WILLIAMSBURG — The final night of Williamsburg Live, the annual Virginia Arts Festival summer kickoff concert series, takes place tonight in Colonial Williamsburg as The Beach Boys take the stage.
The Beach Boys, formed in 1961, are one of the most iconic bands in American music. The original group featured brothers Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine.
The group’s early success came from their unique style of pop, combined with a surfer boy flair. The boys broke onto the scene in 1962 when “Surfin’ Safari” was released. Their success continued to grow with “Surfin’ USA,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” and “I Get Around,” making the group a household name.
In 2024, the group headlined the Saturday evening performance of Williamsburg Live, and eagerly requested the opportunity to perform again this summer.
“Last June, we had a really successful weekend with them. Right afterwards, we were talking to their agent about this year and other artists who could potentially perform. They said to me that The Beach Boys really loved that venue and that they would love to play that venue again,” said Rob Cross, Executive Director of the Virginia Arts Festival.
The Beach Boys signed on to perform at the 2025 festival early on in the artist booking period. Cross, who noted the group’s fame and the generations of fans who came out to the 2024 show, wanted to bring them back as well.
“There’s not many artists where generations of families would have a good time and know the music,” Cross said.
Fans can look forward to The Beach Boys’ iconic hits and plenty of surfboard decor. Beach Boys merchandise will also be on sale.
After years of success with Williamsburg Live, Cross would love to find a way to expand the festival.
“We always have a couple of major artists, but it would be great to have the budget and support to bring in an iconic, major artist all three nights of the festival. We’ve had a lot of conversations with the City of Williamsburg and Colonial Williamsburg, about possibly expanding the festival to include a performance on Thursday night. The incremental cost to add another night is not that great. We’re also looking at how we can help the city and Colonial Williamsburg push the needle with tourism,” Cross said.
As the 2025 Williamsburg Live concerts wrap up, planning for the 2026 Williamsburg Live is already underway. The musical acts announcement is planned for early next year.
For more information on Williamsburg Live, visit vafest.org/williamsburg-live.