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VA250 committee outlines signature events and asks council for more support
Summary
Jimmy Wood, chair of the Virginia Beach VA250 committee, briefed council on local plans for the Commonwealth’s 250th anniversary, including the Skirmish at Kemp’s Landing signature event, partnerships, a $50,000 FY26 budget and a request for additional city support for high‑profile events in 2026.
Jimmy Wood, chair of the Virginia Beach VA250 committee, told council the committee was formed in 2023 to coordinate local commemoration of the Commonwealth’s 250th anniversary. Wood said the committee’s mission is strategic: to connect, amplify and support community‑led initiatives rather than produce major city events directly.
Wood identified the Skirmish at Kemp’s Landing, scheduled for November 2025 at City View Park, as a 2025 signature event and said the committee is coordinating reenactments, immersive encampments and interpretive exhibits with the Seventh Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line and Virginia Beach Parks & Rec. He highlighted other local events supported by the committee this fiscal year, including the Battle of the Capes commemoration, a highway marker honoring Willis Augustus Hodges, the Rising Sun Powwow with the Nansemond Indian Nation, and a theatrical production (17 76) planned for February 27–March 1, 2026 at the Sandler Center.
On funding, Wood said the committee’s FY26 budget is $50,000 and that at least $25,000 of that has been earmarked for the signature event; he reported over $50,000 in funding requests for community events already received and asked council to consider additional city support for larger elements such as an enhanced Fourth of July celebration and a history festival on the oceanfront. “Virginia Beach has a very powerful story to tell,” Wood said, urging expanded coordination with Beach Events and other city departments.
Council members expressed strong support, asked staff for a needs assessment and for cost estimates, and discussed involving schools and neighborhood locations across districts. Staff agreed to compile a report of funding requests and city resource needs for council consideration before budget decisions are finalized.
The committee also described outreach and education plans, including a public education campaign of 250 facts leading up to July 4, 2026, and a proposed Flags of Freedom initiative to visibly mark public spaces across the city.
