CHESAPEAKE, Va. — High winds at the Virginia Beach oceanfront are forcing several events at the 52nd annual Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend indoors — and canceling others — as organizers work around the weather.
The Art & Craft Show, Poseidon's Playground activities, Touch-A-Truck, the Youth Art Show, the Young Collectors Art Gallery and Art Making Studio for Kids will all move to the Virginia Beach Convention Center for Saturday and Sunday.
Several other events have been canceled entirely, including the Grand Parade, Dock Dogs, Atlantic Regatta, Surfing Classic, Volleyball Tournament, Healthy Haven, Sand + Street Soccer and all non-Art & Craft Show boardwalk vendors.
Some events will still proceed as scheduled. Free concerts at 31st and 24th Street parks will go on Saturday and Sunday. Neptune's 8K Race and the Hometown Heroes Reception will also continue as planned. The Sandsculpting Championship Tent opens Saturday at noon and runs through Oct. 4. Updated plans for Friday evening's Farm Aid Family Reunion programming are still being finalized.
Vendors and artists — some of whom traveled from out of state — are adjusting to the changes.
"Going to war against the elements, that you know, adds a little dash of excitement," Sam North, a Neptune Festival Art and Craft Show artist who traveled from Cleveland, said.
North had prepared for the worst before learning the show was moving indoors.
"I went out and checked out the boardwalk as soon as I got here. I went out, I got extra ratchet straps, extra weights, I even did the first responsible thing in my life and bought insurance in case of wind damage, and then, it's moved indoors, no wind," North said.
Fellow vendor Mallory Wierzbicki from Annapolis said she is making the most of the venue change.
"I initially was a little bit worried, but talking to a couple of the other vendors this morning, it seems like it's not gonna make too much of a negative impact on it. So, I think probably people are gonna come out and kind of want to get out of the rain, get out of the wind, and see what's going on here," Wierzbicki said.
Art and Craft Show Director Emily Brookover noted the festival has navigated a similar situation before, pointing to a weather-related venue change in 2015.
"I still hear stories about how wonderfully successful that show was. The community turned out and wanted to see and support the artists. So, we really hope that if there's any economic impact, it's positive," Brookover said.
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