Neptune Festival

{{Notability|1=Events|date=April 2022}}

File:King Neptune, Virginia Beach.jpg

The Neptune Festival is an annual festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia.[http://www.americaslibrary.gov/es/va/es_va_sand_1.html Virginia Beach Neptune Festival : A Local Legacy], Library of Congress "America’s Story" Virginia Beach Chamber of Commerce President and RK Chevrolet founder Richard Kline created the idea in 1973, to celebrate the heritage of the city. The first celebration took place in 1974.{{Cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-68451252.html|title=A FESTIVE IDEA TURNS 25.(VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) | HighBeam Research|date=7 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007233156/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-68451252.html|access-date=22 November 2021|archive-date=2012-10-07}}

The Virginian-Pilot Beacon reported attendance of about 50,000 people at the first festival, with seafood selling out before the festival ended. Actor Lyle Waggoner from The Carol Burnett Show was the Grand Marshal of the parade.

At the corner of 31st and Atlantic in Virginia Beach, there is a {{convert|34|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}}, 12.5 ton statue of Neptune, Roman god of the Seas. The statue was dedicated on September 30, 2005 during the Neptune Festival Boardwalk weekend.{{Cite web |url=http://www.neptunefestival.com/neptune-statue |title=Neptune Statue |access-date=2012-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030130138/http://www.neptunefestival.com/neptune-statue |archive-date=2012-10-30 |url-status=dead }}

The Boardwalk Weekend includes the International Sandsculpting Championship,{{Cite web|last=Parker|first=Stacy|title=At what point does one decide: I'm going to become a professional sand sculptor?|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/entertainment/festivals/article_4ea81094-1ea9-5df2-a846-6cea31213d63.html|access-date=2021-04-09|website=Pilotonline.com|date=28 September 2017 }} Art & Craft Show,{{Cite web|last=Focke|first=Cindy Butler|title=Artist fell in love with art 17 years ago in Virginia Beach, and won this years Neptune Festival show|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/entertainment/festivals/article_ed747e6e-4819-5ae6-bc57-65abcf9295af.html|access-date=2021-04-09|website=Pilotonline.com|date=4 November 2017 }} food, and live music. It also includes a surfing contest, a foot race, a volleyball tournament, and a parade.{{Cite web|url=https://www.neptunefestival.com/|title=The Neptune Festival of Virginia Beach|website=Neptunefestival.com|access-date=22 November 2021}} The event is free and open to the public, with the exception of a tent-covered viewing fee of the sand sculptures.{{Cite web |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2011/10/virginia-beach-neptune-festival-will-keep-its-3-viewing-fee/ |title=Virginia Beach Neptune Festival will keep its $3 viewing fee | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com |access-date=2012-04-02 |archive-date=2012-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115164230/http://hamptonroads.com/2011/10/virginia-beach-neptune-festival-will-keep-its-3-viewing-fee |url-status=dead }}

While it is a prominent and lucrative festival, the Neptune Festival was embroiled in a gender discrimination controversy in November 2020{{Cite web|last=Parker|first=Stacy|title=Room for a prince? Virginia Beach teen wants to buck tradition of Neptune Festival's royal court.|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/entertainment/festivals/vp-nw-neptune-festival-princess-1008-20201008-ipse4cvop5a7lgysa2q72lxhdm-story.html|access-date=2021-02-17|website=Pilotonline.com|date=8 October 2020 }} when a male high school junior’s application was rejected, because the “royal court” only allows for the participation of high school girls and adult men.{{Cite web|last=Parker|first=Stacy|title=Virginia Beach teen rejected in bid to be Neptune Festival prince|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/life/vp-nw-neptune-festival-prince-1024-20201024-ru7dneu5qndwjaqdgg55p5fige-story.html|access-date=2021-02-17|website=Pilotonline.com|date=24 October 2020 }} The issue was resolved in March 2021 when the festival changed its policy and admitted its first "Prince".{{Cite web|last=Parker|first=Stacy|title=Virginia Beach Neptune Festival will have its first prince|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/entertainment/festivals/vp-nw-neptune-festival-prince-0309-20210308-mrcf2q54gvbkjasp3atjxou2su-story.html|access-date=2021-03-10|website=Pilotonline.com|date=8 March 2021 }}