Good Morning Virginia Beach!

One of Virginia Beach’s biggest weeks of the summer is coming, and there is much more happening around it than just what you’ll see in the water. Beyond that, we’re sharing a timely shopping reminder, a few standout food experiences, local recognition worth knowing about and an idea for anyone ready to shake up their usual dinner plans.

Let’s dive in!

— Kim Checcio

Virginia's annual sales tax holiday returns this weekend, giving shoppers three days to save on qualifying back-to-school items, clothing, emergency supplies and select energy-efficient products.

The tax-free weekend runs Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9. Eligible purchases include:

Only eligible items within the listed price limits qualify, so it is worth checking the full guidelines before shopping.

👉🏼 Click Here: View the complete list of tax-free items and shopping rules.

The 64th Annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships return to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront August 23–30 with a full week of surfing, activities and beachside events.

While ECSC is still a surf competition at its core, the longtime Virginia Beach tradition has grown into much more. Locals can watch professional and amateur surfers compete, enjoy music and vendors, and take in the action from the sand near the 1st Street Jetty.

Three Virginia Beach surfers to watch this year are Estorya "Story" Martinez, Cose Stoyanoff and Asher Craft. All three have built strong reputations on the local and national competition circuits and will be representing their hometown on the waves.

Here are some of the events happening throughout the week:

Sunday, August 23

Monday, August 24

Tuesday, August 25

Wednesday, August 26

Thursday, August 27

Friday, August 28 through Sunday, August 30

👉🏼 Click Here: View the complete ECSC schedule and plan your week at the Oceanfront.

Several Hampton Roads hospitals are receiving statewide recognition in the newly released U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings.

Five Sentara hospitals were recognized among the best in Hampton Roads:

The rankings consider factors including patient outcomes, quality of care and hospital performance across common procedures and medical conditions. For local residents, the results are a reassuring reminder that some of Virginia's highest-rated hospital care can be found close to home.

👉🏼 Click Here: See how each Hampton Roads hospital ranked and which specialties were recognized.

The excitement surrounding Beard at the Beach is expanding beyond its signature fundraising dinner with a full series of special culinary experiences happening across Virginia Beach.

Hosted by local restaurants, chefs and venues, the Beard at the Beach Culinary Series includes limited-time menus, tastings, cooking classes and collaborative dinners. Each experience benefits the James Beard Foundation while giving locals even more ways to enjoy and support our city's culinary community.

Here is the current lineup:

New experiences may continue to be added, so food lovers will want to keep an eye on the full lineup.

👉🏼 Click Here: Explore each culinary experience and find ticket information.

A savory, garden-inspired martini made with fresh tomato, basil, lemon and vodka. Finished with a tomato, basil and mozzarella skewer, it is bright, fresh and perfect for warm-weather entertaining.

Ingredients for One Serving

For the Garnish

Instructions

Meeting new people as an adult can be awkward, but the Hampton Roads Dinner Club makes it surprisingly easy and a lot more fun.

Here's how it works:
You take a short quiz, reserve your seat and get matched with five other locals based on your interests and personality. The Dinner Club chooses the restaurant, organizes the table and handles the details. You simply show up, order what you want and enjoy dinner with a group of people you may never have met otherwise.

This is not a formal networking event or a room full of forced introductions. It is six locals around one table, trying a local restaurant, sharing good conversation and seeing where the night goes.

The next Hampton Roads Dinner Club will be held Wednesday, August 19 at 6:30pm in Virginia Beach. The restaurant remains a surprise until closer to the dinner, which is part of the fun.

👉🏼 Click Here: Take the quiz and join the next Hampton Roads Dinner Club.