Kick Off June with a Summer Festival

School's out, and the fun is ramping up for the 2025 summer season on the Outer Banks. This week a ton of high-energy events are happening around town, and from the looks of our summer calendar of events, the fun is not stopping anytime soon. Here's just a taste of some of the big events going on this weekend.

Soundside FunFair

June 5 to 8, 5 to 11 p.m.

Soundside Event Site, 6800 Croatan Highway, Nags Head

The eighth annual Soundside FunFair kicks off tonight, Thursday, June 5 at Soundside Event Site in Nags Head. The fair features rides for all ages, from a Merry Go Round and Tea Cups to Zero Gravity and a Ferris Wheel, games and tasty carnival concessions like cotton candy, funnel cakes, chicken-on-a-stick, SnoCones and so much more, all of it on a beautiful open site by the sound in Nags Head. The fair will run through Sunday, from 5 to 11 p.m. on June 5, 6, 7 and 8.

If all this sounds like a great family experience, it is. Locals and visitors, young kids, teens and adults, all come together on four nights to kick off the summer (around here school is just getting out, so this event always feels like the a celebration). But beyond the amusements and entertainment, Soundside FunFair is doing an important job in Dare County: raising money for the Children and Youth Partnership for Dare County (CYP).

Admission to the Soundside FunFair is free. However, in order to ride any of the rides, you will need to purchase tickets or an all-you-can-ride wristband. In order to participate in games or order food, you will need cash or a credit card. All-You-Can-Ride Wristbands for one night at the Soundside FunFair will cost $30 on-site. Individual tickets for rides will cost $1.50 each, with 24 tickets costing $30. Cash is required to purchase tickets and wristbands on-site.

Photo: Kitty Hawk Kites puts on quite the kite show at the annual Rogallo Kite Festival on top of Jockey's Ridge.

Jockey's Ridge 50th Anniversary Celebration & Rogallo Kite Festival

June 5 to 8

Jockey's Ridge State Park, Nags Head

Jockey’s Ridge State Park is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and to honor the milestone, The Friends of Jockey’s Ridge is throwing a four-day celebration with live music, free educational and recreational programs, homecoming events, sunset toasts, kayak and canoe tours and more. The Friends of Jockey’s Ridge is a nonprofit organization that supports and helps maintain programs and the development of facilities of Jockey’s Ridge State Park. 

Note that the annual Kitty Hawk Kites' Rogallo Kite Festival is happening on Jockey's Ridge this weekend as well. Walk up the ridge anytime on Saturday or Sunday to see all the colorful kites and try out some demo kites.

Here’s what’s going on for the rest of the weekend:

Friday, June 6

10 to 11:30 a.m. Kayak the Sound with a Ranger

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Outer Banks Rogallo Kite Festival with Kitty Hawk Kites

11 a.m. Hang Gliding Demos with Kitty Hawk Kites

12 to 2 p.m. Kids’ activities in the Visitors Center

3 to 4 p.m. Soundside Explorers program

7 p.m. Live Entertainment with The Connells

9 p.m. Drone Light Show by Sky Elements over Jockey’s Ridge

Saturday, June 7

7:30 a.m. Sunrise Yoga

9 to 10 a.m. Dune Ranger Program for kids and families

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Large Canoes Recreational Activity on the Sound

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Outer Banks Rogallo Kite Festival with Kitty Hawk Kites

11 a.m. Hang Gliding demos with Kitty Hawk Kites

12 to 2 p.m. Community Room Activities for Kids

5 to 5:30 p.m. Jockey’s Ridge History Documentary Premier

5:30 p.m. Legacy Project Presentation and 50th Anniversary Celebration and Cake Cutting

7 to 9 p.m. Sunset on the Ridge Toast, National Anthem and Flag Raising Ceremony

Sunday, June 8

7:30 a.m. Sunrise Yoga

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Disc Golf Tournament

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Living Shoreline Project – volunteers needed to help plant grasses

11 a.m. Sandcastle Contest / 12:30 p.m. Awards

3 to 4 p.m. Soundside Explorers program

7 to 8 p.m. Sunset Kayak on the Sound with a Ranger

Registration is required for some programs. Volunteers are needed for a variety of activities, and you can sign up online. All information and registrations can be found here. 

Photo: Jumping off the Cora Mae Basnight Bridge into Shallowbag Bay is a Dare Day tradition for the young ones.

Dare Day

Saturday, June 7, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Downtown Manteo

A Manteo tradition since 1976, Dare Day is a summer season kickoff and a community celebration, and everyone is welcome. Held in downtown Manteo, the family-friendly festival features a variety of craft and food vendors, music, live entertainment, lawn games and a great kids' zone complete with fun rides, an obstacle course and activities. The local shops, restaurants and activities are open too. At the Pea Island Cookhouse on Sir Walter Raleigh Street, there will be a gospel concert and gathering. Admission is free.

Photo: The Biscuit Eaters perform at the 2024 Ocrafolk Festival. Photo by Daniel Pullen for Ocracoke Alive

Ocrafolk Festival

June 6 to 8

Ocracoke Island

Ocracoke is already a magical place, and the only thing that can make it more magical is a weekend full of music, storytelling, art, food, camraderie and community. You'll find all of this all weekend in one of the most incredible settings you could imagine. This grassroots event supports Ocracoke Alive in raising money for year-round student and community programs on the island. A weekend pass or single-day ticket gets you access to all the performances and activities, and you can also buy food and art from local vendors. The days are literally packed with entertainment from musicians, storytellers and performers, and you can see the schedule here. A walk-up ticket at the box office this weekend is $125 for a weekend pass. Other ticket options range from $70 to $25. You ages 17 and younger can get free weekend passes all weekend at the box office at Berkley Manor. 

To stay on top of everything happening on the Outer Banks this summer, be sure to keep checking our Daytime activities and Nightlife listings.