Pungo, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pungo
|
|
|---|---|
Pungo Pizza in Pungo
|
|
 Pungo
Location in Virginia
Pungo
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| Independent city | Virginia Beach |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
23457
|
| Area code(s) | 757 |
Pungo is a small, countryside area located in the southern part of Virginia Beach, Virginia. It was one of the first seven areas, called boroughs, when Virginia Beach became a city in 1963. The name "Pungo" comes from a local Native American tribe called the Machipungo. They were a part of the Chesapeake tribe.
Because Pungo is part of a larger city, it doesn't have its own population count. Before 1963, it was part of Princess Anne County. Like many areas in southern Virginia Beach, Pungo is surrounded by lots of farmland.
Pungo is famous for its annual Pungo Strawberry Festival, which happens every spring. It's also home to the Military Aviation Museum, which has a huge collection of old warbird airplanes. Another well-known story from Pungo is about Grace Sherwood, often called the "Witch of Pungo." Nearby, you can find Nimmo United Methodist Church, built in 1791. It's the oldest church in the area with its original foundation.
Contents
Where is Pungo Located?
Pungo is about ten miles (16 km) south of the main part of Virginia Beach. It's also about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of the Norfolk International Airport. The center of Pungo is marked by its only traffic light. This light is at the intersection of Princess Anne Road and Indian River Road.
Pungo is located south of Sandbridge Road. This road is known as Virginia Beach's "Green Line." This "Green Line" helps make sure that Pungo stays a rural, countryside area. This is different from nearby places like Courthouse, Red Mill, and Lago Mar, which are north of the Green Line and are more developed.
The Legend of the Witch of Pungo
Grace Sherwood (1660–1740) is a famous local legend in the old Princess Anne County and Pungo. People say she was a bit different from others, which made her stand out. In 1698, she was first accused of using magic to harm a neighbor's cotton crop. More accusations against her followed.
The local government and her accusers decided to test her by "ducking" her in water. Grace Sherwood agreed to this test. She was taken to a place now called Witch Duck Point. She was tied up and thrown into the river. However, she managed to untie herself and swim to the surface.
Pungo Strawberry Festival
The Pungo Strawberry Festival started in 1983. It takes place every year for three days during the Memorial Day weekend. When it first began in 1983, about 50,000 people attended. Now, more than 120,000 visitors come regularly.
The festival features strawberries prepared in over 50 different ways. Fun activities include a pie eating contest and a strawberry bake-off. There is also continuous entertainment on three stages and a parade. You can enjoy one of the biggest carnivals on the East Coast, a livestock show, and pig races. There's also a youth art show, a 4-H area, pony rides, live bands, and booths for arts and crafts.
The organization that puts on the festival is a non-profit group. All the money raised from the festival is given to non-profit community and service organizations. Many food, youth, and civic groups have booths there. Each year, the festival chooses an honorary mayor, first lady, and "Witch of Pungo." In 2013, Fox News called it the 3rd best spring food festival in America.
The festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has not been held since then.
Military Aviation Museum
Pungo is also home to the Military Aviation Museum. This museum is located at the Virginia Beach Airport in Pungo. It has a large collection of historic military aircraft.
