Good Morning Virginia Beach!

This week's lineup has a little bit of everything: a local nonprofit stepping into a new name and a bigger mission, a once in 250 years event sailing right past our shores, and a summer tradition lighting up the Oceanfront skies every week.

Let's get into it!

— Kim Checcio

A fleet of international tall ships, military vessels, and ceremonial ships will sail through Hampton Roads today as part of Sail250, the international maritime celebration leading up to America’s 250th anniversary.

Virginia is one of only a select few ports chosen to welcome the prestigious Sail250® America fleet, joining major host cities like New Orleans, Baltimore, New York and Boston.

The Parade of Sail begins at 7 a.m. today and follows a 26-nautical-mile route through the region’s waterways before arriving in Norfolk later in the day.

Best viewing locations include:

• Lesner Bridge
• Ocean View
• First Landing State Park
• Ocean Park
• Chic’s Beach
• Lambert’s Point
• Fort Monroe
• Town Point Park and Waterside District
• Plum Point Park
• Fort Norfolk
• The Hague area

👉🏼 Click Here: Read the full article and more viewing details

Connect With a Wish has spent over a decade granting wishes to kids in Virginia Beach foster care. This week, they celebrated a new chapter with a name change: they're now Everheld. Ever present, ever caring, ever committed.

We were there for the ribbon cutting open house, where we got to tour the office, meet the staff, and hear directly from the team about everything they've built since 2014. What started as a single goal, granting a wish to every child in VB foster care, has grown into something much bigger. Over the years, Everheld has taken on new projects and events to support not just the kids in foster care, but their families too.

Foster care often means kids are removed from situations that were never safe for them to begin with, and many grow up without a traditional family to rely on. Everheld exists to help fill that gap. They need people like you to help channel our community's warmth into brighter days and stronger futures for these kids, and there are lots of ways to get involved.

📍 2492 North Landing Road STE. 102, Virginia Beach, VA 23456

👉🏼 Click Here: Learn How to Support Everheld
👉🏼 Click Here: Get An Inside Look At the Ribbon Cutting Event

Summer in Virginia Beach just got a recurring highlight on the calendar. Starting after 4th of July Weekend, weekly fireworks return to the Oceanfront running through Labor Day Weekend.

🗓️ Every Wednesday at 10pm
🗓️ Every Sunday at 9:30pm
📍 Viewable from anywhere along the boardwalk
🧨 One lucky family selected each night to cue the show

Atlantic Park is bringing surf culture, local art and community together for its first-ever Surf Art Market on Saturday, June 27.

The free outdoor event will feature more than two dozen local and regional artists from Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and the Outer Banks, all celebrating the connection between surfing and creative expression.

Produced in partnership with the Virginia Beach Surf Art Expo, the market will take place at 19th Street and Arctic Avenue in the ViBe Creative District, along the green space next to The Dome by Rutter Mills.

Guests can expect:

• Local and regional surf-inspired artists
• Music by Disco Dunes
• Coffee and refreshments from The Sweet Spot
• Snacks from Heavenly Kettle Corn and Mama B’s Gourmet Pecans
• A family-friendly afternoon in the heart of Atlantic Park

The event also marks a special moment for East Coast Surfing Hall of Famer Noah Snyder, who will make his Virginia Beach art debut during the market.

👉🏼 Click Here: Read the full announcement

At Operation Smile’s Virginia Beach headquarters, volunteers recently gathered for the organization’s Sewcial Project, a hands-on event where participants sew Smile Bags for children recovering from surgery around the world.

This month’s project also carried a special Juneteenth theme, honoring freedom, growth, community and the power of coming together to serve others.

Operation Smile, which is headquartered right here in Virginia Beach, provides cleft surgeries and medical care to children globally. The Smile Bags are created to bring comfort to patients as they begin their recovery journey, proving that even a small act of kindness can travel far beyond our city.

👉🏼 Click Here: See how this project is helping children around the world

A fun night out. New people. Great restaurants.
🔗 Save your seat for the next dinner