Whether you’re living, visiting, working or playing on the Outer Banks, just being here brings you into deep connection with the natural environment. Being in close contact with nature is why we all love it here. On these islands we are affected by the daily shifts of wind and the power of water. We are drawn to the wilder areas, into the maritime forests, onto the rugged dunes, along the edges of the marsh and out into the sea. Being immersed in all this natural beauty makes many of us protective of the environment, waters and wildlife, making this the perfect place to celebrate Earth Day. There are a few ways to celebrate Earth Day this year on the Outer Banks.
Earth Day Events
OBX Star Party
Friday, April 21, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Dowdy Park, 3005 S. Croatan Highway, Nags Head
The Outer Banks version of the Statewide Star Party is being hosted on Earth Day weekend at Dowdy Park. Come out on Friday evening and enjoy this fun sky-watching event. There will be telescopes set up and interactive lessons about the night sky. If it’s raining or cloudy stop by anyway. They’ll have interactive activities that you can take home in case of rain. For more information, contact rhana.paris@ncaquariums.com
Photo: Tour the Coastal Studies Institute campus and attend Earth Day celebrations on Saturday, April 22. Photo courtesy Coastal Studies Institute
CSI 10th Anniversary Open House and Earth Fair OBX
Saturday, April 22, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Coastal Studies Institute, 850 N.C. Highway 345, Wanchese
Coastal Studies Institute (CSI) and East Carolina University Integrated Coastal Programs (ICP) are celebrating their 10-year anniversary on the ECU Outer Banks Campus – locally we call it CSI – with an open house from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Earth Day, April 22. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend this free event. You can tour the CSI campus, grounds and facilities, learn about current research and educational programs, take part in family-friendly activities and meet faculty and staff.
Coastal Environmental Educators Network will be hosting the 2023 Earth Fair OBX during the open house. There will also be food trucks on site.
CSI’s LEED gold-certified campus is about 1 mile down the road from the Highway 64 and N.C. 345 intersection.
The Coastal Studies Institute is a multi-institutional research partnership led by ECU in association with N.C. State, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Wilmington and Elizabeth City State University. CSI focuses on integrated coastal research and educational programming centered on responding to the needs, issues and topics of concern of the residents of eastern North Carolina.
Artist in Community Earth Day Event with Dare Arts and the National Park Service
Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bodie Island Light House, 8210 Bodie Island Lighthouse Road, Nags Head
The first Artist in Community event at Bodie Island Lighthouse is being held on Earth Day at Bodie Island Lighthouse thanks to Dare Arts and the National Park Service. Here's the schedule of artists:
Kate Leal: 10 to 11:30 a.m.- Kate Leal’s recent body of work encompasses the landscapes and wildlife of the Outer Banks, finding beauty in both in landmarks and hidden treasures that our area provides. Her work has been described as having an “island style” and calming color palette. She creates this work not only out of appreciation for the natural landscape, but also to share with others the unique beauty here.
Gray Michael Parsons: 1 to 2:30 p.m.- Gray Michael Parsons’ primary identity as a traditionally adherent Mattamuskeet/Machapunga Native American and his life-long love affair with “Kah haay seena hah kee” (Mother Earth) is reflected in his book Hope on Hatterask and in his poetry and songs. Although retired, he still drums, sings and dances at native powwows and volunteers at the Frisco Native American Museum on Hatterask Island. His primary goal in performing publicly is to awaken all to their own ancestral indigeneity and in doing so to live a more earth-friendly way of life. He invites all to the inclusive concept of “indigen-us” during his audience interactive presentation and performance.
Karyn Renea Soto: 3 to 4:30 p.m.- Karyn Renea Soto is a local plein-air artist heavily influenced by nature and architecture. Painting outside on the Outer Banks is her happy place, and she hopes to show others how accessible and therapeutic plein air painting can be for them.
Photo: Bodie Island Lighthouse will host three local artists on Earth Day. Photo courtesy Outer Banks Forever.
Earth Day Event and Plant Swap
April 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Community Center, 23646 N.C. Highway 12, Rodanthe
This Earth Day event will benefit the RWS Civic Association's scholarship fund. Earth-friendly organizations will be on-site, including beekeepers, N.C. Cooperative Extension, National Park Service, Hatteras Library’s seed library, Frisco Native American Museum, OBX Lighthouse Society and more. There will be kids’ activities, a plant swap, raffle and food for purchase. The plant swap is for bulbs, seeds, live plants or anything else.
Photo: Celebrate Mother Earth with a Sacred Cacao Ceremony at Ascension Studio in Kill Devil Hills on Saturday. Photo by Jenny Crofton Photo courtesy of Ascension
Earth Day Meditation and Cacao Ceremony/Drum Circle
Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Ascension OBX, 1209 S. Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills
At 10 a.m., come meditate with a group of like-mind individuals to celebrate and bring peace and harmony to Mother Earth. This meditation costs $15. Come back at 7 p.m. for a Sacred Cacao Ceremony followed by a live Drum Circle. The ceremony will be held indoors and the drum circle will move outdoors. Cost for the evening events is $33 and you need to register in advance for the cacao ceremony.
Currituck County Earth Day / Community Park Event
Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Community Park, 150 College Way, Barco
This event will feature a household hazardous waste collection. They’ll also be collecting household hazardous waste in Corolla at 734 Ocean Trail from 10 a.m. to noon. The Barco park event will also offer free document shredding, a Home, Flower and Garden Show, a free rabies shot and pet adoption clinic and a prescription medicine collection. Raffles will be held, and food trucks will be on site.
Bark in the Park
Sunday, April 23, 1 to 5 p.m.
Jockey’s Ridge State Park, 300 W. Carolista Drive, Nags Head
Bark in the Park is not technically an Earth Day event, but it’s at Jockey’s Ridge and it helps animals so it fits here. Bark in the Park is a family-friendly event benefitting the Outer Banks SPCA. The event will feature fun activities for dogs and humans including vendors, music and lots of happenings designed for dogs. Bark in the Park will also feature competitions including the Great American Bark Off – open to any human who can bark like a dog. Local beer and wine
will be sold at the event. All proceeds will benefit the Outer Banks SPCA. For more information contact the Outer Banks SPCA at 252-475-5620.
Photo: Examples of the Outer Banks flora and fauna at the Audubon Pine Island Sanctuary in Corolla. Photo courtesy Audubon Pine Island.
Protecting the Environment Every Day
There are many Outer Banks organizations and nonprofits that work all year round to preserve what we love about the Outer Banks. If you’re inspired to help, here are a few of them that welcome volunteers or donations.
Audubon Pine Island Sanctuary and Center, pineisland.audubon.org
Better Beaches OBX, betterbeachesobx.org
Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society, fws.gov/partner/coastal-wildlife-refuge-society
Corolla Wild Horse Fund, corollawildhorses.com
Friends of Jockey’s Ridge, friendsofjockeysridge.org
Hatteras Island Ocean Center, hioceancenter.org
N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island, ncaquariums.com/Roanoke-island
N.C. Beach Buggy Association, ncbba.org
N.C. Coastal Federation, nccoast.org
N.E.S.T., nestonline.org
Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research, obxdolphins.org
Outer Banks Forever – National Park Service, obxforever.org
Surfrider Foundation, outerbanks.surfrider.org
The Elizabethan Gardens, elizabethangardens.org
The Nature Conservancy at Nags Head Woods, facebook.com/nagsheadwoods
The OBX Way, obxway.org
The Elizabethan Gardens welcomes volunteers to help them maintain their beautiful flowers, plants and trees.
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
