Chincoteague Events

UPDATE 11/17/2020 – After much consideration, the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has made the decision to cancel this year’s Chincoteague Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade, scheduled for Saturday, December 5th. With the new state guidelines limiting all public and private in-person gatherings to 25 individuals and with the safety of our participants, essential workers, volunteers, and staff as our highest priority, this is the best public safety decision. Even a drive-thru parade would have its risks. We know this is another disappointment, but we are already working on some other special happenings because this is still a Season of Thankfulness and we still have so much to be thankful for. Stay tuned for more details here and at www.chincoteaguechamber.com.

41st Annual Chincoteague Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade
Theme: A Season of Thankfulness
December 5, 2020 (inclement weather date Friday, December 11)
6:00 p.m. (NEW TIME)
Main Street, Chincoteague Island, VA

Visit beautiful Chincoteague Island and celebrate an annual Christmas tradition – the Chincoteague Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade! 

There will be some changes to the parade this year due to continued social distancing guidelines. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

The parade begins at a new time this year – 6:00 p.m. and the parade route has been extended! The parade will begin at the intersection of Main Street and Maddox Boulevard, head down Main Street and end at Bunting Road. Attendees are asked to spread out across the parade route for safety to see enchanting floats, bands, marching units, decorated boats, fire companies from across the Eastern Shore, equestrian teams, classic cars, and more. The parking lot on the waterfront across from the Carnival Grounds will be open for parking. Keep an eye out for Santa too! Entries WILL NOT stop at the Judge’s Stand to perform. Face masks/coverings are strongly encouraged.

The Chincoteague Police Department will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for their Annual Toy Run during the parade. Please consider making a donation and help put smiles on the faces of less-fortunate children this holiday season.

Watch the parade from the comfort of your home, as it will also live stream on the Chamber Facebook page. 

There will be no awards ceremony, visits with Santa or refreshments provided after the parade. Awards will be given and pick up arrangements will be made when winners are notified. 

Parade entry applications are available by clicking the links below. Entry deadline is November 20.

PLEASE NOTE:  Due to insurance liabilities, all entries in the parade (judged or not judged) MUST submit a parade entry form in order to participate in the parade. No walk-on entries will be allowed.

For more information, call 757-336-6161 or email joanne@chincoteaguechamber.com.

Thank you to our parade sponsor Taylor Bank

2020 Parade GENERAL Entry Form

2020 Parade FIRE COMPANY Entry Form

2020 Parade MARCHING BAND Entry Form

Parade line up map and numbers will be available here after noon on Friday, December 4.

Parade Line Up Map
Park and School Staging

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For a complete list of Island events & activities CLICK HERE 

The Chincoteague Seafood Festival is held the first Saturday in May to promote the seafood industry on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The festival offers fresh, local seafood and will include exciting offerings and signature dishes from local restaurants as well as old and new Eastern Shore favorites prepared by famous festival cooks, volunteers, and professionals.  Indulge on little neck clams, a long-time festival staple, along with raw oysters and clams, clam fritters and strips, single fried oysters, fried fish, steamed shrimp, clam chowder, salad bar, grilled chicken, sweet potato fries, Boardwalk fries, hushpuppies, and cornbread.  Non-alcoholic beverages are included in the ticket price with beer available for purchase. 

Front Page News will provide live entertainment for everyone’s listening and dancing enjoyment.

Shop to your hearts content in the Arts and Crafts tent featuring handmade creations from area artisans. 

An Extravaganza Raffle is held with the winner receiving t-shirts, tickets, trays, lodging, gift certificates for meals, and much more for the following year’s festival. 

There will also be a variety of souvenirs available for purchase. 

