CATCH 33 (AND COUNTING)

By Pete Humes

George Alcaraz is a Virginia Beach artist. But he doesn’t find inspiration in seagulls or seashells. He doesn’t watercolor sunrises from the pier or sculpt dolphins out of salt water taffy. His canvas is the entire Virginia Beach Oceanfront. And people come from all over the world to see his work. 

George builds massive creations on the beach that only last a few days. They aren’t made of sand and don’t get washed away by waves (though that would be a much less labor-intensive way to break them down). Some are miles wide and hundreds of people deep. He makes living collages of skate ramps and surfboards. Live bands and bikinis. One could say George is a multimedia performance artist who creates immersive experiences. Or one could quit with the wordplay and get to the point, which is that George Alcaraz is one of our region’s most successful and sought-after special event producers.

And in 2026, he has had one heck of a year.

To name just a few? The Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships. Jackalope Virginia Beach 2026. USA Ultimate Beach Championships. Bands in the Sand. Coastal Edge Steel Pier Classic and Shoot the Pier. Super Girl Surf Festival. According to Alcaraz, the official tally is 33 events. But his phone was still ringing at the end of September, so don’t laminate that number just yet.