Words and Images Courtesy of the Virginia Arts Festival
Join World-Class Performers for a Celebration of Caribbean Music at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront May 6-7, 2022!
The Virginia Arts Festival announces the Virginia International PANFest will return for 2022 May 6-7 at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront! Registration for workshop and/or adjudication is available NOW at vafest.org/panfest or vapanfest.org.
Virginia International PANFest Workshop
Friday, May 6
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Virginia Beach Convention Center
Participating steel bands and individuals will be divided up by sections (high pans, middle pans, & low/bass pans) to get instruction from some of the foremost teachers in the steel band community before coming together to perform a mass band tune. These cross-ensemble sectionals will give students the opportunity to meet and perform with a wide range of players from around the U.S. while developing the techniques needed to execute a high level of musicianship.
Virginia International PANFest Evening Entertainment
Friday, May 6
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Don't miss a performance on the 24th Street Stage at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront from Steel Sensation, local favorites Nature’s Child will be the opening act.
Virginia International PANFest
Saturday, May 6
10:00 am - 7:00 pm
24th Street Stage, Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Registered steel band ensembles in four different categories (Elementary/Middle, High School, Private Studio, or Community) are adjudicated in the Virginia International PANFest competition throughout the day which is free and open to the public to attend! Bands alternate 15-20 minute performances between two stages.
Virginia International PANFest Evening Entertainment
Saturday, May 6
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Enjoy local music from the Jesse Chong Band, followed by a short awards ceremony honoring all the competing bands, concluding with a performance from Brooklyn-based steel band, Steel Sensation.
For more information, including Rules, Adjudicators, Clinicians, and Live Music Headliners, visit vafest.org/panfest or vapanfest.org.
About Virginia International PANFest
Virginia International PANFest is presented annually by the Virginia Arts Festival in cooperation with Virginia Beach's Live on Atlantic. PANFest is free and open to the public and is directly aligned with the Virginia Arts Festival's mission to enhance Spring tourism in Coastal Virginia. PANFest features a day of workshops by world-class clinicians for steel bands of all ages, and a day-long competition featuring some of the industry's finest steel band adjudicators. PANFest concludes each evening with a free, outdoor live concert featuring local and national acts.
About Virginia Arts Festival
The Virginia Arts Festival celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2022. The largest and most prestigious international performing arts organization in southeastern Virginia, Virginia Arts Festival has transformed the region's cultural scene, presenting great performers from around the world and making this historic region a cultural destination for visitors from across the United States and around the world. Over the past 25 years, the Festival has welcomed visitors from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 25 foreign countries. The Festival has presented over 1,438 performances, free community events, and student matinees and workshops with a reach of over 1.2 million attendees. Each season, millions more are reached through international broadcasts of Festival performances on American Public Radio's Performance Today, nationally on PBS TV, and regionally on WHRO TV. Over 32% of ticket sales come from outside the region, bringing tens of thousands of visitors to local attractions and filling regional hotels and restaurants. The estimated annual economic impact of the Festival exceeds $25 million.