More Than a Party: Why Good Times & Gatherings Matter on the Outer Banks

By Molly Harrison | Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Many years ago I attended Rodanthe’s Old Christmas celebration, a centuries-old village tradition that recognizes the Christmas of the Julian calendar on January 5 (or the Saturday closest to it) with a community oyster shoot, an oyster roast, a chicken and pastry feast, music and the appearance of a “wild steer” known as Old Buck.

I thought I was just going to a quirky village party. But then I slurped barely roasted oysters in the freezing afternoon sun, tasting hints of briny Pamlico Sound water and listening to the old salts chatter about who had harvested these oysters from which slough. I had my first mouthful of pie bread, the warm, soothing chicken and pastry stew made by the tight knot of Rodanthe matriarchs in the community center kitchen. I eavesdropped on local gossip, laughed at the all-ages camaraderie and commotion on the dance floor and drank a beer with the group of locals tucked in the lee of the northeast wind, receiving a somewhat slurred history lesson on the meaning of Old Buck.

And by the end of my visit, I understood that I was witnessing something more than a party. This was a holiday homecoming, an old and deep part of Rodanthe’s DNA, an annual tradition that has become as much a part of the history of the village as the history it is celebrating.

That day changed the way I see community events. Festivals, parades, fish fries, street fairs, foot races and jamborees — these are not just diversions. They are the glue that binds a place together — preserving heritage, creating milestones, raising funds for good causes and strengthening the connections between people. Special events and celebrations break the monotony of daily life. They are shared moments to anticipate, enjoy, remember and talk about.

Here on the Outer Banks, I believe we understand this deeply. From Corolla to Ocracoke, from Roanoke Island to the mainland, our celebrations reflect everything we love about this place — people, history, food, wildlife, nature, recreation, arts, education, holidays and more. Many of our events benefit nonprofits that directly help our neighbors, turning a good time into a force for good. But always, our events tell the story of who we are.

Whether you’re a native, local, newcomer or visitor – visitors are always welcome – at an Outer Banks event, everyone leaves with an intangible souvenir: deeper understanding and loyalty to this truly remarkable place.

Photo: Courtesy of the Outer Banks History Center, State Archives of North Carolina

Legendary Local Events

Some events become legendary, woven into the fabric of local life for decades. Some are fleeting, and some have a slow burn, lasting for years then fading away as times change.

One event that is gone but not forgotten is the Dare Coast Pirates Jamboree. First held in the spring of 1955, the jamboree was designed to boost tourism on the Outer Banks. Over the course of three days, there were dances, fish fries, beach buggy races and more on Roanoke Island and Hatteras Island and around Nags Head. Men grew out their beards, and everyone dressed in elaborate pirate costumes, and over the course of its nine-year run, the festivities lived up to their piratical nature. The festival later stretched out to a week, weeks or longer and added fishing tournaments, boat races, costume contests, parades and a mock pirate battle on the sound. The Jamboree became too popular for its own good – with local law enforcement unable to keep up with the masses of people participating and the rowdiness level, which caused a marsh fire during the 1963 pirate battle. After the 1964 event, Dare County canceled the Pirates Jamboree.

By 1976 Dare Day, a one-day festival, was launched at a time when the Outer Banks was undergoing the rapid transformation of tourism. County leaders saw a need to strengthen the bonds among the locals and launched Dare Day as a way to honor the people, culture and history of the area. The county seat, Manteo, was chosen for its central location and historic charm.

Whereas today we have the Outer Banks Seafood Festival in Nags Head, there used to be the Wanchese Seafood Festival celebrating the local harvest along the docks where the boats unloaded their catches. One of the longest traditions in Wanchese has been Daniels Day, a family reunion (the Daniels family has been on Roanoke Island since 1736, and its family tree spreads far and wide across the state and beyond) held at Bethany United Methodist Church in Wanchese since 1934.

