IPBA 39th Annual Convention
April 29 – May 1, 2027
Norfolk, VA
Come early and stay late for all the attractions in Norfolk, VA.
A mermaid has been the signature symbol of the City of Norfolk since 2002. The idea of a “Mermaid Parade” came up in 1999, and was implemented with local bronze sculptor Kevin Gallup mass-producing 130 mermaid castings for local businesses, artists and homeowners to sponsor and decorate.
The result was mermaids all over the city, and enthusiastic support for the city adopting the mermaid as its symbol. At least 80 mermaids have been customized and placed around the city.
To this day the mermaid is the symbol of the city, and is part of the official city logo, its website and social media sites, and it now has a much larger mermaid fountain in Town Point Park on the edge of Elizabeth River, next to the Nauticus maritime museum.
You can find an interactive map of the mermaid locations here:
Nauticus is uniquely located along the waterfront in downtown, Norfolk, Virginia, offering a unique form of experiential learning for all ages. Through interactive exhibits and STEM to STERN programming, Nauticus uses the museum, Battleship Wisconsin, sailing center, and Schooner Virginia to tell the story of the maritime environment, industry, and the military. https://nauticus.org/
Located in nearby Hampton, Virginia, the birthplace of America’s space program, the Virginia Air & Space Science Center features interactive aviation exhibits spanning 100 years of flight, more than 30 historic aircraft, a hands-on space exploration gallery, unique space flight artifacts, and more! The Center is home to the Apollo 12 Command Module and the Orion PA-1 Test Vehicle. https://vasc.org/
The mission of the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in nearby Virginia Beach is to connect people to the marine environment, inspiring a more sustainable future. We aspire to be a driver in conservation, education, tourism, and sustainability, leading the charge to save wildlife and their ecosystems. https://virginiaaquarium.com/
The Chrysler Museum of Art’s permanent collection includes more than 10,000 glass objects from around the globe. The unique material properties of glass have inspired artisans and craftspeople for millennia, enabling them to create objects of wondrous variety in form and function. From ancient Egyptian jewelry to Venetian tableware and American lamps, glass has continually been appreciated as a beautiful yet highly practical artistic medium. The collection continues to expand, focusing on contemporary glass as expressions of art, craft, design, and mixed media. Discover how masterpieces in the Chrysler Museum’s glass collection were made at the Perry Glass Studio. https://chrysler.org/
Experience the life and times of America’s founding fathers at Colonial Williamsburg. Their 300+ buildings comprise our colonial capital city. 89 of those buildings are original to the 18th century, while the rest were carefully reconstructed based on extensive research and archaeological evidence. This preservation process started with the founding of Colonial Williamsburg in the 1930s, and continues today! https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/
The nearby Virginia Beach Boardwalk, which runs for three miles from 2nd Street to 40th Street, affords amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a great place to get your steps in at sunrise, whether walking or running. It’s also tops for an early-morning bike ride before the mid-day crowds show up. Bring your own wheels or rent a bike (or in-line skates) for the day or a couple of days at Cherie’s Bike & Blade Rentals, which has 14 locations along the boardwalk. Just be sure to rent your bike or skates in advance because Cherie’s doesn’t open until 8 a.m. – well after sunrise.
One of the most popular spots on the boardwalk for a sunrise photo is the iconic 34-foot-tall King Neptune sculpture, near the 30th Street entrance, which speaks to the city’s enduring connection with the ocean.
Selden Market is an eclectic, historic shopping hall that features local artisans, chefs and new pop-up shops weekly. Because it is ever-changing, every time you visit Norfolk there will be different vendors. Be sure to check out seldenmarket.com for the most up-to-date dining options.
What better way to explore Norfolk, a city on the water, than by water on a charter or harbor cruise! Take a narrated tour of Naval Station Norfolk aboard the Victory Rover, enjoy brunch with friends as you cruise down the Elizabeth River on a City Cruise by Hornblower vessel, or rent a private charter and enjoy a more intimate experience. https://www.visitnorfolk.com/things-to-do/cruises/
The Hermitage Museum & Gardens is a waterfront estate featuring a 42-room Arts and Crafts style mansion located along the Lafayette River. The museum offers innovative changing exhibitions, 12 acres of gardens and grounds, a permanent collection of over 5,000 objects representing 30 countries and spanning 5,000 years of art history The museum and gardens are free and open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. https://thehermitagemuseum.org/
