MediterraneanGrocery Wholesalers in Virginia Beach, VA

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Clay Beasley can still remember the day in November 1942 he enlisted in the Army to serve in World War II.

He was 18 years old.

“It was a bad day for the draft board it was a legal holiday. They were closed," Beasley recalled.

Watch: Virginia Beach D-Day veteran recalls historic invasion 80 years later

He wanted to be a pilot.

“I found out later in order to become a pilot you absolutely had to have a college education. I had only been going to high school. But, they took me into the Army Air Corps it was at the time," Beasley said.

After the war, he met and married his first wife. They were married for 49 years until she passed away. He eventually got re-married after running into his childhood sweetheart at a high school reunion.

Watch: Hampton WWII veteran surprised with first American flag

“We met when we were seven years old. I remember writing her a letter. I said, ‘Dear Marybeth, I love you.’ That’s the only thing I wrote on this piece of paper. I mailed it to her, and she remembered getting it and she remembers where she was when she got it," Beasley said.

When asked what he would tell young people today, he said he would tell them the military "offers a lot."

“I was a young man and I felt it was my duty. I read a lot about the history of my country and I was proud of it. So, I enlisted," Beasley said.

Watch: 95-year-old WWII veteran visits Military Aviation Museum, relives glory days

Beasley is one of the many veterans who receives care from the Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center in Virginia Beach.

News 3 is teaming up with D-BAT, a baseball and softball training facility in Virginia Beach, to raise money for a sensory room at the care center for veterans.

The Dome is just one part of the Atlantic Park project, which covers multiple blocks on Pacific Avenue and will also include a surf park.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The latest addition to the Virginia Beach community's entertainment landscape is progressing to final stages of construction as part of the greater Atlantic Park project. And it has a name that may be familiar to many long-time residents and visitors: The Dome.

The live performance venue is owned by the City of Virginia Beach and operated in partnership with Live Nation. To support the venue, Live Nation says it will create more than 200 jobs with base pay starting at $20 an hour for all staff. It's also expected to host over 3,000 people for events.

"When big acts are booked, hopefully, these big acts want to eat here. So, how can you not feel excited about it," said Kip Poole, a well-known local restaurateur who just opened Yorkies Modern Deli in the ViBe Creative District, two blocks away from the Dome site.

After the city said The Dome is nearing completion on Friday, Live Nation announced Papa Roach and Rise Against will be coming to it in September of 2025. The venue is expected to open in the spring of 2025, so additional live acts are expected to be announced in the coming months. Other portions of the Atlantic Park project, including the large wave pool anchoring the complex, will not be completed at the same time as the Dome portion of the project.

The Dome is just one part of the Atlantic Park project, which has seen gradual progress but has also required additional financing from the city to account for rising construction costs from the COVID-19 pandemic. As recently as 2021 and 2023, the city council has voted to financially allocate resources to the project.

"The money to fund this project is not coming out of the general fund, it's the tip fund from amusement taxes. But once again, once we get it open this thing will be an iconic game changer at the Oceanfront," Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer told media on Friday.

The site started as the Virginia Beach Civic Center, better known as "The Dome" in the 1950s, but was torn down in 1994. The site had remained vacant until work on the Atlantic Park project began last year.

"The Dome will quickly become a go-to destination for music, comedy, and special events, all while paying homage to the legacy of the original Dome, a celebrated home for jazz, soul and rock ‘n’ roll," Dyer added.

Christmas lights along Virginia Beach Boardwalk

BayPort Credit Union Holiday Lights at the Beach is a favorite seasonal event for over 25,000 families visiting annually. As you enter Virginia Beach Boardwalk on Atlantic Avenue at 2nd Street, a spectacular nautical Christmas show takes place parallel to the Atlantic Ocean.

BayPort Credit Union Holiday Lights at the Beach Highlights

The drive-thru display features giant musical crabs, treasure chests, whales, and dolphins, as well as traditional glowing archways, hard-working elves, a Surfing Santa, and lots of Christmas trees. The color-changing archways, luminous fixtures honoring the Armed Forces community, a spectacular 40-foot dancing-light Christmas tree, and the largest and longest curved LED Light Tunnel in the U.S. will create lifelong memories.