Photo: The Lost Colony

Events surrounding "the lost colony” and the birth of Virginia Dare, the first English baby born in the New World, on August 18, 1587, have been occurring on Roanoke Island for more than 130 years. The Roanoke Colony Memorial Association, founded in 1894, originally held a picnic, hymn singing and commemorative speeches on August 18. By 1925 the locals were performing a pageant of the story with music, pantomime and narration. It became so popular that the organizers began to prepare a 350th anniversary of Virginia Dare’s birth and approached Paul Green about writing a pageant script. The resulting outdoor drama, The Lost Colony, opened on July 4, 1937, and is still performed on the island today. These days, Virginia Dare’s birthday is celebrated at The Lost Colony with a special performance featuring live local infants in the role of baby Virginia Dare.

Another longtime event on the Outer Banks has been the December 17 commemoration of the Wright brothers’ first flight. The annual commemoration of the 1903 milestone flight has been held by the First Flight Society since the 25th anniversary on December 17, 1928. T he 100th anniversary in 2003 brought to town President George H. W. Bush, senators and congress members, astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and John Glenn, dignitaries, Wright family descendants and even John Travolta. The annual December 17 celebrations include speeches, a flyover and other festivities at Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. Legendary among the celebrations are the shenanigans of the May Will Never Fly Society, formed in 1959 with a tongue-in-cheek name and ethos and a group motto of Birds Fly, Men Drink.

One place on the Outer Banks that truly understands the power of events to bond the community is Ocracoke. Historically and presently, the people of Ocracoke Island work tirelessly to host events that not only draw visitors, but also celebrate Ocracoke and create long-lasting community connections.

Today Ocracoke has a smorgasbord of year-round events celebrating many different aspects of the island: Earth Day, the Waterfowl Festival and the Portsmouth Island Homecoming in April, the British Cemetery Ceremony in May, Ocrafolk Festival of music and storytelling in June, three days of July 4 celebrations, the Ocracoke Fig Festival in August, the Working Watermen’s Festival in October, Blackbeard’s Pirates Jamboree in October and so many more celebrating history and culture and raising funds for good causes, including the new Seagull Screeching Contest.

Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer

When I asked Philip Howard, an author, storyteller and the island’s unofficial historian, about past Ocracoke Island events, he gave me a huge list, all of which reflect the culture of Ocracoke: the 18th- century Blackbeard Pirate Banyan, 19th-century revivals, the Ocracoke Crab Festival, Ocracoke Square Dances, beauty pageants, turkey shoots, A Tale of Blackbeard (a musical by Julia Howard), Ocracoke Arm Wrestling, the Womanless Wedding, Ocracoke Decoy Festival and Ocracoke variety shows, to name a few.

One of the most well-known past Ocracoke Island events was the annual 4th of July Ocracoke Pony Penning. Wild ponies left behind by early explorers once flourished on the island. The island residents domesticated some of the wild horses to make their lives easier, and until World War II held an annual event around July 4 to corral the horses, keep a few and set the rest free. After a break during the war, the pony penning tradition was held yearly through 1959, when the remaining ponies were permanently penned for their safety. An associated July 4th parade was founded in 1953, took a little hiatus in the 1960s and ’70s, and continues to this day, along with the island’s famous sand-sculpture contest.

This is just a handful of the legendary events that have impacted the Outer Banks, whether they were short-lived, long-term or ongoing to this day. No matter how long they lasted, they were important to the people here. “Events bring people together. That’s a good thing,” says Lee Nettles, director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.

“Events like surf contests, fishing tournaments, the Seafood Festival, Taste of the Beach, the First Flight celebration and so many others are expressions of local culture and highlight some of what makes the Outer Banks unique. Also, events are often put on by local nonprofits and serve as fundraisers. When you show up at an event, you’re helping those organizations continue their good work in the community.”

The Outer Banks is packed with events all year round, but the off-season, from October to April, is when the Outer Banks really shines with events. Without the crowds of summer, off-season gatherings are an opportunity for locals to get together with visitors and celebrate what they love about the Outer Banks. Because showing up to a community event is never just about what’s on the schedule. It’s a chance to be a part of the story of the Outer Banks.

