VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The Virginia Beach Neptune Festival will celebrate 50 years when it kicks off at noon Friday at noon.

In honor of that milestone, organizers decided to blend some new events with the staples that have built Boardwalk weekend into what it is today.

The Young Collectors: Art Gallery for Kids

This year, festival organizers created the Young Collectors: Art Gallery for Kids.

“It’s an opportunity for kids six to 12 years old to visit our special tent here on the boardwalk, where they go in by themselves, supervised of course, and for $5, they can pick out their very first piece of art,” said Kit Chope, festival president and chief executive officer. “They can look at what speaks to them, and maybe that’ll foster a lifelong passion in the arts.”

Chope said art plays a huge role in the past, present and future of the Neptune Festival, so they wanted to create something to spark a love of art within children. A number of artists donated pieces of their artwork for the event.

The Young Collectors: Art Gallery for Kids is from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Parents will be asked to stand outside the booth so their child can select a piece of art on their own, though there will be an adult in the tent to supervise the children. You will be also able to see your child the entire time they are in the tent.

50th Anniversary Coffee Table Book

Also honoring 50 years of the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival is a coffee-table book celebrating the history of the festival. From the people to the places to the events to the community, it’s all there in the book, showcasing the most special moments from day one.

“It’s everything from Chuck Norris when he was the grand marshal back in the 70s to Elizabeth Taylor kissing the king,” Chope said. “It’s the floats, it’s the races, it’s the music, it’s the artwork. It’s everything from 50 years captured under one cover.”

You can buy the Neptune Festival coffee book, celebrating 50 years, this Friday through Sunday during the festival. Just go to the Commemorative Poster booth to make your purchase. You can also order online. The book costs $45.

Youth Art Show

If you live with a young artist, you might want to encourage them to enter a piece of their artwork into the Youth Art Show this weekend. It’s open to all artists in grades four through 12.

Their work will be judged, and then more than 30 prizes worth more than $1,000 will be presented to the winners. The best-in-show winner will walk away with a cash prize of $250. The Youth Art Show has been a staple of the Neptune Festival for years.

“For example, Devin Miller, who created our commemorative mural, as well as the poster art for this year’s festival, won her first competition and sold a work of art for the very first time at this youth art show when she was a teenager,” Chope said. “So you see how that inspires the next generation.”

To participate, every young artist has to register on the day of the show. The Youth Art Show is Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Rounds of Applause

Neptune Festival organizers created the Rounds of Applause community art project, highlighting festival partners. They asked 50 local schools, businesses and nonprofits to interpret the festival tagline, “Celebrating the Beach Life,” on a three-foot round of wood. Their creations will be displayed during Boardwalk weekend.

“It demonstrates the partnerships and the friendships that for 50 years we fostered across this community to ensure that that people feel that the Neptune Festival is part of them, and they are part of the Neptune Festival,” Chope said.

You can check out the Rounds of Applause between 7th Street to 31st Street this Friday through Sunday during the festival. To find the location of a specific round, click here and scroll down to “Rounds of Applause.”

Hometown Heroes: Neptune’s Final Toast

On Sunday, you can honor our hometown heroes. Gather for a breakfast and awards ceremony honoring those in our community who serve in the military, are first responders, teachers and more. You will also hear from a keynote speaker who is out of this world.

“It’s NASA Astronaut Randy Bresnik,” Chope said. “He happens to be a college classmate of mine, and so he’s going to come talk about his experiences when he commanded the International Space Station and also launched on the space shuttle Atlantis.”

Hometown Heroes: Neptune’s Final Toast is at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Atlantic Avenue. Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for children younger than 16.

Click here to purchase tickets. Tickets include a continental breakfast, access to the event, Q&A session and autograph opportunities.