NORFOLK— Members of the cast, local media crews and Virginia Arts Festival board members gathered Feb. 6 at Norfolk Scope Arena to officially announce the theme and cast of this year’s Virginia International Tattoo.
A tattoo is a centuries-old tradition that originated as a signal from drummers instructing Dutch innkeepers near military installations to turn off their taps — “Doe den Tap-too” in Dutch. Hearing the call, soldiers would return to their barracks. The procession of soldiers eventually evolved into a military marching band performance known as a tattoo.
Now in its 29th year, the Virginia event brings together military bands from around the world, along with local choirs, dance teams, drill teams, and pipes and drums, for a weekend of performances in Hampton Roads.
In celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial, this year’s tattoo will honor 250 years of American independence.
The cast of the 2026 show comes from five countries, including Canada’s Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums; France’s Musique de la Marine Nationale; the Republic of Korea Army Military Band and Honor Guard Battalion; the United Kingdom’s Dougie Anderson; and the King’s Color Squadron of the Royal Air Force.
The U.S. lineup includes Camden County Emerald Society Pipes and Drums; Hampton Roads Police Color Guards; Kilgore College Rangerettes; the Kiltie Band of York; Norfolk Fire-Rescue Honor Guard; Norfolk Public Schools Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps; Old Dominion University Concert Choir; Rhodes Academy of Irish Dance; Rhythm Project; Tidewater Pipes and Drums; the U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band; the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps; U.S. Marine Corps FAST Company; the U.S. Marine Corps 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band; the U.S. Navy Fleet Forces Band; and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus.
“Each of the 2026 Tattoo’s seven performances will be just under two hours long, but the staff, cast, crew and volunteers will collectively spend more than 60,000 hours to make those performances happen,” said Scott Jackson, producer and director of the Virginia International Tattoo since 2002. “Our performers in 2026 come from five nations and eight time zones. That means every hour of every day from now until opening night, someone somewhere in the world is preparing for the Virginia International Tattoo.”
Major tattoos around the world include the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland, the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland and the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo in Canada. The Virginia International Tattoo is the largest of its kind in the United States.
The Virginia International Tattoo will take place April 16-19 at Norfolk Scope Arena. Performances April 16-18 begin at 7:30 p.m., with a 2:30 p.m. performance scheduled for April 19.
Tickets and additional information are available at vafest.org/tattoo.