Photo: Sanctuary Vineyards, Brooke Mayo Photographer

Events Bringing the Outer Banks Together

Which Craft Surf Gathering October 4 | Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head | @which_craft_surf | A surf contest at the pier followed by an after-party at Swells’a Brewing in KDH, all to benefit Outer Banks Relief Foundation.

Island Farm Pumpkin Patch Saturdays October 4 – 25 | Island Farm, Manteo | obcinc.org/island-farm | Family-friendly fall festivities, 1850s-style, with pumpkins, historic games and crafts, fall flavors and more.

Duck Jazz Festival October 11 & 12 | Duck Town Park, Duck | ducknc.gov/recreation-special-events/duck-jazz-festival | The Town of Duck’s free, non-ticketed, outdoor concert with nationally known performers plus side events around town.

Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Festival October 11 | Community Square Docks, Ocracoke | visitocracokenc.com | Exhibits, speakers, demos by local watermen and decoy carvers, and seafood sampling.

Bluegrass Island Music Festival October 16 – 18 | Roanoke Island Festival Park bluegrassisland.com | Local, regional and nationally known bluegrass bands in a beautiful soundfront amphitheater.

Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival October 14 – 19 | Various locations | wingsoverwater.org | More than 60 programs in birding, photography, paddling and natural history make this one of the premier East Coast wildlife festivals.

OBX Wind October 25 – November 1 | Ocean Air Sports, Avon | oceanairsports.com | A weeklong windsurfing competition with riders from around the world.Races, demos, freestyle events, parties and more all week long.

Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree October 31 | Berkley Barn, Ocracoke | visitocracokenc.com | Ocracoke celebrates its pirate history with a pirate encampment, music, exhibits, activities and a re-enactment of the infamous pirate Blackbeard’s last battle.

Outer Banks Veterans Week November 7 – 13 | Dare Arts | Various locations | darearts.org | A week of events from Duck to Hatteras celebrating veterans and their families through the arts.

Wings Over Water Encore December 5 – 7 | Various locations | wingsoverwater.org | A second session of the Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival features birding trips only.

122nd Anniversary of Powered Flight December 17 | Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills | wrightbrothersday.org | Speakers, concerts, a flyover presentations memorializing the Wright brothers’ accomplishments.

OBX Got Talent Third Saturdays of January, February and March | The Pioneer Theater, Manteo | thepioneertheater.com | A fun winter diversion is the OBX Got Talent contest that spans over the winter months and culminates in a grand winner with a cash prize.

OBX Polar Plunge February 28 | Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head | sonc.net/help-to-fundraise/polar-plunges | Plunge into the freezing Atlantic Ocean to support Special Olympics North Carolina. Wear a costume to enter the costume contest.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 15 | Beach Road, Nags Head | kellysobxcatering.com/st-patricks-day-parade | A 35-year tradition, the 1-mile parade is one of the largest in North Carolina, running from Bladen Street to Driftwood Street and featuring all things green

Photo: Mike Burns Media, Inc.

Food & Drink Favorites

Autumn Ale Faire October 4 | The Elizabethan Gardens | elizabethangardens.org | The inaugural event includes regional breweries, food and music in the 10-acre garden setting.

Crabdaddy Seafood & Wine Fest October 4 | Sanctuary Vineyards, Jarvisburg | sanctuaryvineyards.com/events | All you can eat steamed crabs, barbecue, fried fish, local wine and beer and live music.

Oink N Oyster Roast October 11 | Jolly Roger Restaurant, Kill Devil Hills | oinkoyster.org | All-you-can-eat smoked pork, roasted oysters and all the fixin’s plus live music and raffles.

Outer Banks Seafood Festival October 18 | Soundside Event Site, Nags Head | outerbanksseafoodfestival.org | Seafood vendors, educational exhibits, live music, shop vendors, a beer garden and more.

