Outer Banks Annual Events - Festivals

Join the Town of Duck as it celebrates this nation’s birth with a parade, live music and more. Visitors and locals from all over the Outer Banks come to Duck to check out and enjoy the parade and other festivities. The parade includes floats, decorated cars, dog walkers and people showcasing their talents to delight the crowd. After the parade, head over to Duck Town Park to watch the awards ceremony for members of the parade, listen to live music and indulge in some refreshments. Named by ABC News as one of the country’s Top 10 best small-town celebrations, this Outer Banks event brings members of the community together for a day of patriotic fun.

Celebrate Currituck’s down-home, country culture with barbecue and a rodeo. The Currituck Heritage Bulls & BBQ is an annual fall event that brings excitement and family friendly fun to Currituck residents and visitors of all ages – no native ties required. The People’s Choice BBQ and Kansas City BBQ Competition are the cornerstones of this event. Local restaurants and barbecue experts battle it out for title of the best barbecue, and attendees sample the creations, ranging from tangy to sweet and smoky to succulent. After everyone has voted for their favorite barbecue, the competition concludes with an awards ceremony. Following the barbecue competition, the attention turns from pigs to cows as the festival’s evening rodeo opens, presenting the talents of professional bull riders. Other activities during the event include corn hole tournaments, children’s games and browsing the wares from local vendors, including food and funky crafts, products and more. It’s a delicious, engaging but low-key event that shines a little extra love on this interior area of the Outer Banks.

Attention jazz lovers! Grab a chair and your family, friends or dog and come to Duck Town Park for a day devoted solely to jazz. One of the most anticipated music events of the year is the Duck Jazz Festival, held in October over Columbus Day weekend. Every year talented artists from all over the country come together to wow concertgoers with their pianos, trumpets, saxophones, voices and more. You might even want to pack a picnic and make a day event of it, but don’t forget that vendors from local restaurants will be present. Bring your own chair, settle in and prepare to be entertained. Best of all, this event is free!

Produced by Ocracoke's Latino residents in partnership with Ocracoke Alive, the annual Latino Festival de Ocracoke is held in early November. This celebration features music, dance, games, arts and food from the many regions of Mexico and Latin America. 

When it comes to getting into the Halloween spirit, few ways beat a scary movie marathon. In the days leading up to All Hallow’s Eve at the Outer Banks, film industry profession, cinephiles and horror-genre fans gather to do just that. The annual Halloween International Film Festival is a three day event that brings a variety of independent film submissions, filmmakers and a hefty dose of horror to the Outer Banks. Independent films are submitted throughout the year, and this event presents a viewing of the top candidates at the R/C Theatres Movies 10 in Kill Devil Hills. In addition to the screenings, the festival also includes question and answer sessions with the filmmakers and casts, meet and greets, photo opportunities and more. The Halloween International Film Festival is a fun networking experience for both industry professions and fans, and it aims to enhance the film industry on the Outer Banks.

The annual Festival of Trees is an ideal way to spread holiday cheer while benefiting the nonprofit Outer Banks Hotline. It includes several days of events, including a bazaar, live music, children's activities and more. At the gala on Saturday night you can browse through all of the business-sponsored and decorated trees while you enjoy delectable hors d’oeuvres and coffee and live holiday tunes filling the air. The holiday bazaar and the Bid and Buy It Now Auction are the most anticipated parts of this Outer Banks annual event. Place your bids at the silent auction then check out the new and gently used assortment of decorations, accessories and clothes at the holiday bazaar. All of the proceeds from the event benefit Outer Banks Hotline, so you’re shopping for a worthy cause.

The lovely little Town of Manteo kicks off the holiday season with a tree-lighting ceremony and other festivities on the first Friday night in December. Hundreds of people gather on Queen Elizabeth Avenue in front of the historic Dare County Courthouse to enjoy performances of holiday music, to sip hot cocoa and to watch the lighting of the waterfront Christmas tree. The event coincides with downtown Manteo's monthly First Friday event, which means that after the lighting you can stick around for live music around town, art exhibits and receptions, a book signing, dining in the restaurants and shopping in the shops. Try to arrive downtown by 5:30 p.m., and keep in mind that traffic will be heavy coming into town and that you may have to park a ways back on a Manteo side street and walk to the downtown area. 

Dare County Arts Council's two-day festival on downtown Manteo’s waterfront features artists from all over the country. While some are new to the festival each year, many are returning. You can find exhibitions of all sorts of media ranging from watercolors, drawings, acrylics, photography, jewelry and pottery. While the festival is a juried show, you still have the opportunity to buy directly from the artists. You might find an amazing photograph that you want hanging in your house or a beautifully handcrafted bracelet that will make the perfect present. Admission to this highly anticipated Outer Banks annual event is free, and it’s a family-friendly event. It's held on a Wednesday and Thursday in mid-August.

