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Join Us at Cherry Blossom Festival - This Sunday!
Sunday, April 1 | 12:30 - 3:30 pm | Red Wing Park
 Help us celebrate Virginia Beach's international sisterhood with Miyazaki City, Japan, at the 8th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival on Sunday, April 1 at Red Wing Park from 12:30 - 3:30 pm.
Enjoy the rich culture and beauty of Japanese music, martial arts, creative activities by A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts, an origami display and fold-along with Rich Gray, and various demonstrations. This is a family event that allows everyone to come together and embrace the nature that surrounds us, including our stunning Cherry Blossom trees which are in full bloom.
Featured performances include a drum routine by SOKA Taiko Group, as well as a celebration of Sister City Moss, Norway that includes songs from Sons of Norway.
Food and beverage are available for purchase. You are welcome to bring a blanket or lawn chair for the performances. Parking and admission is free.
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Help Your Kids Create Memories at Summer Camp
Recreation Center & Specialty Camp Registration Begins Saturday, March 31
 Before you know it, school will be out and summer will be upon us. Ensure your child has a fun summer filled with exciting games and activities, special events, field trips, and more! We offer camps in schools across the city, as well as at most recreation centers. We also offer a variety of specialty summer camps, including Back to Nature Camp, Magic Camp, Surf Camp, Ropes Camp, Soccer Camp and more! Give your kids a summer experience that they'll never forget! Learn more about our summer camps.
Registration for recreation center and specialty camps begins this Saturday. School-based camps will begin registration on Saturday, April 28. School sites will be listed on our website soon. Register your child for camp online via EZreg or in person at any recreation center. |
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It's Out of This World! Don't Miss Our Star Party!
Friday, April 6 | Dark Until 11 pm | Mount Trashmore Park
 Take your stargazing to Mount Trashmore Park for the 4th Annual Mount Trashmore Star Party! Come and observe night sky wonders through a variety of telescopes. Learn to identify constellations in the sky as they are pointed out by planetarium coordinator Chuck Dibbs and the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers.
Experience ViewSpace! A tent will be set up for an internet-fed, self-updating, permanent exhibit from the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Learn more about ViewSpace.
Anyone wishing to set up a telescope can also do so. The goal is to share the beauty of the night sky with anyone wishing to learn about it. Children's activities will be provided by NASA. Event is dependent on clear skies.
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Celebrate Earth Day at Mount Trashmore Park
Sunday, April 22 | 11 am - 4 pm | Mount Trashmore Park
 Refresh your approach to making our world a healthier place with various exhibits, displays and activities that will give you a chance to discover and explore effective and convenient ways to green your lifestyle. Come out to Mount Trashmore Park (one of the nation's first recycled landfills) on Sunday, April 22 for our 2012 Earth Day Celebration presented by Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation & Virginia Beach Clean Community Commission. In addition to a variety of environmental exhibitors, check out some of this year's event highlights:
AAA Recycling Zone (9 am - 3 pm)
* eCycling by Synergy Recycling - Take this opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted home electronics and computer equipment - FREE!
* Child Safety Seat Recycling - Have a used child safety seat that no longer meets industry safety standards? Bring it to the AAA Recycling Zone, and we'll see to it that all the plastic parts are properly broken down and recycled.
* Car Battery Round Up - Get a $5 gas card (while supplies last) for every vehicle battery you bring in (up to 5)
* Purchase a Rain Barrel and/or Composter - Cut your household water bill by up to 40% with a conservation-friendly rain barrel and make your own nutrient-rich soil for the garden by investing in a rain barrel and/or composter, both available for purchase on-site at this event!
Dumpster Dive Demonstration
Are we recycling as much as we can? Project Green Teens will sift through trash and debris in a park dumpster to find items that could have been recycled. Last year's dumpster dive revealed that nearly 50% of one dumpster's contents could have been recycled.
