Hundreds of Hampton Roads students attend Virginia International Tattoo ahead of opening night

Amy Avery
·2 min read

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — From modern hits to the classics, Scope Arena was filled with excitement as students from Norfolk, Chesapeake, York County, and as far away as Richmond, came to enjoy a performance of the Virginia International Tattoo.

The event is showing them that there’s more to a career in the armed forces, and for some, it could even spark a love for the Tattoo, or it could even inspire a future career in the military.

“I thought they were all just serious war talk,” said Gavin Boykin, a fifth-grade student at Waller Mill Elementary School in Williamsburg. “I didn’t know that they did any band stuff.”

Tattoo producer and director Scott Jackson said the show moves quickly over the course of its two hours, and believes people are having a great experience.

“In fact, several of our staff members here at Virginia Arts Festival’s first experience with the festival was a high school or middle school field trip to the Tattoo,” Jackson said.

It’s a true show of patriotism, intertwined with an important history lesson ahead of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

“I’m a history guy myself, but we kinda learned about D-Day and all the sacrifices,” Boykins said. “It was pretty cool.”

And with seven different nations being represented, it brings a variety of cultures together.

“It’s just so organic,” Jackson said. “It’s like a kaleidoscope of culture and music.”

And it’s a show that teaches us an even bigger meaning.

“I like how they honored everybody up there and the people that passed away,” said Waller Mill Elementary fifth-grader Gabby Hopkins. “There’s a lot of people that served for us and helped our country out.”

Want to go?

There are four opportunities to check out the Tattoo this weekend, and there’s lots of free events happening for Tattoo weekend and NATO Fest as well.

Here’s a few of the free options to check out this weekend:

  • Tattoo Hullabaloo — 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday

  • Norfolk NATO Festival Parade of Nations — 10 a.m. Saturday, downtown Norfolk

  • Norfolk NATO Festival International Village — 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Town Point Park

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