52nd Annual Chincoteague Seafood Festival
An Eastern Shore Tradition Since 1968 

Saturday May 1, 2021
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Tom’s Cove Park
8128 Beebe Road, Chincoteague, VA  23336
Locate the Festival on Google Maps
 

Tickets are $50 per person (Children under 5 are FREE)

REFUND POLICY – Event is held rain or shine. Every attempt will be made to have the festival on the date and time advertised, however circumstances beyond the Chamber’s control may require rescheduling or delay. All sales are final in case of ticketholder cancellation or organizer postponement. If the event is cancelled by the organizer or due to circumstances beyond our control, tickets may be transferred to a future festival or refunded at 80% within 60 days of cancellation. After that time, only ticket transfers to future festivals will be honored.

Tickets are limited, so order early!!! This is a sell out event!

10:00 am – Gates open (NO EARLY ENTRY FOR SETUP) Any items set up prior to 10am on festival day are subject to removal.

11:00 am – Appetizer tents begin serving – Clam Chowder, Salad Bar, Boardwalk Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Hushpuppies, Cornbread, Grilled Chicken

12:00 pm – Seafood tents begins serving – Raw Oysters & Clams, “Little Neck” Steamed Clams, Single Fried Oysters, Fried Fish, Steamed Shrimp, Clam Fritters, Clam Strips
                   Live music begins with Front Page News

4:00 pm – Festival ends

6:00 pm – Due to insurance liability purposes, all attendees and volunteers must exit the festival grounds

PLEASE NOTE:

All e-tickets must be scanned either by our volunteer scanners at the entrance of Toms Cove Park or at the Will Call tent to acquire festival wristband.

All attendees must have a festival wristband prior to entrance to festival grounds.

Attendees can come and go to the festival grounds from 10am – noon.

No re-entry to festival grounds after noon. Upon leaving festival grounds, wristbands will be cut.

All attendees age 21 and over MUST provide a photo ID at the beer tent in order to purchase beer. No exceptions!

Beer tent and some Arts & Crafts vendors only accept cash, so please come prepared!

Due to the popularity of the seafood we offer, we cannot guarantee that each item will be available up until 4pm.

Eat all you want, but please do not remove food from the festival grounds.

No pets, vehicles, golf carts, one wheels, bicycles or fire pits/rings are permitted inside the festival grounds for safety purposes.

LEARN MORE:

Festival Helpful Hints
Directions & Parking
Extravaganza of Prizes Raffle
Merchandise (Festival Merchandise with arrive approx. one week before the festival)

UPON PURCHASE OF TICKET(S), YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO ALL THE ABOVE MENTIONED TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

We thank you for cooperation in making this a wonderful festival! See you on festival day!

Tickets are no longer being sold in outlets. Tickets can be purchased by clicking the ‘BUY NOW’ button, calling 757-336-6161 or stopping by the Chamber office, 6733 Maddox Boulevard, Chincoteague.

Wednesday July 28, 2021

At “slack tide” (time to be announced at a later date by Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company), the Chincoteague Ponies will swim across the Assateague Channel just south of Memorial Park (7427 Memorial Park Drive, Chincoteague Island, VA 23336) on the east side of Chincoteague Island. There is no charge by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company for parking or seeing the ponies swim. The ONLY parking at Memorial Park, however, is designated for tour buses. All those seeking handicap parking and all day-trippers are encouraged to go to Municipal Center (6150 Community Drive, Chincoteague Island, VA 23336) and catch the free shuttle. There will be a handicap accessible bus for your convenience. Those staying on the island may catch a shuttle bus near their lodging.

The first foal to come ashore will be named King or Queen Neptune and will be given away in a raffle drawing at the carnival grounds later in the day (time to be announced). Tickets are sold each night at the carnival and amongst the crowd while waiting for the swim to occur. You must have a ticket and you must be present to win.

After swimming the short distance across the channel, the ponies will rest for approximately 45 minutes to an hour before “parading” to the carnival grounds on Main Street. See shuttle bus map below for parade route.

The carnival will open at 7:00 p.m. with rides, games, and lots of good food.

Note: Pets are not permitted in Memorial Park or the Carnival Grounds.
Coast Guard on Alert for Illegal Charter Boats During Chincoteague Pony Swim
(The Coast Guard is cautioning tourists attending the pony swim to avoid boats that do not have licensed captains, and in some cases have not been inspected by the Coast Guard.)

