If you love live music, fall is a very good time to be on the Outer Banks.
In mid-October, hundreds of musicians from across the country descend on the Outer Banks as two longtime music festivals bring national touring acts, rising artists and local performers to stages from Duck to Manteo. The 16th annual Duck Jazz Festival kicks things off October 10 and 11, followed a few days later by the 15th annual Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival from October 14 to 17. Add in the special events, concerts and jam sessions leading up to both festivals, and you’ve got more than 25 live performances packed into one music-filled week.
Photo: Tito Puente, Jr., son of legendary band leader Tito Puente, brings his electrifying style, a fusion of traditional mambo and contemporary Latin jazz, to the Duck Jazz Festival on October 11. Photo courtesy Duck Jazz Festival Facebook
Coming on November 14 is the 2nd annual Grassfed Bluegrass Music Festival at Soundside Event Site in Nags Head, featuring eight bluegrass bands, a vendor village and more, plus a pre-event and after party.
The musicians are the main acts, of course, but playing second fiddle is fall on the Outer Banks.
This is the Outer Banks season of bliss: warm days and cool evenings perfect for outdoor shows, swimming, watersports, al fresco dining and everything else you love about summer just in milder weather without all the craziness of the high season.
Fall is also festival season. Nearly every fall weekend brings another food festival, music festival, celebration or special event. Last week I rounded up some of the Outer Banks’ best Fall Food and Drink Events. This week, I’m giving you the details on fall's most exciting music events.
One heads-up before you make your plans: Fall events on the Outer Banks are getting increasingly popular, and many have been drawing loyal crowds for more than a decade. If you’re coming for a festival, booking accommodations early is a good idea. The upside? Fall typically brings lower lodging rates than peak summer. You can book accommodations directly through Outer Banks This Week.
So, pick your music – jazz, bluegrass or, best of all, both – and start planning an Outer Banks fall getaways.
Photo: The Brass Queens, a dynamic, female-led brass band from New York City, is back by popular demand at the 2026 Duck Jazz Festival. Photo courtesy Duck Jazz Festival Facebook
Duck Jazz Festival
Main Event: Sunday, October 11
Pre-Events: October 7 to 9
Information: duckjazz.com
Free admission!
The Duck Jazz Festival returns October 10 and 11 at Duck Town Park for its 16th anniversary. The theme “Jazz Reignited,” promises a high-energy weekend of live music by renowned jazz musicians and a whole lot more.
An unfortunate weather cancellation in 2025 has translated into a surge of new interest and a renewed sense of purpose for this year’s event. Whether you’re a lifelong jazz fan or just looking for an excuse to spread out a blanket and soak in the sounds, this year’s Duck Jazz Festival is shaping up to be well worth the wait.
This festival is more than music – it’s a community celebration. You’ll also find family-friendly events, side events in venues around town and a sunset movie on the green.
Best of all, it’s free and completely walkable. Just get to the main event early because seating is first-come, first-served. Duck’s quaint village layout means you can stroll from your rental or parking spot to the stage to dinner with zero hassle. Food trucks will be on site this year, serving festival foods, coffee, snacks and beverages, though coolers and picnics are welcome.
Duck is the perfect festival host village because everything you need is within walking distance: accommodations, restaurants, shops, recreation and the festival location at Duck Town Park.
Wednesday, October 7
6 p.m. | Acoustic Jazz Evening with Devin Frazier and Laura Martier | Amphitheatre Stage
Thursday, October 8
8 a.m. | Jazzy Yoga on the Green | Town Green
6 p.m. | Salsa Dancing Class led by Celeste | Amphitheatre Stage
Friday, October 9
9 a.m. | Children’s Jazz Story Time and Rhythm Play | Paul F. Keller Meeting Hall
Sunset | Movie on the Green presented by Carolina Designs Realty: Sing | Town Green
Saturday, October 10
4 p.m. | Jazz Weekend Kickoff Concert featuring Adam Hawley | Town Green
7 p.m. | Live Jam with festival musicians | The Back Bar at The Blue Point at the Waterfront Shops
Sunday, October 11
10 a.m. Gates Open | 11 a.m. Music Starts
Main Stage
11 a.m. Gerald Veasley
1:10 p.m. Shayna Steele
3:25 p.m. Brass Queens
5:25 p.m. Tito Puente, Jr.
