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The Norwegian Lady Ceremony (Virginia Beach)
March 28 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Mark your calendars for this year’s Norwegian Lady Ceremony, this March 28th, 2026. at 12:00PM at 25th St. and the Boardwalk. The reception will follow at the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum.
On March 28, 1891 a storm caused the “Dictator” to sink off the shores of Virginia Beach. The Dictator was scheduled to port in Norfolk for repairs, after suffering damage during it’s trip to Pensacola, Florida, before heading across the Atlantic Ocean to it’s homeport in Moss, Norway. Shortly after the crash, the figurehead of the ship, also known as the Norwegian Lady washed ashore.
The original statue stood for over 50 years until a storm damaged it beyond repair in 1953. In 1962 a bronze replica of the Norwegian Lady was gifted to the community by the Norwegian Shipping Association. A sister statue was subsequently placed in the city of Moss.
The two statues now stand facing each other across the Atlantic Ocean wishing sailors a safe journey. On the statue in Virginia Beach a plaque reads:
“I am the Norwegian Lady. I stand here, as my sister before me, to wish all men of the sea safe return home.”