Virginia International Tattoo

Virginia International Tattoo
Virginia International Tattoo
	The Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards at the tattoo in 2015.
Genre	Patriotic, concert band, military, marching
Dates	Late April Each Year
Location(s)	Norfolk, Virginia, USA
Years active	1997–present
Website	Official website

Last updated July 10, 2023

The Virginia International Tattoo is a military tattoo that began in 1997 and is the signature event of the Virginia Arts Festival. Presented annually in Norfolk, Virginia, the tattoo is an exhibition of military bands, massed pipes and drums, military drill teams, Celtic dancers, and choirs. It is presented in cooperation with NATO and the Norfolk NATO Festival.

It is the largest show of its kind in the United States, involving a cast of over 1,000 artists from many different countries, and over 38,000 people attend each year, including over 16,000 area students at the annual student matinees. The Virginia International Tattoo was listed as American Bus Association's Top North American Event for 2016. The tattoo is considered to be one of the seven “founding members” of the International Association of Tattoo Organizers (IATO). The Tattoo, like many other events, did not take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

History

The term "tattoo" derives from the cries of the 17th and 18th-century Dutch innkeepers who, as the fifes and drums of the local regiment signaled a return to quarters, would cry, "Doe den tap toe!" "Turn off the taps!". The sound of "taps" led to an impromptu parade back to barracks. Over time, the words of that cry evolved into the term "tattoo," which now refers to a ceremonial performance of military music by massed bands.

