CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. - As thousands prepare to descend on Chincoteague for Wednesday's annual Pony Swim, last year's event offers a glimpse of what visitors can expect during one of the Eastern Shore's most iconic traditions.
Before sunrise, crowds begin gathering along the shores of Chincoteague and Assateague islands, with many walking through muddy marshes, squeezing along fences and arriving hours early to claim the best viewing spots. Others anchor boats in the Assateague Channel for a front-row seat on the water.
"All ready to see the ponies and just to see them swim now and be able to watch them parade will be great," one visitor said during last year's Pony Swim. "It's been on my bucket list literally my entire life," another spectator said.
When the tide and current are just right, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's Saltwater Cowboys guide the herd from Assateague Island across the channel to Chincoteague. The annual crossing transforms the Assateague Channel into a sea of swimming ponies as thousands of spectators watch from land and water.
Once the ponies reach shore, the first foal to complete the crossing is named King Neptune or Queen Neptune, one of the Pony Swim's best-known traditions. The foal is later awarded through the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's raffle.
After the swim, the ponies parade through downtown Chincoteague, giving visitors another chance to see the herd up close as crowds line the streets taking photos and videos.
The celebration continues Thursday with the annual Pony Auction, where selected foals are sold to help manage the herd and raise money for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which owns and cares for the Virginia herd on Assateague Island.
