Sun, Sand, Shellebrate: 50 Years of Celebrating the Beach Life
Since 1974, the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival has grown from one event to over 40 annually, uniting locals and visitors in the spirit of the beach. In 2024, we marked our 50th anniversary—and we’re just getting started! With something for everyone, the fun never stops. CLICK HERE FOR ALL 50TH ANNIVERSARY INFORMATION
In addition to our annual schedule of events, we leaned into this milestone with a ton of fun opportunities to celebrate including Local Collaborations, Creative Moments, Special Events, and Commemorative Items.
Local Collaborations
TARNISHED TRUTH DISTILLERY – Visitors at the Historic Cavalier Hotel were able to taste King Neptune’s Discretion – A Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey distilled and bottled on the Atlantic in collaboration with Tarnished Truth Distillery.
BACK BAY BREWING x NEW REALM BREWING – Two of Virginia Beach’s favorite local breweries teamed up to create a limited-edition collaborative beer – Sandsculpted Summer is a Golden Ale brewed with peach and lemon for that perfect summer vibe. This celebratory beer was found at: New Realm Brewing, Back Bay Beach House, and Back Bay Farmhouse. Cans even appeared at Total Wine and select Harris Teeter locations in Virginia Beach!
LOLLY’S CREAMERY – Three cheers for ice cream! On July 26, 2024, Lolly’s introduced Neptune’s Nutella Crunch, a brand new flavor that blends Nutella Ice Cream, Oreo Crunch, and Marshmallow Swirl for a delicious treat that can be enjoyed year round at all Lolly’s locations.
50th Anniversary Commemorative Mural
In honor of the Neptune Festival’s 50th Anniversary, we took our annual Commemorative Poster program one step further, by commissioning a mural at the oceanfront! This beautiful work of art, located at 405 30th Street in Virginia Beach, will be an enduring testament to the Neptune Festival and this city that we love.
Rounds of Applause
Rounds of Applause was a Community Art Project to highlight Festival partners. 50 local schools, businesses, and non-profit organizations were asked to interpret our tagline “Celebrating the Beach Life” on a 3-foot round of wood that was displayed during Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend.
Prince and Princess Reunion
For all those who were once a Neptune Festival Prince, Princess, or Mermaid, a festive reunion took place over Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend! Reunion Weekend activities included:
- Cocktail Reception in the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel
- Concert Meet-ups in 24th and 31st Street Parks
- Sandsculpting Gallery Viewing Opportunities
- Cheer Station and Group Volunteer Opportunities at Neptune’s 8k Race
- Special Viewing and Participation Opportunities at the Grand Parade on Saturday morning
- Social Gathering at Ocean Eddie’s on Saturday evening
Commemorative Items
What would our 50th be without some special gear? We brought back our favorite vintage t-shirts, exclusive merch, and a coffee table book!
- Our 2024 Commemorative Poster is a reconfiguration of our 50th Anniversary Commemorative Mural. We are so excited to offer a version of the mural formatted just for prints, created by artist Devon Miller with watercolor pencils.
- A beautiful coffee table book was released in September 2024! Filled with vintage photos detailing the history of the Neptune Festival, the story behind the famous Neptune Statue on 31st Street in Virginia Beach, and so much more. This book will delight Neptune Festival fanatics and newcomers alike. Books were available for purchase in person during Boardwalk Weekend and are available online to order now!
- We took a deep dive into our t-shirt history to uncover a few gems. T-Shirts and other merchandise was available for purchase during Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend at the Virginia Beach oceanfront.