from the publisher An Embarrassment of Riches

It’s hard to believe that just four years ago the entire world was shut down; any planned activities were canceled by the various global government agencies. All public and private events, whether community, social, personal or business were more or less eliminated due to the onset of COVID-19.

The Boulevard team had the unique experience of launching a new regional magazine in the Tidewater area in 2020. Our planning started in January and the first issue—which was scheduled to be distributed in May— was delayed until October. Who knew that all of our plans would be postponed for many months? When the governor of Virginia decided to shutter restaurants and ultimately close the beaches during the Fourth of July weekend, it became clear that this global pandemic had local implications, and would be affecting us for some time to come.

Now in the summer of 2023, we have multiple events each week— concerts, wine festivals, sports, weddings—all anchored by major attractions such as Something in the Water (SITW), which brought many new faces to the Tidewater area and to the oceanfront. The hotels were full at astonishingly high room rates, the restaurants were jam packed, the bars and pubs were overflowing with happy concert goers in town to hear the best music that Pharell and his friends could convince to perform at the fourth SITW festival.

Right around the corner we have another series of happenings which include the Montreal-based Jackalope Festival—making its first appearance in the United States right here in Virginia Beach. Then comes Bluegrass and Blues, Beach It!, and the Virginia Bridal and Wedding Expo. As summer progresses, we will be treated to all of the annual events we’ve come to know and love like the East Coast Surfing Championship, the Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show and the Neptune Festival. Interspersed amongst those big events you can find music, art and sports happening all across Virginia Beach,

BERRY BRUNK President | Publisher berry@blvdmedia.io

JULIE FANNING Chief Creative Officer julie@blvdmedia.io

DAVID POLSTON Photography Editor david@blvdmedia.io

RICK BLANTON Emeritus Photographer rick@blvdmedia.io

RICK POLSTON Copy Editor

CONTRIBUTORS

ALEX MARJANOVIC Writer

JASMINE SHENG Writer YIORGO Writer

JOHN CADELL Photographer

SUSIE BRUNK General Manager susie@blvdmedia.io

ADVERTISING Berry Brunk 757.340.3625 berry@blvdmedia.io

Norfolk, Hampton and other Tidewater locales. Now the Boulevard team is faced with a different problem: how to decide which of these events we cover in detail for our avid readers who focus on the unique things we have to see and do in this coastal metropolis. As I said before, the stores and retailers have rebounded. Restaurant patronage is way up. Our bars are open for live music and sporting events, and numerous areas in town are getting facelifts based on the current needs of the region.

Some examples: Pembroke Mall is going through a complete rehab complete with an affordable housing project. The old Military Circle site has been awarded as a development project to a group called the Wellness Circle, which submitted a $1.1 billion proposal to remake the 75-acre site with a 200-room hotel, more than 1,100 new housing units and a 16,000-seat arena. Negotiations between the city and the Wellness Circle development team, which includes Virginia Beach-based musicians Pharrell Williams and Pusha T, are currently underway. And finally, the old gravel and sand parking lot space adjacent to Rudee inlet will soon become a new city and private enterprise project, which will anchor the south end of the resort strip.

Throughout the past four years that we have been publishing Boulevard magazine, we knew that this area would rebound as a bigger, more modern and diverse regional powerhouse. New ideas and projects to repurpose land usage will help to transform the area for the next 50 years to come. We’re proud to be a catalyst in the rejuvenation of the Tidewater area, and I look forward to sharing more and more events of interest with you to help you enjoy your spare time—locally.