Gamers across Hampton Roads now will have the chance to experience new worlds at the first Virtual Reality Festival in Yorktown.
“This is going to be epic, think of a carnival experience but on steroids,” said Shannon Combs, events coordinator for Lux Events, which is hosting the festival.
The festival will have a mix of traditional carnival games to 15 virtual reality experiences, Combs said. The virtual reality games will cover three types of experiences: a 360-degree environment similar to Google Maps; a four-seat motion ride; and one using HTC Vive, which places a player in a virtual reality room.
The experiences will put gamers in realities such as deep-sea diving or exploring the world of a movie like “Star Wars.”
“We are really trying to create an event that has never been done in this area and offer something for everyone,” Combs said.
While Combs isn’t a gamer herself, she had the idea for the festival when she realized that everyone in her house played virtual reality games. In addition to games, Combs also hopes the festival will help increase young women’s awareness of technology.
One of the main focuses of the festival for Combs is spreading the idea of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities through fun and interactive gaming.
“We want a lot of young ladies to become interested in those careers, and in order to reach people you have to get on their level,” Combs said.
The festival will be from noon to 6 p.m. July 7 at the McReynolds Athletic Complex. Admission is free but individual rides and games require tickets. Advance tickets are $15 for a booklet of 25 tickets until May 31 and can be purchased at Lux Events online.
UPDATE: This story has been changed to reflect the changed event date.
