VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The inaugural Strawberry Fest at the Beach is taking place this weekend in Virginia Beach, providing a fresh alternative to the beloved Pungo Strawberry Festival, which has not been held in years due to traffic and parking challenges.
The festival will be held on Laskin Road in the Artery District from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Roads will close at 7 a.m. that morning (more information on closures below).
"We’ll be offering a strawberry prosciutto and burrata sandwich, along with adult strawberry frozen beverages and strawberry cannolis," said David Edelen, owner of Sorella's, a local business participating in the festival.
Unlike the Pungo festival, which had a carnival atmosphere with rides, this year's event aims to create a culinary experience featuring a variety of vendors offering locally-made dishes.
Roy Flanagan, a farmer from Pungo, expressed the profitability of strawberry farming, saying, "There is hardly any produce that can match a strawberry in terms of potential return on an annual crop."
The festival organizers are proud to partner with the Pungo Strawberry Festival team to promote agriculture and the hard work of local farmers.
The Strawberry Fest at the Beach aims to provide a fun and engaging experience while highlighting the importance of fresh, local produce in our community.
Road closure information:
- The main road that will be closed is Laskin Road if you're driving east from east of the roundabout at 30th Street to Pacific Avenue.
- Arctic Avenue and Holly Road will also be closed right at the intersection with Laskin.
- You'll be able to find parking in the 31st Street Garage. The lot across from Murphy's Irish Pub on Atlantic Avenue will also be available, with a flat parking rate of $10 per car. Festival organizers also encourage you to ride bikes or golf carts to the event.
