Location Reports Central and Coastal Virginia EVENTS & EXHIBITS
February 17-19, 2012, join over 8,000 spectators at the Hampton Roads Convention Center for the Third annual Hampton, VA Sports Festival and Expo. Featuring over 15 sports with simultane- ous competition and a free expo, this Hampton Convention and Visitor Bureau- sponsored event is a must experience for any sports enthusiast.
The Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XXIII is one of the largest and most anticipated quilt gatherings on the eastern seaboard. Presented by Mancuso Show Management and drawing upwards of 10,000 attendees, the show takes place February 23-26, 2012 at the Hampton Roads Convention Center.
Beginning February 25, 2012, the Hampton History Museum welcomes An American Turning Point: The Civil War in Virginia, an interactive two-part exhibition that encourages visitors to consider how a single event, separated from us by 150 years, so fundamentally reshaped American society that its impact is still experienced today.
THINGS TO DO
Visit historic Hampton University's cam- pus, founded in 1868. It offers a sense of timeless significance that will inspire awe and reverence. There also are many his- toric churches in downtown Hampton and the surrounding communities, like the parish of St. John's Church, the old- est Anglican parish in North America, which was founded in 1610.
The streets come alive with special events from April through October, including the Hampton Street Fest offered on Queen's Way on Saturday evenings. Citywide events, such as the annual Hampton Jazz Festival, and inter- nationally acclaimed artists draw crowds to Hampton Coliseum and to The American Theatre year-round.
The Hampton History Museum in down- town Hampton provides a glimpse of the major moments in Hampton history that helped shape the nation. These include
58 January February 2012
the Native American gallery depicting the lifestyle of the Virginia Indians living at Kecoughtan prior to the first settlers' arrival, the colonial and Antebellum gal- leries, and the Civil War gallery that illumi- nates the reconstruction of Hampton and how greatly the seafood industry must have impacted Hampton's post-war economy.
The founding of NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, in 1917 in Hampton was the precursor of NASA and the founding site of the American space program. Today, the Virginia Air and Space Center and Riverside Digital 3D IMAX Theater are the result of Hampton's special relationship with NASA. More than 100 flight simula- tors and hands-on exhibits showcase air and space innovations of the past, pres- ent and future. Next door, the Hampton Carousel, built in 1920, spins visitors year-round on hand-carved horses and chariots.
Nearby, the Hampton Maritime Center is where the Miss Hampton II departs daily from April - October for tours of the Hampton Roads harbor, and the Ocean Eagle sets out for fishing excursions on the Chesapeake Bay.
Boutique and antique shopping is avail- able in downtown Hampton and Phoebus. More than 70 national and regionally-owned shops are presented at Peninsula Town Center.
www.visithampton.com VIRGINIA BEACH, VA WHAT'S NEW
The Laskin Gateway project will serve as an inviting entrance to the resort area upon its final completion in spring of 2013. It will offer more than 64,000- square feet of high-end dining and retail offerings, along with significant structural improvements to the streetscape and traffic flow. This inviting activity-oriented atmosphere will sit within a mile of the Virginia Beach Convention Center, offer- ing attendees additional dining and enter- tainment options.
Perfect for any group, the Virginia Beach Boardwalk Food Tour traverses the famous strip that has beckoned visitors for decades, serving up some of the finest dishes in the area. The tour focus- es on the history and culture of the area, including what John Smith and his crew ate during their quick stop before heading to Jamestown. The tour will bring togeth- er fine dining with casual long standing Virginia Beach institutions.
PLACES TO MEET
Along with an array of off-site and unique meeting venues, Virginia Beach boasts the first convention center in the country to achieve LEED® Gold certification for Existing Buildings. The Virginia Beach Convention Center captures the true essence of this coastal destination with its innovative design and features more than 500,000 gross square feet of space, including a 150,000-square foot, column- free exhibit hall, 29,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 31,000 square foot ballroom.
Experience a dramatic event in the live shark and sea turtle galleries at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, which can host up to 2,000. The aquarium's new Restless Planet addition features 12,000 square feet of spectacu- lar new habitats and exhibits, 110,000 gallons of aquariums, 6,000 new animals and 367 new species.
Discover a distinctive venue for parties, special events, business functions and more at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, the cultural centerpiece of the city. Theatre-style seating for 1,300 and a grand lobby accommodating 150 seated guests and up to 250 for stand- up receptions make the Sandler Center an ideal venue. Alternatively, enjoy a per- formance in the facility's outdoor plaza, capable of accommodating up to 400 guests.
The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, formerly the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, features a large atrium with 15í by 30í screen and accommo- dates up to 350 guests. With free access to exhibit area, meeting-goers can enjoy
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84