This past weekend, Atlantic Park Surf celebrated a successful season of its inaugural Next Wave program, which offers free swim and surf lessons for Virginia Beach youth, in partnership with Adidas and VIRGINIA, the brand and community platform by Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams.
On Saturday, more than 120 program participants, ages eight to 18, gathered at Atlantic Park Surf for a surfside celebration that included surf sessions led by East Coast Surfing Hall of Famer Jason Borte, while their families watched. All students received a complimentary lunch, a Next Wave Certificate of Completion and gift bags from VIRGINIA, Humanrace and Dryrobe.
Throughout the season, participants from Virginia Beach Public Schools, YELLOWHAB and Atlantis Apartments received swim lessons in Atlantic Park Surf’s shallow wading pool and surf lessons on the lagoon’s “Waikiki” wave, a highly controlled, rolling wave ideal for beginners.
“Our team and our partners are committed to leveraging the water as a means to improve health and well-being, promote connection and community and build confident and resilient leaders,” said Nate Stevens, Atlantic Park Surf’s General Manager. “Besides, there’s nothing more fun than riding waves with friends and the feeling of being part of a larger community, and we believe in providing Virginia Beach youth with equitable access to those opportunities.”
Next Wave was announced in October 2025 as part of a series of landmark, VIRGINIA-led celebrations. Surf Park Central later awarded the program its “Progression in Democratization & Accessibility Award” at the 2025 Surf Park Summit.
The program ran weekly from May through mid-October and welcomed beginner-level swimmers and surfers from Virginia Beach Public Schools, YELLOWHAB, and Atlantis Apartments. Participants received life jackets, soft-stop surfboards, wetsuits, sunblock and snacks as they build confidence, safety skills and community in and around the water throughout the year.
Learn more about the Next Wave program at atlanticparksurf.com/next-wave. Brands interested in partnering with and championing Atlantic Park Surf’s Next Wave program should contact alex@atlanticparksurf.com.
About Atlantic Park Surf
Atlantic Park Surf is the centerpiece of the 10-acre, $350-million Atlantic Park development. Centrally located and integrated within an urban environment adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Park Surf is unlike any other surfing lagoon in the world, offering unlimited wave profiles to cater to all levels. Powered by Wavegarden Cove, the most energy-efficient wave-generation technology in the world, the system can generate up to 1,000 waves per hour and more than 20 types of waves, ranging from one to seven feet in height and tailored to beginners, intermediate, advanced and expert surfers. Learn more at AtlanticParkSurf.com or at @AtlanticParkSurf.
About VIRGINIA
VIRGINIA is Pharrell Williams’ creative pseudonym and cultural platform—a direct connection between Pharrell and his audience, offering a window into his creative world. Rooted in his home state of Virginia and reaching globally, it is a destination for music, community, limited-edition merchandise, live events, and boundary-pushing design.
