Whimsical Winter Wonderland
Mark your calendar! Coliseum Central’s 4th Annual Whimsical Winter Wonderland event kicks off the holiday season on November 22 from 12-5PM at the Hampton Coliseum. This FREE, festive celebration includes fun for the whole family. Indoor activities include aerialists, carnival games and stage shows. There will be ample opportunities for photos in the various photo booths and holiday-themed areas. In addition, there will be face painting, balloon and glitter tattoo artists. Outdoor activities include inflatables, petting zoo, DJ and holiday-themed ponies. The Sensory Activation Vehicle will also be on-site. Stay tuned for more information!
Sponsorship Opportunities
This event provides a great opportunity to promote your organization by serving as a Whimsical Winter Wonderland sponsor. For sponsorship information, contact Eboni Council at 757-826-6351 or ecouncil@coliseumcentral.com.
Coliseum Central Member Benefits
Business Landing Page
All Coliseum Central member businesses are eligible to create a landing page that’s included in the coliseumcentral.com business directory. Improve your business’s visibility by allowing users to discover your business while browsing our site and via web search. Visit news.coliseumcentral.com/submit-your-business to provide your business information.
Promote Your Events
Hosting an event? The coliseumcentral.com events calendar serves as a promotional tool for happenings ranging from meetings to annual signature events, entertainment, fundraisers, social happenings, festivals, concerts, sporting events and more. Submit your events year around by visiting news.coliseumcentral.com/events.
Events and Entertainment
NekoCon 2025 | October 31 – November 2
Get ready to rock – Phish is coming to town! Wrapping up their 2025 summer tour, this iconic American rock band will be at the Hampton Coliseum (1000 Coliseum Drive) from September 19-21. With Phish’s notable musical improvisations during live performances and great hits such as “You Enjoy Myself”, “Divided Sky”, and “Harry Hood”, this is sure to be an exciting weekend. Visit hamptoncoliseum.org for
more information.
Crawlin’ Crab Half Marathon | October 4-5
Lace up those running shoes – The Sentara Crawlin’ Crab Half Marathon returns on October 4-5 at the start/finish line located near the Hampton Coliseum (1000 Coliseum Drive)! This event features a half-marathon, a 5K, a kids 1 mile run and exciting challenges like the “Shell Yeah! Challenge” and the Coastal Virginia Half Marathon Series. Coliseum Central is proud to sponsor the official post-race celebration. Each day the post-race celebration will have music, food, and cold beer ready for runners and spectators. Visit crawlincrabhalf.com to learn about race registration, volunteer opportunities and more.
Bluebird Gap Farm Fall Festival | October 18-19
The Bluebird Gap Farm (60 Pine Chapel Road) Fall Festival will be held on October 18-19. The whole family can enjoy experiences and activities on the 60-acre farm complete with live animals! Activities include: hayrides, ax throwing, live entertainment, blacksmith demos, a hay maze, games, family photo ops, food vendors, a pumpkin patch, and much more. Visit events.coliseumcentral.com/BBGF for more information.
September 6-7 Raising Up Autism Craft Show
October 31-November 2 Nekocon
November 1-2 Monster Jam
November 23 Brandy & Monica: The Boy is Mine Tour
Announcements
Hampton Named All-America City
The city of Hampton has been named an All-America City by the National Civic League! The honor was bestowed upon just 10 cities in the United States. The award “recognizes communities that leverage civic engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness and innovation to successfully address local issues.” This year’s award focused on “the pivotal role that community engagement plays in advancing environmental sustainability and resilience.” More specifically, Hampton was recognized for its efforts to tackle rising sea levels through programs, initiatives and community involvement. Hampton previously received received the designation in 1972, 2002, 2014, and 2023.
Citizen Fire Academy
Registration is now open for the Citizen Fire Academy. This 8-week, interactive course runs from 6-9PM on Wednesdays from September 3- October 29. Residents will receive a first-hand perspective into the work of firefighters including EMS services. The classes will take place in a variety of settings and include unique experience such as using the Jaws of Life, standing on a tower truck or boarding a fire boat. Participants must be at least 16 years of age (if accompanied by a parent or guardian). Visit news.coliseumcentral.com/fire-academy to register. Email nverser@hampton.gov or rasnapp@hampton.gov to learn more.
Chemical & Computer Disposal Event
The Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority is hosting a chemical and computer collection event on September 20 and November 15 from 8AM-12PM in the Hampton Coliseum parking lot (1000 Coliseum Drive.) A variety of household cleaning/maintenance, lawn & garden, and other chemicals and computer-related items will be accepted for disposal. Please visit, news.coliseumcentral.com/disposal-event for a complete list of acceptable items.
Committee Meetings
- August 19 – 9AM Security Committee
- August 21 – 9AM Marketing Committee
- August 21 – 10:30AM Physical Improvements Committee
You may join the meeting in-person
at the Coliseum Central office
located at 2101 Executive Drive,
Suite 550 or virtually via Zoom.
Upcoming Blood Drives
August 11 – 11AM-3PM
Parklawn-Wood Funeral Home & Memorial Park
2551 N. Armistead Avenue
August 15 – 12:30-4:15PM
YMCA Health & Wellness Center
4001Coliseum Drive
To schedule an appointment please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org.
Development & Security Updates
Hotworx Grand Opening
Save the date! The HOTWORX (2040 Coliseum Drive, Suite A-01) grand opening celebration is August 16 at 12PM. Discover the benefits of infrared training at this jam-packed event including live demonstrations, tours, staff meet & greets, prizes, guest speakers, 20% off retail purchases Ready to join? Guests will receive $1 enrollment and a free t-shirt. For more information, call 757-477-3365.
Showcase Your Business for Free via Billboard
Coliseum Central is showcasing District businesses as part of our Fall billboard campaigns. This season’s themes is “Fall, Food and Fun.”
There is no cost to participate. Adams Outdoor Advertising creates the ad and businesses have final approval before it runs. Billboard campaigns run for up to two weeks on three digital billboards located across Hampton Roads. To participate in the fall campaign, please visit news.coliseumcentral.com/billboard. Deadline to submit materials is September 30.
Scam Alert
The Hampton Police Division is warning residents about a dangerous phone scam involving individuals impersonating police officers or members of the Chief’s Office. These scammers use fake names, spoofed numbers, and social engineering tactics to convince residents they’re involved in a missing person investigation, or worse.
Scammers call pretending to be from the HPD or another law enforcement agency. They may reference missing persons, police emergencies, or threats of arrest to scare victims. Some use real officer names or mimic official phone numbers. Others post fake missing person notices on social media—then later edit them to include scam links or donation requests.
New tactics include: AI-generated voices pretending to be police chiefs, deepfake videos claiming to show officers, requests for urgent payment or personal information, claims that you failed to appear in court or need to assist in a police matter.
As a reminder, HPD will NEVER demand payment or personal info over the phone or ask you to send money, buy gift cards, or click links to “help with a case.” Real missing person cases will be shared exclusively through verified HPD platforms.
If you receive a suspicious call: hang up. Do NOT give out personal info. Call the Hampton Police Division directly at 757–727–6111 to verify any claim. Report scam attempts to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. These scammers prey on trust, urgency, and fear. Spread the word to protect friends and family, especially the elderly, students, and anyone who may not recognize the warning signs.