THESE EVENTS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION AS THE SEASON PROGRESSES.
Are you part of Virginia’s coastal regions?
Would you like to help us kick off the 2020 Paddling and Outdoor Recreation Season by hosting a “Burning of the Socks” event in your area on Saturday, May 2, 2020?
The Virginia Water Trails program is looking to grow paddling and outdoor recreation in the coastal regions and we need your help.
“Burning of the Socks” is a long-time tradition in maritime communities and usually includes throwing an old pair of socks into a campfire after putting on your flip flops or sandals for the summer season.
Events can include storytelling, paddling demos, museum tours, kayak trips with outfitters, speeches, refreshments, river and beach walks, and general camaraderie among new and experienced paddlers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Some sites are using the event to request sock donations for homeless shelters or to request canned good donations for food banks. Your event can be created to suit your location and creative ideas, but we are hoping that all events can be held on Saturday, May 2, 2020.
By creating a critical mass of “Burning of the Socks” events in the region, we can maximize media coverage, maximize visitation to our coastal regions, and get more folks connecting to our maritime heritage.
If you are already hosting a “Burning of the Socks” event on Saturday, May 2, 2020, please let us know the event details by email and be sure to list the event on the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s website www.virginia.org.
You can create a login to create an event listing by registering for a free account at https://admin.virginia.org/.
We will also list and promote the event throughout the Virginia Water Trails site.
Please send your event info and any questions to [email protected].