HAMPTON ROADS— The sights and sounds of the largest tattoo in the U.S. will take over the Norfolk Scope Arena this weekend as the 2026 Virginia International Tattoo gets underway.
Scott Jackson, the director of the tattoo, recently took WYDaily behind the scenes of the show and shared what it truly takes to put on the performances with an 800 person cast.
2026 theming
As the U.S. marks its 250th birthday this year, the tattoo decided to honor the nation with its theme “Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness — A Salute to 250 Years of American Independence” – A theme that Jackson has had in his head for many years.
“For us, it’s been a two year process. Last year, it was the 250th anniversary of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, so last year we focused on those specific services. This year is more national in scope since 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It’s been something that has really been growing in our minds since last year,” Jackson said.
Planning process
Jackson begins thinking about the following year as soon as the current run of the tattoo is over with. Once the show closes on Sunday afternoon, Jackson enters his office on Monday morning with a goal of researching bands and drill teams for the following April.
“I like to think of it like cooking. The cast becomes our ingredients for success,” Jackson explained.
Two countries he knew he wanted involved were the French and the United Kingdom.
“The French and the UK were here in 1776 and I felt that it was important to honor them,” Jackson said.
In about mid-February, Jackson meets with leaders from every group that will participate in the show.
“We really go through the entire process with everyone at that point. We go from soup to nuts about where they are staying, where they are eating, what does their number look like, what special props are they using,” Jackson said.
From there, Jackson views rehearsal footage from all acts to get a finite idea of what the show will look like.
Once the groups arrive in Norfolk before the tattoo, rehearsals begin to really put the show together.
Experiencing the tattoo
Jackson, who has been involved with the tattoo since 2002, is used to the planning process of the tattoo. However, he really enjoys the moment that the final dress rehearsal comes together and the creative process that goes along with it.
“One of the things I love about my job is that it kind of uses both sides of my brain. For me, I love the organizational part of creating this show. I think of it like a jigsaw puzzle; how do we get all of the pieces in the right place at the right time, how do we go from one scene to the next, it’s very fast moving. I think the artistic part this year is that we’re really going to entertain people in the audience, but how can we also inspire them? We want people to take away this idea of what it means to be an American? what are we thinking while we’re in the moment of our 250th anniversary? What does it mean to be thankful for the people that made it happen? There’s a real joy of solving the Rubik’s cube of putting a well run show together, but there is also this emotional joy of connecting with people,” Jackson said.
Jackson has always approached the tattoo with the idea of wanting to create a moment for people that truly takes their breath away. From bagpipes to the singing of Amazing Grace in different languages, Jackson takes it very seriously to create a show with meaning behind it.
“When you talk about planning for the show, one of the things we specifically work on together is how do we make sure there are moments that just take people’s breath away. It’s not any one thing; it’s not just as great band, or a great sound system, or just a great lighting rig. We start out with this concept of lulling the audience a little bit with information about protocol, educational information, and then the lights just come up and you are just having so many different sensations running through you at one time. Another moment is when the massed pipes and drums enter for the first time. You just feel something deep inside, that sound of the pipes. We always hope to have a good number of moments at the show that stir up emotion,” Jackson explained.
Tattoo events
The Tattoo is not just a concert, but also brings a few free events to the region.
- On Saturday, April 18 at noon, the 73rd Annual Parade of Nations, will take place in downtown Norfolk where every NATO country will be recognized.
- On Saturday, April 18 at 1:30 p.m, the Norfolk NATO Festival International Village will take place. The festival allows guests to explore international heritage with cultural performances, international art, cuisine, and craft beers.
- On Saturday, April 18 from noon to 5 p.m., the Virginia International Tattoo will host the annual Virginia International Tattoo American Pipe Band Championship. An internationally acclaimed panel of adjudicators will be judging the Grade Two and Grade Three bands. There will also be the ever popular “winner takes all” drum fanfare competition. The event will conclude with a spectacular massed bands performance before the results are announced.
2027 tattoo plans
As the 2026 tattoo premieres tonight, Jackson’s mind is already planning for the next tattoo. The show, which debuted in 1997, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2027.
“2027 is really exciting for us here at the Virginia Arts Festival. Our very first tattoo was in 1997 and it was a much smaller event. We did one show, versus the seven we do now. I really want to celebrate the anniversary and an idea I had in mind was that the tattoo audiences always love talented singers. We’re throwing around the idea of bringing back like an all star cast, almost like our own version of Tattoo’s Got Talent,” Jackson explained.
According to Jackson, the last 24 years of his involvement with the tattoo have flown by fast.
“We’re almost always moving forward…but when you really take a step back and think about the moment, it’s pretty remarkable,” Jackson said.
Tickets for the 2026 Virginia International Tattoo are still on sale ahead of tonight’s performance. The show will run until Sunday afternoon. Evening shows begin at 7:30 p.m., while the performance on Sunday begins at 2:30 p.m.
To learn more or to buy tickets, visit vafest.org/tattoo.