VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – Country music fans took over blocks of the Oceanfront for the first ever BEACH IT!
“It’s like a party, like a family party. Everyone gets along,” Robert Esbensen, one festival-goer said.
The sound of guitars and fiddles echoed through the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
“It’s unbelievable to go to a concert on the ocean,” Bob DeMarais, a South Dakota native said.
It’s the first time honky-tonk music has been on the beach since 2019.
“I’m from South Dakota. My brother has the boat and he invited my son and I to come out. He he wanted to go to the Virginia Beach BEACH IT! concert. I said that sounds pretty good. They are country, and I said we are country let’s do it,” DeMarais said.
It’s a once in a lifetime experience for the South Dakota native.
“You know I had to take a step back yesterday when I was watching the concert and all of the sudden the ocean is off to the side and you have a wonderful concert. Everybody is in such a good spirit,” DeMarais said.
Not everyone got a ticket to go inside. Some enjoyed country music from afar.
“I was here a lot longer yesterday. I just got here today. Hopefully, I’ll stick around for the main act tonight and see how that goes,” Glenn Haight said.
The Virginia Beach local brought a whole set-up including a beach chair, some shade and sunscreen.
He could hear and slightly see all the action.
“This is pretty good,” Haight said.
A lucky spot for him, but a local couple said they had the best spot in the house. They are hoping to snag it again when Thomas Rhett plays his popular hits.
“We went last night. We got really close to the Miranda Lambert stage. It was so much fun. It was awesome,” Pam Esbensen said.
Sunday was another day full of country music on the sand.
After a slight severe weather delay Sunday evening, five-time entertainer of the year, Luke Bryan, capped off the first ever BEACH IT! Country Music Festival.