Special Events

In addition to BayPort Credit Union Holiday Lights, quests can visit free and open-to-the-public Holiday Lights Bike Night on November 14 from 5:30 to 8 pm. You will have a chance to ride your bike through musical crabs, jumping fish, jolly elves, and the LED Light Tunnel.

Another fantastic free event, the BayPort Credit Union Holiday Parade At The Beach, will be held on Atlantic Avenue on December 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. The parade will feature over 100 units, including marching bands, giant balloons, equestrian units, lighted floats, fire trucks, motorcycles, performing dance groups, and much more, offering entertainment for all ages.

Hours & Admission

Virginia Beach Christmas lights run from mid-November through early January. The illumination is on from 5:30 pm to 10 pm. During the light show, the boardwalk is open to vehicles only; pedestrians won't be allowed. The ticket prices depend on the vehicle type and start at $30 per car. On Military Monday, visitors can save $5 with aMilitary I.D.

More things to do during your visit

Don't limit your holiday getaway in Virginia Beach to Christmas lights alone. The area is famed for its fine restaurants and fascinating attractions. In early December, Virginia Beach Oceanfront hosts the Holiday Parade. Also, in late November, Virginia Beach's Christmas Market is held at the Convention Center. And for families with kids, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center offers Sailing With Santa, a fabulous 45-minute cruise with the man in red. So plan wisely to make the most of your Christmas adventures.

Practical info

Find hotels and airbnbs near BayPort Credit Union Holiday Lights at the Beach (Map)

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As of November 2024, the average solar panel system costs $2.86/W including installation in Virginia Beach, VA. For a 5 kW installation, this comes out to about $14,325 before incentives, though prices range from $12,176 to $16,474. After the federal tax credit, the average price drops by 30%.

You'll probably pay even less than what we show here. It doesn't include the federal ITC or Virginia Beach, VA state incentives, which will lower this price by at least a few thousand dollars.

It may seem obvious but larger solar panel systems cost more money. We use cost per watt ($/W) so you can easily compare quotes, controlling for slight variations in system size.

While a 5 kW system will only cost you $14,325 in Virginia Beach, VA, doubling the system size effectively doubles the price, so you'll pay about twice that for a 10 kW system. The higher the price tag, though, the more you'll get back as a credit towards your federal tax bill.

Average solar cost by system size in Virginia Beach, VA

If you can't shell out $14,325 in cash to pay for solar, don't sweat it. You can choose to finance your system with a loan instead. Some companies even offer $0-down loans so you can start saving on day one if your loan payments are less than your current electric bills. Just keep in mind that your long-term savings will be lower with a loan due to interest rates.

The numbers we're showing are averages. The price you'll pay for solar depends on many factors unique to you and your home:

If you're looking for solar companies in VA, here are some popular suggestions:

Solar is a major purchase, but you can get the price tag to come down a bit by being an educated shopper. Taking advantage of incentives and rebates and shopping around for quotes can bring down your cost of solar in Virginia Beach, VA.

As long as your federal tax bill is high enough, you can take advantage of the federal tax credit in Virginia Beach, VA. This incentive allows you to apply 30% of your solar installation and equipment costs toward your federal tax bill. If the amount exceeds your tax bill, you can roll over the remaining credit to the following year. Many states also offer great local incentives and rebates.

Comparing multiple solar quotes can save you money through competition and transparency. Each additional quote you receive for solar will help you find the right solar panel system at the right price.

This is where EnergySage can help. With funding from the Department of Energy’s SunShot Prize, EnergySage opened the country’s first (and now the largest) marketplace for home solar panel installations. We gather custom solar quotes from local installers on your behalf and put them in an easy-to-compare format. When you compare quotes for solar panels on the EnergySage Marketplace, you can expect to see prices up to 20% lower than if you work with a single solar company.