Amphitheatre Stage
12:10 p.m. First Flight High School Honors Jazz Band
2:20 p.m. David Esleck Trio ft. Jordan Garrett
4:30 p.m. The Hot Lanes with Bobby Jasinski
Photo: Roanoke Island Festival Park is an idyllic setting for three days of live bluegrass at Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival in October. Photo courtesy Bluegrass Island Facebook.
Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival aka Bluegrass Island
October 14 to 17
Roanoke Island Festival Park, Manteo
Information and tickets: bluegrassisland.com
The 15th annual Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival, aka Bluegrass Island, rolls into Manteo just a few days after the Duck Jazz Festival, making this an epic week for music on the Outer Banks. This legendary festival brings bluegrass, Americana and roots musicians from around the country and draws fans from around the globe to Manteo. The main festival setting, Roanoke Island Festival Park, is on a stunning 22-acre island with an amphitheater overlooking Roanoke Sound. You sit on a grassy lawn watching the music with the water flowing behind the stage. It's an epic setting.
Downtown Manteo has a great music festival atmosphere – full of inns, vacation rentals, attractions, recreation, shops, bars and restaurants all within walking distance of the show venue. You can park your car once and never get it in again all weekend if you so desire.
The event includes free parking and shuttle service with tickets. Food and drink vendors are on site.
Wednesday, October 14
1 p.m. | Kick-Off Concert with Songs from the Road Band (1 p.m.) and Monroeville (3 p.m.) | George Washington Creef Park | Free
5 p.m. | Andrew Brozek & Eli Smith | Olives Restaurant Patio | Free
7 p.m. | Wood Box Heroes | Indoor Theater Roanoke Island Festival Park | Ticket required
Thursday, October 15
Roanoke Island Festival Park Main Stage | Ticket required
12:30 p.m. Slocan Ramblers
2:15 p.m. Pitney Meyer
4 p.m. Southern Legacy
6 p.m. Appalachian Road Show
8 p.m. Sierra Hull
Jam Stage
10 p.m. Asher Brinson
Friday October 16
Roanoke Island Festival Park Main Stage | Ticket required
12:30 p.m. The Steel Wheels
2:15 p.m. Rhonda Vincent
4 p.m. Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
6 p.m. Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter
8 p.m. Infamous Stringdusters
Jam Stage
10 p.m. The Steppers
Saturday October 17
Roanoke Island Festival Park Main Stage | Ticket required
11 a.m. Kruger Brothers
12:45 p.m. Della Mae
2:30 p.m. United States Navy Band
4:15 p.m. Trey Hensley Band
6 p.m. The Brothers Comatose
8 p.m. The Punch Brothers
Jam Stage
10 p.m. Podunk Ramblers, Presley Barker
Grassfed Music Festival 2026
November 13 & 14
Main event: November 14 at Soundside Event Site, Nags Head
Information and Tickets: grassfedbluegrass.com, Facebook and Instagram
Grassfed is a newer music festival with a whole lot of bluegrass spirit. Held for the first time at Soundside Event Site in Nags Head, it promises to be an epic fall event. Eight bands are lined to play starting at noon, and there will be a vendor village and food and drink vendors. A pre-event is happening on November 13, and a main event after party will be held after the Saturday outdoor shows.
Friday, November 13
7 to 10 p.m. | Official Grassfed Pre-Party with Remedy Tree | Swells'a Brewing, Kill Devil Hills | Free
Saturday, November 14
12 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Main Event | Soundside Event Site, Nags Head | Tickets required
Lineup includes (schedule announced soon): Shadowgrass, East Nash Grass, Broken Compass, Front Porch, Pickety Split, All She Wrote, Redbud Bluegrass, Podunk Ramblers
11 p.m. to 1 a.m. | Grassfed After Dark "Pasture Bed Time" with Broken Compass Bluegrass | Village Beach Club, Nags Head | Tickets $12
All the Outer Banks Events
Keep an eye on all the upcoming festivals, Halloween and holiday celebrations and general goings-on with Outer Banks This Week’s Daytime and Nightlife listings.
Book Your Outer Banks Getaway
Fall is one of the best times to experience the Outer Banks. Cooler weather, fewer crowds and a calendar full of great local events make it the perfect excuse for a getaway.
Pick the event you don’t want to miss, then find your home base. Search and book Outer Banks hotels and vacation rentals right here on Outer Banks This Week.
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.
