| Sandbridge Beach

Party at the Pier

Party at the Pier is BACK tomorrow night! Kick-off your shoes, bring your friends, and join us for a FREE concert in the sand with live music by local band Wonderland! If you love awesome live music and the beach, then this party is for you!
Gates will open at 6 pm and the band will start at 7 pm.
(There is no rain date for this event.)

Beer & Wine sales to benefit Sandbridge Volunteer Rescue Squad
• Beer: Bud Light and Mango Cart (by Golden Road Brewing)
• Wine: Low Hanging Fruit – Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet
• $6/ticket or 4/$20 (cash or credit card)

A valid ID must be presented to purchase adult beverages. Please drink responsibly and have a designated driver to ensure everyone’s safety. Personal coolers are not permitted in the event area.
Beer/Wine Ticket sales will take place from 6 to 9 pm. Last pour will be at 9:30 pm.

Food vendors: Sofrito, Chesapeake Concessions, Road Dogs, Tropical Smoothie, Rita’s Italian Ice, and Mama’s Kitchen

Onsite parking is available and free after 5 pm. Parking is limited, so please carpool or rideshare if at all possible.

11 Aug

Breweries at the Beach

Local Events byCory B

Exploring the Virginia Beach Brewery Scene

The craft beer scene of Virginia Beach has certainly expanded over the last couple of years. There are more than 15 unique breweries in the area, each offering their own specialty brews and vibe. Luckily, the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau has put together a Virginia Beach Beer Trail Guide for locals and visitors alike who are hoping to explore the coastal flavors of Virginia Beach.

Here are a few local favorites but be sure to check out the VB Beer Trail Guide to find your next favorite brewery!

Wasserhund

1805 Laskin Rd STE 102, Virginia Beach, VA 23454

Wasserhund Brewing Company was created out of love for German beer, creative food and gathering with family and friends. It is easy to feel like a local when you step through the doors of the brewery; owners Aaron and Christine have cultivated an environment reminiscent of laid-back evenings with your loved ones, dogs included!

Wasserhund aims to bring a taste of Germany’s beer gardens to Virginia Beach. However, their specialty pizzas and loaded tots baskets definitely bring them one step ahead of any old beer garden. Wasserhund hosts a Sunday Brunch with culinary masterpieces like the Chicken and Waffle Charcuterie, Biscuits and Gravy Basket, and Pecan Praline Pancake Pizza, along with their summer mimosa flavors. If you’re a late sleeper, don’t worry, Wasserhund has events almost every night of the week. Swing by on Mondays for trivia or Tuesdays for a sample of their experimental small batch brews, aptly named Puppy Litter Brews.

Wasserhund’s food will have you planning your next visit before you even head home. Photo taken from their website.

New Realm

1209 Craft Ln, Virginia Beach, VA 23454

New Realm is the perfect place to hang out with some friends and listen to live music again—not to mention the bonus of its proximity to Sandbridge. After a long day at the beach, head to New Realm to relax on the patio with your family and try some delicious food and brews.

If you are too tired in the evenings, New Realm has got you covered with Sunday morning Breakfast Beers: a delicious three-course breakfast spread, masterfully paired with their award-winning beers, and coffee from Town Center Cold Press. Doors open to ticket holders at 10:00am, come for the pairing and stay for the afternoon! Although the flagship brewery and restaurant for New Realm is located in Atlanta, Georgia, we are very happy they have decided to plant some roots in Virginia Beach.

Back Bay Brewing

614 Norfolk Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Back Bay Brewing Co. was founded in 2011 by Virginia Beach natives who share a deep connection to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the active outdoor culture of Virginia Beach. Josh Canada and his friends were dedicated to creating an atmosphere to share their passion of beer and the relaxed local vibe of Virginia Beach.

A few years ago, the Back Bay Brewing team opened a second location in a 1912 farmhouse in Kempsville, which is now known as Back Bay’s Farmhouse Brewing Co. It has grown to be known as Hampton Roads most unique brewery and cidery. The Farmhouse prides itself on being a gathering place in which the agricultural and beach bum cultures of Virginia Beach become entwined.

The Back Bay Brewing Co. Farmhouse hosts different food trucks every day to keep things interesting and give you a chance to experience all of the culinary goodness Virginia Beach has to offer! The Farmhouse is family-friendly, if you want to bring your four-legged family member please feel free. Just remember to keep dogs leashed and remain outside of the house.

Back Bay Brewing Co. Farmhouse. Photo taken from their website.

Visit the following website to find the Virginia Beach Beer Trail guide and learn a little more about our area’s breweries:

https://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/taste/breweries/

4 Aug

Norfolk Mac & Cheese Festival

Local Events byCory B

Norfolk Mac & Cheese Festival

Head to Norfolk’s Waterside District for an amazing day filled with family-friendly fun and cheesy goodness. The event will be a melting pot of some of Virginia’s best restaurants, food trucks, and chefs’ cheesy visions. The Norfolk Mac & Cheese Festival will be Virginia’s largest (and cheesiest) festival ever! The event will be held on August 7th, from 2pm-8pm.

Sample the endless varieties of mac & cheese from the area’s best chefs and culinary minds. No matter how you like it—peppery, with ketchup, crispy with breadcrumbs or creamy like butter, you’ll find the mac and cheese of your dreams right here! These mac & cheese chefs will be competing for awards like “Best Tasting Mac & Cheese”, “Most Unique Mac & Cheese”, and “Cheesiest Mac & Cheese”.

Premium ticket packages are offered at a pre-sale price of $24.99, which gives you access to the festival, a free drink, and ten mac & cheese samples. The VIP Package offers early access to the festival, two hours of unlimited mac & cheese, four drink tickets, and access to the exclusive VIP Area with bars, vendors, seating, and more!

For those who enjoy a little competition, the Mac & Cheese Festival has several cheesy challenges. Battle it out with fellow competitors in the Mac & Cheese Eating Contest to see who can eat the most Mac & Cheese in two minutes. If you prefer fries over macaroni, you might want to give the Cheese Fries Eating Contest a try—the first person to finish their giant bucket of cheese fries will be crowned the winner! You might find yourself a little full after trying all of the different mac & cheese samples, but there is one contest for which you only need strength: The Can of Whiz Hold. The last participant to drop their can of whiz while holding it in front of them will be forever known as the whiz champion.

Norfolk Mac & Cheese Festival

August 7, 2021 2pm-8pm

https://www.macandcheesefestivals.com/norfolk