Cancer Shucks Oyster Feast and Low Country Boil October 24 | Pirates Cove Pavilion, Manteo | outerbankshealth.org/cancer-shucks/ | A seafood feast with live music to support local cancer services.

Outer Banks Brewtag October 25 | Soundside Event Site, Nags Head | obxbrewtag.com | A celebration of flight and beer with the launching and flying of empty keg barrels, a beer garden, food and fun.

Currituck Bulls & BBQ November 1 | Currituck County Rural Center, Powells Point | northernouterbanks.com/signature-event/Currituck-bulls-and-bbq | It’s a barbecue contest plus a real rodeo with barrel racing, bull riding and mutton busting with the best riders around.

Roanoke Island Oyster Shellabration & BBQ November 2 | Safe Harbor Outer Banks, Wanchese | thelostcoloy.org | A new event from Roanoke Island Historical Association with raw, steamed and fried oysters, BBQ, shrimp, chowders, music and more.

Big Currishuck AYCE Oyster Festival November 29 | Sanctuary Vineyards, Jarvisburg | sanctuaryvineyards.com/events | All you can eat oysters, barbecue and sides plus local wine and beer and live music.

Shuck Hatteras IV Oyster Festival December 20 | Cape Hatteras KOA Resort, Rodanthe | Facebook: Shuck Hatteras Oyster Festival | Relax and enjoy the holidays while gobbling up locally harvested oysters, dancing to live music and shopping among local vendors.

Ocracoke Holiday Oyster Roast December 27 | Ocracoke Seafood Company, Ocracoke | visitocracokenc.com | Fresh oysters, steamed shrimp, clam chowder — it’s an all you can eat celebration of local seafood.

Outer Banks Taste of the Beach | DATES TBA | Various locations | tasteofthebeach.com | Foodie events across the entire Outer Banks, from wine dinners to pub crawls to cooking lessons.

Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival April 12 | The Lost Colony, Manteo | thelostcolony.org/events/2025-wine-culinary-festival | Wineries, breweries, local chefs, live music and camaraderie in a waterfront setting to support Roanoke Island Historical Association, producers of The Lost Colony.

Photo: Sanctuary Vineyards, Brooke Mayo Photographers

HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS

Halloween International Film Festival October 2 – 4 | The Pioneer Theater, Manteo | thepioneertheater.com | Three days of short and feature films celebrating the strange, unusual and scary as part of the Halloween Island festivities.

Halloween Island October 3 – 31 | Throughout Manteo | Facebook: Halloween Island | The ultimate Halloween crawl: 13 Halloween bars, 13 eerie inns, 13 spooky shops, 13 events and experiences, all centered in Manteo.

Wicked Woods Dates TBA | 18766 U.S. Hwy. 64, East Lake | obxguides.com/roanoke-island/wickedwoods | The Dare County mainland is one of the darkest, spookiest wooded areas of the Outer Banks, which makes it the perfect place for a haunted trail.

A Night of 1587 Pumpkins October 25 | The Elizabethan Gardens, Manteo | elizabethangardens.org | Help the gardens staff as they attempt to light 1,587 jack-o-lanterns, along with trick-or-treating, contests and activities. Help carve pumpkins on October 23 and 24.

Outer Banks Halloween Parade of Costumes October 26 | Aviation Park, Kill Devil Hills | obxentertainment.com | A free, family-friendly, all-ages parade around the frog pond at Aviation Park. Prizes are awarded.

Ships & Sweets October 26 | Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, Nags Head | oregon-inlet.com | Trick or treat along the docks, where the boats hand out candy. Music, refreshments and games too.

Harborween October 25 | Wanchese Marina, Wanchese | wanchesemarina.com | Trick or treating at the docks, a pig pickin’, music, bounce houses, games and more.

Photo: Kiiind Cocktails, Jannie Kenyon Photography

Holiday Happenings

Ocracoke Parade of Boats November 28 | Silver Lake Harbor, Ocracoke | visitocracokenc.com | Watch lighted boats glide through Ocracoke’s protected harbor.

