Spring has finally arrived, and that means we're all ready to get out of the house and do things. And things are coming up. If you're excited about getting out and socializing, there's plenty to do on the Outer Banks this spring.
Some events require tickets are so popular that purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended. Here are some of the events that should be on your ticket-buying radar.
Photo: Tickets for food and wine events at OBX Taste of the Beach are selling fast!
Local Seafood Feast - NC Catch Benefit Dinner
Monday, March 24
Show your support for NC Catch at a five-course culinary journey with local chefs. Held at Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe, this event will celebrate North Carolina seafood and the people who procure it. Vicki Basnight, co-owner of Basnight’s and a commercial fisherwoman, has gathered an all-star lineup of chefs and home cooks for the feast. Diners will savor old-fashioned crab stew, fresh oysters, and inspired dishes from renowned chefs, including Susan Peele & Stephen Scott of Basnight’s Lone Cedar Cafe, Jamie Davis, James Beard Award semi-finalist of The Hackney in Washington, N.C. Diners can expect to enjoy oysters from Little Star Oyster Farm in Hyde County and seafood from Shell'em Seafood, Bay Brothers Seafood and N-Seine Seafood. All proceeds benefit NC Catch, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring future generations can enjoy local seafood. This dinner will be held from 6 to 9 p.m.
Buy tickets for the NC Catch Benefit at Basnight's here.
OBX Taste of the Beach
April 4 to 6
It’s time for the Outer Banks Restaurant Association’s OBX Taste of the Beach, the annual foodie festival at restaurants throughout the Outer Banks.
From Jarvisburg to Manteo, there are scheduled brunches, lunch specials, wine tastings, cocktail events, cooking classes, multicourse dinners, tapas crawls in Duck and Kitty Hawk, dessert tastings, live music events like jazz brunches and so much more. Venues include Barefoot Bernie’s, Basnight’s Lone Cedar Café, Black Pelican Seafood Co., Dirty Dick’s Crab House, Good Winds Restaurant, Hurricane Mo’s, Jolly Roger Restaurant, Lost Colony Tavern, NC Coast Grill & Bar, Outer Banks Brewing Station, Red Sky Casual Dining, Roadside Bar & Grill, Sanctuary Vineyards, Sandtrap Tavern, Shipwrecks Taphouse & Grill, Shore Coffee Roasters, Simply Southern Kitchen, Swells’a Brewing Duck Dive Bar, The Saltbox Cafe and TRiO Restaurant and Market.
One of the featured events is the Outer Banks Chowder Cookoff in the Backyard at Outer Banks Brewing Station on Saturday, April 5 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Restaurants will complete for the title of best seafood chowder, and tickets include unlimited samples and two beverages.
Don’t delay on getting tickets, which have been on sale for a while, so it’s getting close to sell-out for some events. It’s easy to browse events by town, restaurant/bar, day and type of event to make your plans.
Browse events and buy tickets here.
Photo: Beer from several local and regional breweries is also served at the Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival.
Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival
Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12
Coming up on Saturday, April 12, it’s the Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival, a major fundraiser for The Lost Colony outdoor drama. The main event, the Grand Tasting on Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m., features wine, beer, food, live entertainment, a silent and an art show at the SoundStage Theatre surrounded by views of Roanoke Sound. Ten Outer Banks restaurants will be serving their specialties, accompanied wines and beers and nonalcoholic beverages. Participating restaurants are Basnight’s Lone Cedar Café, Blue Water Grill, Ortega’z, Pigman’s Bar-B-Que, Lost Colony Tavern, 1587 Lounge, Red Sky Casual Dining, Mia’s Bake Shop and Ten O Six. Music will be performed by Sam on Sax and Joe Mapp & the Coordinates. General admission tickets cost $85, while designated driver food-only tickets are $45.
The Vintner’s Reception on Friday kicks off the event with wines from Francis Ford Coppola Wines and dishes from Sea Chef Kitchen and Catering. This event will be held at 108 Budleigh in Downtown Manteo. Tickets cost $125.
Buy tickets from The Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival here.
Bluegrass Island Nights
March 29 and April 26
Bluegrass Island, the popular fall-season bluegrass music festival, also has a bluegrass series called Bluegrass Island Nights. These intimate events are held in the indoor theater at Roanoke Island Festival Park. Two more shows are coming up: The Malpass Brothers on Saturday, March 29 and Shadowgrass on Saturday, April 26. There’s also a Christmas show, scheduled for December 20, with The Goodwin Brothers – and they are scheduling into 2026. Tickets are affordable ($59), and it’s fun to make an evening of it by first hitting up a bar or restaurant in Downtown Manteo and walking over the bridge to Festival Park for the show. Click here to see the upcoming shows and buy tickets.
Buy tickets for Bluegrass Island Nights here.
OBX Got Talent
Saturday, April 5
The Pioneer Theatre’s second season of OBX Got Talent Grand Finale is on Saturday, April 5 at 6 p.m. Come out and watch the finalists compete for the top prize of $1,000 and the bragging rights of being the winner. Tickets are just $13.
Buy tickets for OBX Got Talent here.
Photo: The biggest summer shows are at Roanoke Island Festival Park.
Live from OBX
Various dates in June, July, August
Live from OBX has taken over what Vusic OBX started as the summer music festival at Roanoke Island Festival Park. In this series, huge touring bands make a stop on the Outer Banks for a night of music right along the Roanoke Sound. Seven summer shows are already booked, and at least three more are likely for the summer schedule. Here’s what’s on the list so far:
Charles Wesley Godwin - Friday, June 20
Travis Tritt - Thursday, June 24
Jake Owen with Uncle Kracker - Saturday, June 28
Railroad Earth, Yonder Mountain String Band and Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country - Tuesday, July 8
Whiskey Meyers - Tuesday, July 28
Aaron Lewis and the Stateliners - Wednesday, July 23
Muscadine Bloodline - Thursday, August 7
Tickets are on sale for all the shows, and season passes are available.
Buy tickets for Live From OBX here.
To stay on top of all the spring and summer events, be sure to stay connected to our Daytime and Nightlife listings, which are always being updated.
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.
