The cool, crisp northeast air inspired us to take a shotgun camping trip this weekend. Now, some people might check the weather before they set out, but for some reason that didn't occur to us this time. We woke Sunday morning to a steady rain on the tent top. While that made for a messy de-camping (thanks, dogs) and a cold boat ride home, it didn't matter. If we had checked the weather like responsible parents, we wouldn't have gone and then missed out on our six-year-old building his first solo (almost) campfire, our two-year-old wearing a beard of melted marshmallows, listening to Back Porch Music on public radio in the cloudy darkness by the fire and wearing a jacket for the first time this year. * Lesson learned: spontaneity is a good thing ...
Now that Outer Bankers are winding down from a busy summer season, what are they doing? Gearing up for a busy fall season! * Outer Bankers pack the fall season full of annual events, so locals are in planning and volunteering mode for tons of events -- so that you, dear reader, can spontaneously zip around the Outer Banks participating in them...
Wavesailors are headed to Hatteras this week for the Hatteras Wave Jam. * This is a big East Coast windsurfing/wavesailing event and features four days of action and the Beast of the East Face Off III competitive challenge. There are daily events and nightly gatherings at locations on the island, including Atlantic Coast Café and OceanAir Sports. Click on the link to the right of this blog or go to www.obxwindfest.com for info...
In the somewhat perplexing (at least to me) trend of glorifying pirates, the Outer Banks Pirate Festival is held this week from Wednesday through Sunday. * For the first couple of days, a band of pirates will invade local restaurants (Kelly's, Pamlico Jack's, Mako Mike's, Big Al's, Jolly Roger, Outer Banks Brewing Station) as well Kitty Hawk Kites stores. * On Friday, they'll hit Roanoke Island Festival Park starting at 3 p.m. There'll be singing, storytelling, kids' activities with Kitty Hawk Kites, food for sale, prizes shot from the air cannon and at 7 p.m. a free outdoor showing of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. * Sunday is national Talk Like a Pirate Day, and Kitty Hawk Kites in Nags Head is hosting pirate events at the store across from Jockey's Ridge...
One of my personal favorite local events, Day at the Docks: A Celebration of Hatteras Island Watermen, is coming up on Saturday. * It's held down in Hatteras Village, and it celebrates everything that's great about the locals who make a living on the water. * It's a day of great seafood eating, a chowder cookoff, maritime-inspired children's games, cooking demos, boats on display and live music followed by a boat parade and a blessing of the fleet. * It starts at 10 a.m. The blessing is at 6:30 p.m. See www.dayatthedocks.org...
Gotta love those fall festivals: The Interfaith Community Outreach is hosting its Dare/Currituck Fall Festival on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Grandy Assembly Church of God. * We're talking a giant yard sale, a fish and chicken fry, Magic Mike, bounce houses, games, bake sale, pony rides and more. * You'll find it just south of the Grandy Greenhouse...
This is the weekend for the Outer Banks Triathlon in three distances - Half on Saturday, Olympic and Sprint on Sunday - on Roanoke Island. * The competitive side of me feels like a loser for not even entering the race but not so bad that I'm on the website registering or anything. * There is still time, though. You can get info and register through Wednesday by clicking the link to the right of this blog or by going to www.obxmarathon.com (click on Outer Banks Triathlon tab)...
If you're not doing that one, consider registering for the Get Pumped for Pink 10K on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 8 a.m. in Kitty Hawk. See www.outerbanksrunnningclub.org...
On the cultural side of things, UNC-Greensboro is presenting A Celebration of Gilbert and Sullivan at Roanoke Island Festival Park on Saturday. * The shows will bring pirates, sailors, fairies, ghosts and geishas to the stage from the productions of The Mikado, H. M. S. Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance. * Shows are at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m...
Nationally recognized artist Christophora Robeers is conducting an all-day painting workshop at the Dare County Arts Council this Saturday. There is still time to register. Call 473-5558. * You can see Robeers' work on display at Glenn Eure's Ghost Fleet Gallery in Nags Head for the rest of the month. Robeers also recently released a new book of her Outer Banks paintings...
It's not cultural, but it's fun - the movie Eat, Pray, Love is playing at The Pioneer in Manteo through Thursday of this week ...
Outer Banks Mommy and Me is hosting a Mom's Expo at Family Rec Park in KDH on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. * There will be kids' activities and games, contests, informational booths for parents, samples from local restaurants and more...
I'm heading to Kelly's on Sunday night to see Big Head Todd and the Monsters. They're one of those bands that's better live and I'm looking forward to seeing them again. It's going to be crowded so get your tix early...
BTW, the Eastern Surfing Association's "Easterns" surfing competitions are being held in Buxton all next week, starting this Sunday and running through the 25th or 26th, depending on the weather. Sign up to compete or head down to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse jetty to watch...
OK, I better go hang the tent and sleeping bags out on the line to dry * Check around the rest of the site to get more info about what's going on 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.