Bicycling Activities
Travel green on your bike to the event and receive a free gift (first 100 only) at the free Bike Valet. We'll have free bicycle checks and you can take part in the News Channel 3 Bike Safety Awareness Ride.
 Live Music
Enjoy live music featuring 4Shore, who was recently featured on NBC's "The X Factor," as well as other local talent: School of Rock and The Futuros.
Other Attractions
Delicious festival foods will be available for purchase, and fun children's activities will be hosted by the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast.
Earth Day 2012 at Mount Trashmore Park is an official Virginia Green event.
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Experience Native American Culture at Pow Wow
Saturday, April 28 | 11 am - 6 pm | Mount Trashmore Park
 Come out to Mount Trashmore Park on Saturday, April 28 from 11 am - 6 pm for the 12th Annual American Indian Pow Wow: A Celebration of Life for all People. Experience Native American culture as it is showcased through spirited music, intertribal dancing and drumming, and American Indian cuisine at this interactive and educational event.
Learn about various dances and regalia worn while taking the opportunity to participate in intertribal dancing. (Due to the nature of the American Indian Pow Wow, no pets are allowed in the event area.) There will be over 25 exhibitors with sales of authentic and Indian-inspired arts and crafts, with educational displays of American Indian artifacts. American Indian foods as well as other festival foods will be available for purchase.
Master of Ceremonies: Clark Stewart (Chickahominy)
Arena Director: Chief Thomas Lewis (Meherrin)
Head Male Dancer: Seth Adkins (Chickahominy)
Head Female Dancer: Leah Fortune (Rappahannock)
Host Drum: Stumptown Singers (St. Stephen's Church, VA)
Guest Drum: Nassaw Nation (Hollister, NC)
The event opens at 11 am for educational and craft displays/sales. The grand entry will take place at noon followed by American Indian drumming, dancing and activities, until the closing ceremony at 5:45 pm. This event is free with ample on-site parking.
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Construction Begins at Princess Anne Gateway Park
 Construction has started at the Princess Anne Commons Gateway Park, which is a major renovation of the former Princess Anne Park site located at the corner of Princess Anne Road and Dam Neck Road. The project is being coordinated with Princess Anne Road improvements and will be completed in two phases.
Phase I of the renovated park project will include a new trail system, shelters, restrooms, new gateway signage, extensive tree planting and expanded parking.
Also included is a light garden sculpture (pictured) which was originally located at the former Virginia Beach Pavilion. Consisting of 31 glass sun-refraction panels arranged in a clustered fashion to resemble a grove of trees, the light garden will have blue LED lighting for night illumination. The work was acquired in 1983 and was one of the first pieces of art funded by the Percent for Art program.
If you've been by the park recently, you've probably noticed that we're removing some mature and infirm trees. These will be replaced with new tree plantings to promote a healthy, extensive urban tree canopy. Twelve new species of trees will be planted, including large canopy trees like Oak, Beech, Sycamore and Southern Magnolia; others will be smaller understory/flowering trees. This tree species diversification will help protect against disease/pest damage and will enhance the natural beauty of the park site.
The second phase of the Princess Anne Commons Gateway Park project will include new picnic shelters, playground equipment, and other park amenities such as benches and tables. Project completion date for both phases is scheduled for late 2012. The park will be closed during construction. |
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Please Note Our Upcoming Facility Closures
All Virginia Beach Recreation Centers and Owl Creek Tennis Center will be closed on April 8 for Easter. Parks will remain open for your enjoyment.
Don't forget that your membership is good at all six Virginia Beach Recreation Centers! If your usual center is closed for maintenance, take the opportunity to visit another center. Use this locator to help you find one! |
Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation believes all of our diverse citizens have a right to participate in community recreation and we are committed to creating equal access for everyone who may have a challenge or barrier. If your child requires additional support, we can help. Learn more about our accommodation and inclusion services.
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We welcome your comments and questions. Feel free to email us at fun@vbgov.com. |
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Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation is accredited by CAPRA,
the certifying agency of the National Recreation and Park Association. |
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