Ocracoke Historic Homes Tour November 28 | Lighthouse Road, Ocracoke | visitocracokenc.com | Peek inside homes and the 1901 restored Island Inn in the nationally recognized Historic District and help raise money for Ocracoke Preservation Society.

WinterLights November 21 – December 30 | The Elizabethan Gardens, Manteo | elizabethangardens.org | Take a stroll through the 10-acre gardens to see millions of holiday lights and decor and warm up at an open-air bonfire.

Kites with Lights November 28 & 29 | Kitty Hawk Kites / Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Nags Head | kittyhawk.com | Take pictures in a hang glider with Santa on Friday and Saturday. Saturday night, climb to the top of Jockey’s Ridge to see a lighted kite show set to holiday music.

Christmas Past December 5 & 6 | Island Farm, Manteo | obcinc.org/island-farm | Enjoy the holiday traditions of the 1850s Outer Banks, with food, crafts, games, candlelight and St. Nicholas.

Manteo Tree Lighting December 5 | Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Manteo | manteonc.gov | A festive small-town celebration with caroling, cookies, cocoa and the tree lighting. Stick around Downtown for the First Friday festivities.

Manteo Christmas Parade December 6 | Downtown Manteo | manteonc.gov | A happy holiday parade winding its way through the streets of Manteo, from Manteo High School to the College of the Albemarle.

Duck Yuletide Celebration December 6 | Duck Town Park, Duck | ducknc.gov | Music, holiday treats, Santa and the lighting of the Crab Pot Tree kick off the holidays in Duck.

Roanoke Island Holiday Flotilla December 13 | Shallowbag Bay, Manteo | roanokeislandyachtclub.com | Light your boat and participate or watch from the docks. All boats welcome – sail, power, pontoons, sportfishers and more.

Hatteras Village Christmas Parade December 13 | N.C. Highway 12, Hatteras Village | outerbanksthisweek.com | The parade kicks off at Conner’s Supermarket and ends with Santa on the firetruck bringing up the rear, at the Hatteras Village Volunteer Fire Department in the village center.

Christmas Craft Village November 28 | Whalehead in Historic Corolla Park | northernouterbanks.com | Holiday shopping made easy with a wealth of vendors plus food and drink vendors and all the decor to get in the holiday spirit.

Corolla Christmas Village December 29 | Historic Corolla Village, Corolla | northernouterbanks.com | Historic Corolla Village is transformed into a wonderland with lights for a self-guided tour, food trucks, beverages and shopping. It’s held on the weekends in December.

Meet Me in Manteo for New Year’s December 31 | Downtown Manteo | manteonc.gov | A family-style New Year’s Eve with music, food trucks, game and activities and fireworks!

Photo: 12 Bars of Christmas

Bar Hopping: Holiday Edition

Why settle for one mistletoe moment when you can have 25? All December long, Outer Banks restaurants are decking the halls with pop-up holiday bars serving jolly cocktails, festive bites and a sleighful of entertainment — think live music, trivia, crafts and plenty of cheer. Collect punches at each stop, score fun merch and toast your way through the season.

Misfit Bars of Christmas

November 26 – December 31 | misfitsobx.com

Participating restaurants:

South of KDG Kitchen and Bar, Nags Head
Red Drum Taphouse, Nags Head
Sam & Omie’s Restaurant, Nags Head
Blue Crab Tavern, Kill Devil Hills
Kill Devil Grill, Kill Devil Hills
The Saltbox Cafe, Kill Devil Hills
Swells’a Brewing, Kill Devil Hills
Noosa Beach Grill, Kill Devil Hills
Noosa Scoops, Kill Devil Hills
Chilli Peppers Coastal Grill, Kill Devil Hills
The Pony and the Boat, Kitty Hawk
TRiO Restaurant and Market, Kitty Hawk
Art’s Place, Kitty Hawk
Tap That, Kitty Hawk
Lost Colony Tavern, Manteo

The 12 Bars of Christmas

November 29 – December 30 | 12barsofchristmas.com