Virginia Beach Peaceful on Anniversary of Rioting : Festival: Labor Day bash a year ago tore up city. This year’s celebration is a mellow street party, with no major incidents reported.

City officials Sunday labeled Laborfest ’90 a mellow street party, a sharp contrast with the tumultuous Labor Day weekend beach bash a year ago that degenerated into violent looting and rioting.

Police had reported no major incidents Sunday and no felony arrests. Since Friday evening, police had reported 48 arrests, including 26 for public intoxication, and four summonses for unnecessary noise.

More than 50% of those charged with misdemeanors were white, 40% were black and the few others were from different ethnic backgrounds.

The city had spent an estimated $2 million in preparations, including costs related to running nonstop shuttle buses and overtime for city employees.

Officials estimated that 28,000 visitors were at the resort strip, down from the estimated 100,000 who jammed onto Atlantic and Pacific avenues last year.

One year ago, Virginia Beach awoke on a Sunday morning to what looked like a war zone. More than 100 storefronts had been smashed and merchandise looted at a cost of $1.4 million.

The violence, which erupted during an annual gathering of college students from predominantly black universities known then as “Greekfest,” divided the city and carried racial reverberations across the country.