City: Williamsburg, VA

Category: Annual Events & Festivals

Description: During the first weekend after Labor Day each September, the city of Hampton celebrates the Chesapeake Bay with its three-day Bay Days bash. Admission to Bay Days is free, but there is a fee for some special events, and parking—whether in city lots or private makeshift lots set up for the occasion—runs around $10. (Satellite parking and shuttle service are available at the Hampton Coliseum lot just off exit 263B of I-64.) Featuring everything from hands-on Bay education activities for the kids to rides, crafts, food, and a juried art show, Bay Days has something for everyone. For those on the daring side, there’s even an Extreme Arena that showcases everything from stunt bicycling, skateboarding, and in-line skating to laser tag, bungee jumping, and a rock-climbing wall. Continuous entertainment is staged at various locations throughout the celebration, which takes place along the Hampton waterfront and in the closed-off streets and parking lots of downtown. The Saturday night explosion of fireworks is a must-see. The festival concludes Sunday evening with a headline performer. Past headliners have included country star Patty Loveless and Virginia’s own Bruce Hornsby.