Stunt Kites, Wine and Motorcycles

By Michael Lay | Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Kite acrobatics entertain at the weekend's stunt kite event.

One of my favorite childhood memories is of going to the athletic fields of the local high school with my mom and dad and flying kites on those rare weekends when the central Virginia breezes cooperated. Of course, the fickle winds of Hopewell, VA, didn't hold a candle to our routine Outer Banks gusts, and the kite-flying antics I engaged in with my mother and father bore only a passing resemblance to the eye-popping spectacle of Kitty Hawk Kites' 27th Annual Outer Banks Stunt Kite Competition. Held at the Outer Banks Event Site in Nags Head near Windmill Point (MP 16) on Saturday and Sunday, September 28-29 beginning at 10 a.m. each day, spectators will witness two full days of kite flying competitions, including team performances and kites "dancing" to music! There'll even be an indoor kite competition at First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills! Kitty Hawk Kites staff will also offer free stunt and power kite lessons! For more information, contact the events coordinator at {encode="events@kittyhawk.com" title="events@kittyhawk.com"}. Admission is free.

Bikers, Veggies, Youth Art, Wine and More

Outer Banks Bike Fest, a scaled-down version of spring's Bike Week, roars into town Thursday, September 26 for three consecutive days of biker-centric entertainment, food, events and special attractions, including bike shows, poker runs, guided tours, party nights, contests, live music and more! Events run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Prices are activity specific. Visit the website for a complete list of those.

The last Manteo Farmers' Market of 2013 takes place this Saturday, September 28 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at George Washington Creef Park in downtown Manteo. The market features vendors selling home grown vegetables, baked goods and homemade food stuffs such and jams and jellies, as well as jewelry and a diverse selection of arts and crafts items. For more information call (252) 473-2133.

Artrageous Art Extravaganza, the annual community-wide celebration of the arts sponsored by Dare County Arts Council, returns for 2013 this Saturday from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation Center in Kill Devil Hills. Artrageous features creative, hands-on art activity booths for kids, youth art, live music, professional artists show & sell, live art demos, quick draw artists, delicious food and more. All proceeds benefit arts education programming in each of Dare County's schools, cultural arts programs in our community and the Artrageous Scholarship Fund, which awards one scholarship for a graduating senior from each of Dare County's high schools. For more information visit the DCAC website or call (252) 473-5558.

The Currituck Food and Wine Festival gathers together wines from throughout North Carolina, including Currituck's own homegrown varieties, pairs it with gourmet local cuisine, entertainment and activities including live music, hayrides, games and the Great Currituck Grape Stomp to create an egaging autumn family-friendly event. The festival will be held at Sanctuary Vineyards in the Currituck township of Jarvisburg on Saturday, September 28 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Advance tickets are $20 and can be purchased online or at any Cotton Gin location.

The ox-drawn wagon was the original utility vehicle. On Friday and Saturday, September 27 and 28, Charlie, the Island Farm's ox, leads the way on a tour of the Roanoke Island farmstead. All ages are welcome on the tours, which are held at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day.

The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce and Koru Village join forces Saturday, September 28 from 4 to 10 p.m. to host Summeritaville, a family-friendly event including live music by the band The Main Event, fire dancers and other live entertainment, great local food and drinks, games and activities for kids, arts and crafts vendors and more! Tickets are $10/adults, $5/youth ages 12-16 with children younger than 12 admitted free. Tickets may be purchased online by members or non-members or by calling (252) 441-8144.

Walk on the Wild Side

Experience the unique ecosystem where the great sand dune of Jockey's Ridge meets the Roanoke/Albemarle Sound on the enlightening, leisurely and entirely free 45-minute Soundside Trail Hike led by Jockey's Ridge State Park staff Saturday, September 28 at 2 p.m. All ages are welcome; meet at the Soundside Road access. Wear shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. The hike will next take place Saturday, October 12 at 3 p.m.

Vintage Items and DIY Demos

Do vintage sales, antiques and salvaged or re-purposed items draw you in like a science fiction tractor beam? If so, you'll want to take in the Vintage Frame of Mind Show held September 28 and 29 at Dennis Anderson's Grave Digger facility just over the Wright Brothers Bridge in Currituck County's Poplar Branch community. This outdoor event opens at 9 a.m. each day and will feature vintage, antique, architectural salvage, handmade and re-purposed items. Visit the DIY Demonstration Tent for insight on projects you can take on yourself. Event vendors will pool their resources to offer a mystery item to be auctioned off Saturday, September 28. Do a little shopping, get a little DIY education and enjoy the coastal autumn weather while you sip a cup of pumpkin spice latte. Not a bad way to spend a day.

Fore!

The 7th Annual Mulligan's Charity Scramble Golf Classic returns to Nags Head Golf Links on Monday, September, 30 at 1 p.m. The tournament begins with a shotgun start and this year features a women's tier. A 50/50 raffle will be part of the proceedings, and the day's events culminate in a steak dinner at Mulligan's.

Looking Ahead

The first Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival was such a rousing success that Round Two is just around the corner! The 2nd Annual Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival will kick off Thursday, October 3 at 7 p.m. with a free screening of the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou, the Coen brothers' movie that re-energized bluegrass by introducing the traditional art form to any entirely new audience. The movie will be shown in the Roanoke Island Festival Park indoor theater. A jam session will follow the movie. An impressive list of bluegrass talent performs over the next three days, highlighted by headliners such as Rhonda Vincent and Doyle Lawson performing outdoors in the Roanoke Island Festival Park amphitheater. If last year's event is any indication, this will be another fun-filled family weekend full of fantastic roots music and down home cookin'. Musical performances begin Friday and Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 12 p.m. Ticket purchase is required for admission. See the website for ticket details and performance times.

The next production from Theatre of Dare will be Steel Magnolias, a popular comedy-drama focusing on the bonds shared by a group of Southern women living in a Northwest Louisiana small town as they struggle to cope with the vicissitudes of life. Performances will take place in the College of the Albemarle's Roanoke Island Campus auditorium in Manteo. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students (valid high school or North Carolina ID required). Advance tickets can be purchased at Gray's Department Store in Kitty Hawk. All seating is general admission. Performances are scheduled October 3-6 with show times of 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. The show schedule repeats for the week of October 10-13.

Outer Banks This Week Giveaway



This week you have a chance to win a $35 gift certificate to Blue Pelican Gallery & a $35 gift certificate to Atlantic Coast Cafe!

For more information about Blue Pelican Gallery, check out their website.

For more information about Atlantic Coast Cafe, check out their website.


Last Week's Winner

Congratulations to Lisa Moore!!!

You won a $50 gift certificate to Gray's Outer Banks & a $35 gift certificate to Trio-Wine, Beer & Cheese!

Outer Banks This Week Giveaway Winner











For more information about Grays, check out their website.

For more information about OBX TRIO, check out their website.

About the Author Michael Lay
Michael Lay is a local graphic designer, artist, photographer and writer. He lives in picturesque downtown Manteo, NC, and is the manservant of two beautiful and willful feline princesses, Sophie and Sassy. You can contact Michael at mike.lay@oneboat.com.