This Thursday, June 26 - yes, that's tomorrow Thursday - Grammy Award-winning recording artist Bruce Hornsby, along with special guests The Pat McGee Band and ChessBoxer, will perform in Manteo at Roanoke Island Festival Park's amphitheater stage as part of the 2014 Brew Thru Live summer concert series. Tickets can be purchased at any Brew Thru location or online at the Brew Thru website. General admission adult tickets are only $35; priority seating adult tickets are $45. Children aged 7 and younger admitted FREE! VIP Parking is available for $20/vehicle. Priority seating begins at 5 p.m. with gates opening for general admission at 5:30 p.m. and the concert beginning at approximately 5:45 p.m.
Hornby's Grammy Award-winning career has included stints on tour with The Grateful Dead, solo recordings, ventures into jazz and recent collaborations with bluegrass star Ricky Skaggs. Hornsby and The Noisemakers' are famous for a playful, freewheeling and distinctive combination of rock, jazz and bluegrass featuring musical influences from classical music to reggae.
Upcoming dates in the concert series are Live with special guests Cracker and Formula on Thursday, July 10 and The Gin Blossoms with special guests The Spin Doctors and Scars on 45 on Thursday, July 17.
A few months ago I wrote about the effort of the Manteo Preservation Trust to restore the belfry to the 1904 Dare County Courthouse, now housing the Dare County Arts Council gallery and offices. Yesterday those efforts came to fruition as the newly constructed belfry structure was raised by crane into place atop the courthouse under the watchful gaze of dozens of locals and visitors.
The entire operation, which took little more than half an hour from the moment the belfry was first lifted from the ground, restored a belfry to the building for the first time since the original belfry, dormers and chimneys were removed more than 70 years ago due to extensive damage from the Hurricane of 1933. The bell tower's original bell, stored in the courthouse attic for seven decades, will be re-installed as work on the belfry is completed. The belfry restoration is part of an ongoing effort to gain National Historic Site status for the courthouse. A celebration of the belfry's restoration is planned for September 15, 2014.
For more information contact Bebe Woody, MPT Chair, at {encode="bebewoody@whitedoeinn.com" title="bebewoody@whitedoeinn.com"} or Sarah Benson, MPT Vice-Chair, at {encode="sandr@aol.com" title="sandr@aol.com"}. Manteo Preservation Trust is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), and donations are tax-deductible in accordance with the tax laws. For more information on Manteo Preservation Trust visit their Facebook page.
Things To Do
One of the things many Outer Banks visitors do, and something everyone SHOULD do, is take in a sunset from the top of Jockey's Ridge. No two are alike and most are spectacular as the sky, land and water interact in unique ways each evening. But there's more to the great dune than just the view from its elevated ridges. Join Jockey's Ridge State Park staff Wednesday, July 2 at 10 a.m. for a free and leisurely 45-minute walk along the Soundside Nature Trail and insight into how the dunes and barrier islands form and the micro-habitats they create. All ages are welcome. Meet at the sound access parking area off of West Soundside Road. Sunscreen and bug spray are recommended.
You'd almost have to be suspicious of anyone who doesn't love turtles. They're just so...lovable! And if you need a turtle fix, the place to come is the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island for Turtletastic Thursdays, an entire day (Thursday, June 26) dedicated to these fascinating reptiles. You'll learn lots of turtle facts, such as the number of sea turtle species worldwide and how many can be found along the North Carolina coast. The next Turtletastic Thursday will be July 3.
Water-based fun is the calling card of the Outer Banks. Parents of kids interested in water activities will want to check out the Co-ed Kids Waterman's One-day Camp offered by Ocean Air Sports in Avon Monday, June 30 from 9 a.m to 3 p.m. Activities will be dependent on the weather and may include swimming, surfing, standup paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing, Jet skiing and water safety. Participants must be confident, experienced swimmers aged 8 or older! The price is $60/participant. For more information contact Amy Klauser at (252) 305-2075 or aklauser@embarqmail.com.
The release of The Hunger Games almost singlehandedly created a cottage industry of interest in archery. If you want to try your hand at this ancient sport then you'll want to sign up for Archery Basics for Adults and Teens, an introductory archery course offered Monday, June 30 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and taught by instructors at the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education in Corolla. Modern applications of archery will be explained, and students (must be 14 or older) will learn basic tournament-style archery techniques. The course is free, but pre-registration is required; call (252) 453-0221 ext. 1.
Tuesdays In Manteo
Tuesdays are big in Manteo. In addition to the Arts & Crafts Fair in Magnolia Pavilion, gallery tours, live entertainment in the afternoons and evening ghost tours, from 2 to 4 p.m. kids aged 5 and older can attend an Art Party hosted by the Dare County Arts Council where instructor Mari Beth LaRose will lead students step-by-step through the process of creating their very own 11" by 14" acrylic painting. All art supplies will be provided as well as snacks and a drink. Classes are limited to 14 students, and the fee is $30/DCAC members and $35/non-members. Pre-registration is highly recommended; call (252) 473-5558 for reservations.
Duck's Cottage Downtown Books in Manteo keeps things rolling all day, beginning with a children's story session in the morning and a book signing from 1 to 4 p.m. with Kathryn O'Sullivan, author of Murder on the Hoof, a murder mystery set in Corolla featuring "a plucky female fire chief, a stubborn sheriff, wild horses, dead bodies, border collies and...Corolla!" O'Sullivan's previous book, Foal Play, was also set in the Outer Banks and received critical praise and awards.
Music in Corolla
Nothing says summer in Corolla like a Tuesday on the beach followed by Whalehead's Summer Concert Series, an evening of great local music (from 6 to 8 p.m.) staged in front of a fabulous Currituck Sound sunset and viewed from the comfort of your blanket or chair on the South Lawn! Alcohol cannot be brought into the park, but Whalehead will be sells glasses and bottles of wine and beer to quench that beach-y thirst. If you're hungry, try a frozen treat from Honey's Ice Cream or refresh with one of Rita's Italian ice flavors. Pets on a leash are welcome, and admission and parking are free.
This week you still have a chance to win a $35 gift certificate to Blue Pelican Gallery & Yarn & a $35 gift certificate to the Atlantic Coast Cafe!
For more information about Blue Pelican Gallery Gift & Yarn check out their website.
For more information about Atlantic Coast Cafe check out their website.
Last Week's Winner
Congratulations to David Shore!!!
You won a Restaurant Tour with Outer Banks Restaurant Tours & a $35 gift certificate to the Outer Banks Popcorn Shoppe!
For more information about Outer Banks Restaurant Tours check out their website.
For more information about Outer Banks Popcorn Shoppe check out their website.
About the Author Michael Lay
Michael Lay is a local graphic designer, artist, photographer and writer. He lives in picturesque downtown Manteo, NC, and is the manservant of two beautiful and willful feline princesses, Sophie and Sassy. You can contact Michael at mike.lay@oneboat.com.