7:00 p.m. – Carnival attractions.

Click here for detailed Pony Swim shuttle map.

The Chincoteague Oyster Festival is held to promote the seafood industry and mark the arrival of the oyster season. Come and enjoy oysters—raw, steamed, fritters, and single fried; clam fritters, clam chowder, shrimp cocktail, salad bar, hot dogs, hush puppies, and Boardwalk fries. Beverages are included in the ticket price with beer available for purchase. Island Boy, a festival favorite for over 25 years, will provide live entertainment for everyone’s enjoyment.  An Extravaganza Raffle is held with the winner receiving t-shirts, tickets, lodging, gift certificates for meals, and much more for the following year’s festival.  A favorite at the festival is the “Best Place/Space Award” which is given to the best decorated area.  There will also be a variety of souvenirs available for purchase.  This is an advance ticketed event that is typically sold out before festival day.  

48th Annual Chincoteague Oyster Festival
CELEBRATING CHINCOTEAGUE ‘SALTS’ & THE BEGINNING OF OYSTER SEASON

October 9, 2021
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Tom’s Cove Park
8128 Beebe Road, Chincoteague, VA  23336
Locate the Festival on Google Maps

Tickets are $50 per person (Children under 5 are FREE)

REFUND POLICY – Event is held rain or shine. Every attempt will be made to have the festival on the date and time advertised, however circumstances beyond the Chamber’s control may require rescheduling or delay. All sales are final in case of ticketholder cancellation or organizer postponement. If the event is cancelled by the organizer or due to circumstances beyond our control, tickets may be transferred to a future festival or refunded at 80% within 60 days of cancellation. After that time, only ticket transfers to future festivals will be honored.

Tickets are limited, so order early!!! This is a sell out event!

10:00 am – Gates open (NO EARLY ENTRY FOR SETUP) Any items set up prior to 10am on festival day are subject to removal.

11:00 am – Appetizer tents begin serving – Clam Chowder, Shrimp Cocktail, Salad Bar, Boardwalk Fries, Hushpuppies, Hot Dogs

12:00 pm – Seafood tents begins serving – Raw Oysters, Steamed Oysters, Single Fried Oysters, Oyster Fritters, Clam Fritters
                   Live music begins with Island Boy

4:00 pm – Festival ends

6:00 pm – Due to insurance liability purposes, all attendees and volunteers must exit the festival grounds

PLEASE NOTE:

All e-tickets must be scanned either by our volunteer scanners at the entrance of Toms Cove Park or at the Will Call tent to acquire festival wristband.

All attendees must have a festival wristband prior to entrance to festival grounds.

Attendees can come and go to the festival grounds from 10am – noon.

No re-entry to festival grounds after noon. Upon leaving festival grounds, wristbands will be cut.

All attendees age 21 and over MUST provide a photo ID at the beer tent in order to purchase beer. No exceptions!

Beer tent and some Arts & Crafts vendors only accept cash, so please come prepared!

Due to the popularity of the seafood we offer, we cannot guarantee that each item will be available up until 4pm.

Eat all you want, but please do not remove food from the festival grounds.

No pets, vehicles, golf carts, one wheels, bicycles or fire pits/rings are permitted inside the festival grounds for safety purposes.

LEARN MORE:

HELPFUL HINTS      |      DIRECTIONS & PARKING      |      EXTRAVAGANZA OF PRIZES RAFFLE & BEST SPACE      |      MERCHANDISE (Arrives approx. one week before festival)

UPON PURCHASE OF TICKET(S), YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO ALL THE ABOVE MENTIONED TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

We thank you for cooperation in making this a wonderful festival! See you on festival day!

Tickets are no longer being sold in outlets. Tickets can be purchased by clicking the ‘BUY NOW’ button, calling 757-336-6161 or stopping by the Chamber office, 6733 Maddox Boulevard, Chincoteague.