Highlights

Albanian Armed Forces Band	Albania
Albanian National Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dances	Albania
51 ACU Swan Regiment Drums and Pipes	Australia
Scotch College Adelaide Pipe Band	Australia
Scotch College Perth Pipe Band	Australia
OzScot Australia Dance Team	Australia
Presbyterian Ladies’ College Pipe Band	Australia
Scotch College Adelaide Highland Dance Corps	Australia
Royal Band of the Belgian Navy	Belgium
Bermuda Islands Pipes and Drums	Bermuda
H&H Gombey Dancers	Bermuda
Band and Corps of Drums of the Bermuda Regiment	Bermuda
Vasco Da Gama Folklore Dancers	Bermuda
12 Wing Shearwater Pipes and Drums	Canada
14 Wing Greenwood Pipes and Drums	Canada
2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Pipes and Drums	Canada
3 Area Support Group Gagetown Pipes and Drums	Canada
5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown Pipes and Drums	Canada
8 Wing Canadian Forces Base Trenton Pipes and Drums	Canada
Amethyst Scottish Dancers	Canada
Atlantica Gymnastics	Canada
Essex Scottish Regiment Pipes and Drums	Canada
Fraser Holmes Memorial Ladies Pipes Band	Canada
La Musique du Royal 22e Régiment	Canada
Measha Gosman, Soprano	Canada
Paris/Port Dover Pipe Band	Canada
Rhythmic Expressions	Canada
Royal Canadian Mounted Police National Tattoo Troop	Canada
Schiehallion Highland Dancers	Canada
The Pipes and Drums of The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa	Canada
The Delta Police Pipe Band	Canada
Winnipeg Police Pipe Band	Canada
Woods Manufacturing Company Brass Ensemble	Canada
2nd Mechanized Brigade Pipes & Drums	Canada
Land Forces Atlantic Electrical Mechanical Engineers	Canada
Nova Scotia Highlanders Regimental Pipes and Drums	Canada
The National Defense Band of the Czech Republic	Czech Republic
Flying Danish Superkids	Denmark
Royal Danish Naval Band (Sovernets Tamburkorps)	Denmark
Club Piruett	Estonia
Kaartin Soittokunta	Finland
French Paratroopers Band	France
La Musique de l'Air (Band of the French Air Force)	France
Le Bagad Lann Bihoue	France
North West Region Army Band	France
The Paris Police Gymnastic Display Team	France
Flying Grandpas	Germany
German Baltic Sea Naval Band	Germany
German Mountain Army Band	Germany
Gym Wheel Team, Taunusstein	Germany
Heeremusikkorps Kassel, German Army Band Kassel	Germany
Motorcycle Display Team of the Berlin Police Force	Germany
Jordanian Armed Forces Bagpipe Band	Jordan
Samulnori	Korea
Headquarters Supreme Allied Command Transformation Multi-National Ceremonial Detail	NATO
The Juliana Bicycle Team	Netherlands
Band of the Netherlands Mounted Arms Regiment	Netherlands
Fifers and Drummers of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps	Netherlands
Rotterdam Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy	Netherlands
Lochiel Marching Team	New Zealand
New Zealand Academy Dancers	New Zealand
Pipes and Drums of Christchurch City	New Zealand
His Majesty the King’s Guard 3. Company	Norway
Chag Hyang-Soon Joong/Ang Song and Dance Group	Republic of Korea
Kim Misook Korean Dance Team	Republic of Korea
Korean International Tae-Kwon-Do Mission Display Team	Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea Traditional Army Band	Republic of Korea
Yepuri Korean Traditional Dance Team	Republic of Korea
Nalmes: The State Academic Ensemble of Folk Dance of Adyghea	Russia
Russian Cossack State Dance Company	Russia
Singapore Armed Forces Band	Singapore
South African National Defense Force Joint Services Military Band	South Africa
Symphonic Band of the Spanish Marine Corps	Spain
Band of the Swedish National Guard Marines	Sweden
Swiss Army Central Band	Switzerland
Top Secret Drum Corps	Switzerland
Tonga Defence Services Royal Corps of Musicians	Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra	Trinidad & Tobago
Traditional Turkish Mehter Band	Turkey
Ailsa Craig Highland Dancers	United Kingdom
Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas	United Kingdom
Closkelt Pipe Band	United Kingdom
Drums and Pipes of the Irish Guards	United Kingdom
Highlands & Islands Highland Dancers	United Kingdom
Imps Motorcycle Display	United Kingdom
Pipes and Drums of the 7th Battalion, "51 Highlanders"	United Kingdom
Pipes and Drums of the Royal Dragoon Guards	United Kingdom
Queen's Colour Squadron	United Kingdom
Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines	United Kingdom
Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards	United Kingdom
Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band	United Kingdom
Inverary and District Pipe Band	United Kingdom
Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland	United Kingdom
Camden County Emerald Society Pipes & Drums of New Jersey	United States
Churchland High School Chorus	United States
Dr. Craig Jessop	United States
U.S. Armed Forces School of Music	United States
The Talking Drums	United States
Bank of America Voices of Vision Choir	United States
Cantaré, Vox Harmonia and Academy Choral Ensemble Choirs	United States
Caribbean Symphonic Dancers	United States
Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums	United States
Flowing Tide Ceilidh Band	United States
Granby High School Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps	United States
Hampton Roads Police & Fire Department Honor Guards	United States
Hellenic Youth Dancers	United States
Kilgore College Rangerettes, Kilgore College	United States
Million Dollar Funk Squad, Norfolk State University	United States
Norfolk Public School's Mass Choir	United States
Ocean Tumblers Gymnastics	United States
Poisoned Dwarf	United States
Police Emerald Society of Tidewater	United States
Portsmouth Mounted Police	United States
Reel Thing Irish Dance	United States
Rhythm of Ireland Irish Dance	United States
Rhythm Project	United States
Sara Rhodes	United States
Scottish Dance Theatre of Virginia	United States
Second Marine Aircraft Wing Band	United States
Swing Virginia	United States
The Fort Lee Army Band	United States
The Governor's School for the Arts Dance Department	United States
The James River Ramblers of the U.S. Continental Army Band	United States
Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps	United States
Tidewater Pipes and Drums	United States
Todd Rosenlieb Dance	United States
Trad Na Trad Pipes and Drums	United States
Tuskegee Airmen	United States
Two Steps East Dance Studio	United States
U.S. Marine Corps Security Forces FAST Company	United States
U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band	United States
U.S. Air Force Reserve Command Pipe Band	United States
U.S. Air Force Standard Bearers	United States
United States Army Drill Team	United States
United States Army Herald Trumpets	United States
U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team	United States
U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team Explosive Canine Detection	United States
U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown 1790 Color Guard	United States
U.S. Continental Army Band	United States
U.S. Continental Army Brass Quintet	United States
U.S. Military Joint Services Color Guard	United States
United States Navy Band	United States
United States Navy Ceremonial Guard Drill Team	United States
United States Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team	United States
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Band	United States
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Fanfare Trumpets	United States
U.S. Atlantic Fleet Band, United States Navy	United States
U.S. Coast Guard 1790 Color Guard	United States
United States Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard	United States
U.S. Continental Army Band	United States
U.S. Fleet Forces Band	United States
U.S. Joint Forces Color Guard	United States
U.S. Marine Corps Band Quantico	United States
Virginia Children's Chorus	United States
Virginia Orchestra Symphony Chorus	United States
Wake & District Pipe Band	United States

