The 51st Virginia Beach Neptune Festival!

Kicking off this week! Every year The Neptune Festival in Virginia Beach takes place over 30 blocks of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. This year make sure to head down to the beach for Boardwalk Weekend which will include

• North American Sand Sculpting Championship
• Atlantic Regatta
• Youth Art Collectors: Art Gallery
• Youth Art Show
• Neptune Festival Arts & Craft Show
• Neptune’s Grand Parade
• Neptune’s Healthy Haven
• Neptune’s Surfing Classic
• Poseidon’s Playground
• Touch-A-Truck
• and more!

When: Boardwalk weekend takes place September 26 – September 28, 2025.

• Friday 12-11pm
• Saturday 10am-11pm
• Sunday 10am-6pm

Where: 2nd to 33rd Street, Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Stages are located at 24th, and 31st Streets on the Boardwalk.

Some of the 2025 family-friendly highlights are:

The North American Sandsculpting Championship is back and is always impressive. A huge tent, almost as large as a football field, will house 22 sculptures created by 12 solo and 10 doubles teams! Sculptors will compete for the largest prize purse awarded in the country.

If you head over to check out the sculptures in the “Land of Sand” keep in mind the admission fee: $7 per person (admission purchased on-site – cash and card accepted this year!) Children ages 12 and under are free while accompanied by an adult, and no pets are allowed. The tent does have access for wheelchairs and strollers. Updates here.

• Hours for this popular display are Fri, 9/26 – Sat, 9/27: 9am-11pm
  | Sun, 9/28 – 9am-9pm | Mon, 9/29 – Thurs 10/2: 10am-6pm
  | Fri, 10/3 – Sat, 10/4: 10am-9pm | Sun, 10/5: 10am-6pm
• Sculptures can be viewed through October 5, 2025. A complete description of the Sandsculpting Event including admission rates and hours of the display can be found HERE.
• Don’t miss the FREE Sand Clinics (Saturday, Sept 27 & Sunday, Sept 28) where you can learn about Sandsculpting from a Pro! Topics of the clinics include No Hassle Sand Castle, Sea Turtles, Neptune Statue Head, and Dolphins

Neptune’s Grand Parade will take place Saturday morning, September 27, 2025, from 11:30am-1pm between 16th and 32nd Streets on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

• This event is FREE and open to the public and takes place rain or shine. Get there early for the best spots! Additional information on the parade can be found HERE.

Neptune Festival Arts & Crafts Show – The art show features over 250 artisans displaying handmade work from paintings and sculptures, to photography and glass-work. A great place to shop!

Poseidon’s Playground Free Family Fun Zone – 17th Street Park, Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Free and open to the public. Test your skills with cornhole, giant jenga, connect four, chess, and checkers…Dance it out to our house DJ or paint a masterpiece to take home from The Mermaid Factory. Magicians, Face Painters, Balloon Artists, Fairy Hair, and more.

Friday, September 26 from 5pm – 9:30pm | Saturday, September 27 from 10am – 9:30pm | Sunday, September 28 10:00am – 4:00pm

Touch-A-Truck – 15th to 16th Street, Virginia Beach Oceanfront

• Free and open to the public
• Saturday, September 27, 2025 from 10am – 6pm
• Sunday, September 28, 2025 from 10am – 4pm

For a Full List of Neptune Festival Activities Please Click Here.