CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. (WAVY) — Chincoteague Island is hosting its 99th annual Pony Swim this year.
The iconic event made famous by Marguerite Henry’s 1947 book “Misty of Chincoteague” is always on the last Wednesday in July (with a consecutive Thursday that’s also in July).
This year, that means Wednesday, July 24, sometime between noon and 1 p.m., the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and local chamber of commerce announced. It’s always held during “slack tide,” when the tide’s not moving in or out.
The ponies come ashore just south of Veterans Memorial Park at 7427 Memorial Park Drive and parade down to the town’s carnival grounds, where the annual pony auction will be held the next day starting at 8 a.m.
Whether you’re on a boat/kayak or on land, you’ll want to get in position early due to the crowds. There is free shuttle service starting at 7 a.m. to get you to the park and other portions of the island.
The Pony Penning festivities all start on July 20 and 21 with the roundup of the herds on Assateague Island by Saltwater Cowboys.
You can read more about the event and get more details on the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce’s website. Check out some previous swims in the video above and below.