Tattoo Weekend Events

Hullabaloo is a free outdoor festival of pipers, dancers, drill teams and drum lines which starts three hours prior to each performance of the Virginia International Tattoo. A variety of food and beer is available for purchase. The event is located on Scope Plaza, Norfolk, Virginia.

DrumLine Battle at the Tattoo

A Hullabaloo favorite, DrumLine Battle™ showcases marching percussion ensembles of any instrumentation and any skill level year-round, spotlighting their unique talents and creativity in a high energy face-to-face competition. DrumLine Battle is a program of Drum Corps International. This event is located on Scope Plaza, Norfolk, Virginia.

Highland Heavy Athletic Championship

The Virginia International Tattoo is partnering with Brute Strength Gym for a Heavy Athletic Championship, Highland-style, with a caber toss, keg toss and more. Free, Norfolk, Virginia

Virginia International Tattoo American Pipe Band Championship

The Virginia International Tattoo will host the Third Annual Virginia International Tattoo American Pipe Band Championship on Scope Plaza in Norfolk, Virginia. The competition, which coincides with the Tattoo performance weekend, will feature hundreds of bagpipers and drummers as they compete for the honors in this annual competition. This event is located on Scope Plaza, Norfolk, Virginia.

Norfolk NATO Festival

The Norfolk NATO Festival is a celebration and reflection of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries and the bond they have. Member nations are on display through the kickoff parade, NATO village, kids zone, music, performances and food. Attendees learn about each culture and its history.

Parade of Nations

The Norfolk NATO Festival's highlight is the annual Parade of Nations, the longest continuous parade in Hampton Roads and the only Parade in the United States honoring NATO. Over 100 Parade Units with local and visiting high school bands, US and International Military bands, and colorful floats which represent each of the 29 NATO member nations and their respective armed forces, are featured. Local community organization and Festival partners are also featured. This event is located at Town Point Park, Norfolk, Virginia.^[1] The civil-military parade and pageant involves a cast of over 800 artists from many different countries,^[2] and has over 28,000 people attending every year, including over 12,000 area students at the annual student matinees.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Virginia International Tattoo is, since 2007, one of the seven founding members of the International Association of Tattoo Organizers (IATO).^[3]

Norfolk NATO Festival Flag Raising

The Flag Raising ceremony is a cultural sampling of music and a colorful display of NATO Member National flags and uniforms in this military presentation representing all 29 NATO member nations. Each Nation's representative will present the national flag, while a portion of their national anthem is performed by the United States Fleet Forces Band. This custom was not observed in the 2022 flag raising, where only the NATO hymn and US national anthem were played.

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References

↑ "ABA RELEASES 2008 LIST OF TOP INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN EVENTS". 2007-09-20. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
↑ "Hamptonroads.com".^{[ dead link ]}
↑ "IATO". Archived from the original on 2007-10-04.

External links

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[1] "ABA RELEASES 2008 LIST OF TOP INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN EVENTS". 2007-09-20. Retrieved 2010-01-08.

[2] "Hamptonroads.com".^{[ dead link ]}

[3] "IATO". Archived from the original on 2007-10-04.

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