1995 TAG: 9505040168
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JO-ANN CLEGG, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 178 lines
THE FUN STARTS HERE.
NOW.
And it won't slow down for months to come - until hot chocolate is more popular than ice cold colas.
This year's beefed up batch of ``Beach parties'' salutes Mexico, Israel, America Indians, Elvis, shaggers, strawberry lovers, surfers, artists and just about everyone else. And you can't miss the merrymaking. It will be going on everywhere from Pungo to the Boardwalk.
With an eye toward locals as well as tourists, events go beyond the traditional Memorial Day to Labor Day season and are spread out instead of being clustered around the three major summer holidays. For example, one of the largest concerts, the May Beach Music Festival, is planned the week before Memorial Day and the World War II Film Festival will coincide with Veterans Day in November.
Because Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day draw tourists anyway, planners hope the new schedule will fill up hotels in other weeks, too. This year the North American Fireworks Competition and the Pungo Strawberry Festival won't compete with each other for the Memorial Day crowd. The fireworks gala has been moved to June 9-11 while shuttle service will take people from the Oceanfront to the strawberry festival.
All that said, there's no reason you can't start having your fun right away.
This weekend's ``fiestas'' begin with Cinco de Mayo festivities, a tradition Beach officials borrowed to launch a local celebration of Mexico's major national holiday (it recognizes the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, when Mexican troops under Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza, outnumbered three to one, defeated invading French forces of Napoleon III).
In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is grandly celebrated with parades, festivals, dances and speeches.
In Virginia Beach, everything begins at 1 p.m. at the 24th Street Park and goes until 5. There'll be live music for free all afternoon and plenty of Mexican style food and beverages for sale. Bands include Zion Wave, a Caribbean-style reggae group and a Jimmy Buffett cover group known as the Parrothead Party Band.
There's more in store this weekend. If your interest runs to American Indian arts, crafts, ceremony and lore, there's the first annual Veterans' Honor Powwow at Mount Trashmore Park Saturday.
Representatives of tribes from around the country will be there to honor veterans, dance, perform a ground blessing and tell stories from 10 a.m. until dusk.
Shalom.
To add to this weekend's cultural diversity, Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, will be celebrated in a big way on Sunday at the 24th Street Park.
Sponsored by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, it's a real celebration of Israeli culture with food, beverages, games, jewelry and a whole lot more.
Avram Grobard, former proprietor of the El-Avram nightclub in New York, will be performing with his band. If the name doesn't ring a bell, the names of the places he's played should: Carnegie Hall and the Village Gate, for instance.
The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entertainment starts at 1 p.m.
In case of rain the event moves to the Jewish Community Center of Tidewater, 7300 Newport Ave. in Norfolk.
All that's just this weekend. There's plenty more in store for months to come.
Here's a sample:
Eastern Surfing Association Mid-Atlantic Regionals. Today through Sunday in the 2nd Street area. Musical entertainment tonight on the beach. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
May Beach Music Festival. May 19 to 21. Shaggers from all over will gather at the Beach. Lots of big names including Chairman of the Board, The Drifters and the Supremes starring Mary Wilson. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
Virginia Symphony. May 26. The Virginia Symphony meets the surf at the 24th Street Park. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
Twelfth Annual Strawberry Festival. May 27 and 28. Carnival, parade, farm exhibits and crafts along with tons and tons of the big red berries down where Indian River Road meets Princess Anne at the famed Pungo stop light. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
Viva Elvis Weekend. June 1 to 4. Tease up your beehive, don those sequined jump suits and head for the beach as Elvi by the dozen take to pink Cadillacs, drop from the sky or make their way into town in more usual ways. Parades, karaoke and more. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
American Fireworks Competition. June 9 to 11. Two big boom shows each night over the Boardwalk plus laser light shows at 24th Street Park Friday and Saturday evenings. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
North American Sand Soccer Championships. June 10 and 11. Barefoot, beach-attired players face off in the sand in a new twist on an old favorite. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
Virginia Beach Challenge Volleyball Tournament. June 10 and 11. If soccer isn't your favorite sand game, try volley ball. This Oceanfront event benefits the National Kidney Foundation. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
40th Annual Boardwalk Art Show. June 15 to 18. Always a big draw, this granddaddy of all Boardwalk events draws artists from all over the country, 400 of them in all. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
Family Friday-Beach Night. June 16. Bring the kids and challenge the Robo Surfer (think land-locked motorized surfboard) from 5 to 8 p.m. at Mount Trashmore. Call 471-5884.
Family Fun Day and Fireworks. July 4. The big, wonderful, old-fashioned Fourth of July kind of fun all day ending with fireworks at Mount Trashmore. Call 471-5884.
USBA Budweiser Jet Ski Tour. July 14 to 16. Nationally ranked competitors ride the waves off the coast in this nationally televised event. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
Family Friday-New Orleans Night. July 21. Catch the Bourbon Street beat and march with the saints from 5 to 8 p.m. at Mount Trashmore. Call 471-5884.
Princess Anne Art and Craft Festival. Aug. 5 and 6. Formerly known as the Princess Anne Folk Arts Festival, this event will feature more than 100 art and craft vendors along with live entertainment, a kids' activity area and concessionaires who can provide you with the usual menu of everything you love to (but probably shouldn't) eat. Princess Anne Park, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
Call 471-5884.
Budweiser Four-on-Four Men's Pro Volleyball Tour. Aug. 12 and 13. The best players in men's volleyball hit the sand for a weekend of volleys and spikes. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
Family Friday-Country Night. Aug. 18. Saddle up the Rodeo Roper and try your hand at lassoing moving mechanical cattle out at Mount Trashmore from 5 to 8 p.m. Call 471-5884.
East Coast Surfing Championships. Aug. 25 to 27. Part of the Bud Pro Surf Tour, this long-running event includes live bands, bikini contests and plenty of sporting events along with the main attraction, professional and amateur surfing contests. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
American Music Festival. Aug. 30 to Sept. 4. Top national and local talent plus circus acts and magicians on three oceanside stages. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
Atlantic Labor Day Soccer Tournament. Sept. 2 and 3. Teams from all over the Northeast will be in Virginia Beach for this one. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
Super September Tournament Series. Sept. 1 through Oct. 1. Nine fishing tournaments will be held during September. The biggie of the month is the Surf Fishing Tournament which will stretch from Fort Story to Sandbridge Sept. 20 to 23. Cash prizes will be awarded, with college scholarships in the youth divisions. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
22nd Annual Neptune Festival. Sept. 16 through Oct. 1. In case you're new in town, this is the big local event of the warm weather season. Boardwalk Weekend is Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 but there'll be something Neptunish going on somewhere in the city just about every day. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
Virginia Beach Columbus Day Soccer Tournament. Oct. 7 and 8. Youth soccer teams compete in this major regional tournament. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
World War II Film Festival. Nov. 9 through 13. Classic WWII films topped off with a Veterans dance featuring the Tommy Dorsey band on Nov. 13. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710.
49th Annual Khedive Shrine Oyster Bowl Festival. Nov. 17 and 18. Oyster roast and Shrine parade here at the Beach. Call 427-3580, Ext. 710. ILLUSTRATION: Staff file photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN
The 40th Annual Boardwalk Art Show is June 15-18, featuring 400
artists from all over the country.
File photo by PETER D. SUNDBERG
In addition to the Mid-Atlantic Regionals today through Sunday, the
East Coast Surfing Championships will be held Aug. 25 to 27.
File photos by L. TODD SPENCER
The North American Fireworks Competition has been moved to June 9 to
11 to remove a conflict with the Strawberry Festival.
Sarah Deel quickly got into the Pungo Strawberry Festival spirit
last May. This year's 12th-annual event is May 27-28, with a
carnival, parade, food and crafts.
Billy Ray Cyrus wowed the crowds at last year's American Music
Festival. This year's event runs Aug. 30 to Sept. 4, with top
national and local talent plus circus acts and magicians on three
oceanside stages.
Photo
Get ready for the King. Elvis impersonators of every size, color and
nationality will dominate Viva Elvis Weekend June 1 to 4, with
parades, karaoke and more.
by CNB