Come one, come all to OBX Pridefest. This weekend-long annual event, held in September, is an awesome time to celebrate with the LGBTQ community. Starting on Friday and going through Sunday, you can check out a booze cruise, live music, touring productions and comedy shows, a drag brunch, nightly club dancing and the main festival, the Outer Banks Gay Pride Festival. Held at Soundside Event Site in Nags Head, the main festival is free and includes music, food and fun. You might want to attend one or two events, or you can purchase a pass that’ll get you into every event over the weekend. Different restaurants helping to sponsor the event also have vendors at outdoor daytime events and specials throughout the weekend. All daytime events are family friendly; nighttime events are not. Bring your family, friends, a fun-loving attitude and tons of pride – this is one Outer Banks event unlike any other. Contact the event's website for questions and information.

The OBX Shred Fest embraces music, skateboarding and community. This family-friendly event features live performances from Outer Banks music groups and professional bands on its two stage, and there will be demos done by skateboarders, BMX riders, roller derby skaters and more. Watch them shred it – either on the guitar or on the skate ramps – while also enjoying the food and beverage vendors, checking out the raffles, art sale and other festivities. The best part of this event is that it benefits Dare2Care OBX, which raises awareness for veterans and individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Their main mission is to promote music opportunities for people with special needs by providing free, year-round music lessons. This Outer Banks annual event is held at the Soundside Event Site in Nags Head.

The Ocrafolk Festival is one of the most beloved Outer Banks annual events and traditions. On the first weekend in June, storytellers, musicians and artists bring themselves and their trades to Ocracoke Island for a three-day festival. You can shop directly from artisans and crafters, watch art demonstrations, listen to established and up-and-coming musicians and be absorbed by thrilling tales about Ocracoke Island and North Carolina. Ocrafolk Festival’s music is live and features regional and national bands and solo musicians. As you’re walking around the village during the festival, you can always hear banjos, fiddles, guitars or voices filling the air. Proceeds from Ocrafolk Festival ticket sales support critical student and community programs.

Spend a beautiful spring morning at Roanoke Island Festival Park enjoying an Outer Banks event made just for the little kids. KidsFest is geared toward ages 5 and younger, giving them a day of play and exposing them to the Outer Banks community. An array of exhibitors and vendors from all over Dare County convene to provide arts and crafts, face painting, bubbles, vehicle exhibitions, performances from local dance companies and icy treats to keep kids cool on a warm day. This event welcomes children, their parents, grandparents and any other family and friends who want to partake in the fun. Hosted by the Children and Youth Partnership for Dare County, this event is held on a Friday morning in May from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and there is no admission fee. 

Where can you enjoy games, friends, music and watermelon all in one place? Try the Outer Banks Watermelon Festival. For several years, locals and visitors have gathered to enjoy summer with this delicious seasonal melon. You can enjoy watermelon-themed games like watermelon bowling, watermelon relays, seed-spitting contests and more. Stir up some friendly competition in a game of corn hole or test your flexibility by trying to beat the limbo stick. This event is held at the Kitty Hawk Kites in Nags Head and welcomes watermelon lovers of all ages. The festival is free to attend, but you have to purchase tickets if you want to play some games. The best part is that all proceeds go to the Outer Banks Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Coalition, so you’ll be helping out something meaningful while having a blast. This event will be held on August 1 in 2018.

Every June the carnival comes to town! Join in the fun of rides, fair food and midway games at the Soundside Event Site in Nags Head. This event is extra special fun for families because it benefits the Children and Youth Partnership for Dare County, an organization that advocates for kids from birth through adolescents. This event is held mid-June. 2018 dates are June 14 to 20 from 5 to 11 p.m. each night.

Up for a sophisticated evening activity? Check out Whalehead Wednesdays Wine and Beer Festivals happening from June through the end of September. Every Wednesday evening during the summer months you can sample a variety of wines and beer along with fruit and cheese while you watch the sun set over the Currituck Sound. Different solo artists and bands provide live music every week, so you’ll get a taste of local talent in addition to the wine and beer. Wine is provided by Sanctuary Vineyards, Whalehead Gallery, Vineyards on the Scuppernong and Corolla Wine, Cigar and Gourmet. There'll also be a beer tasting, featuring samples from the Weeping Radish Brewery and Northern Outer Banks Brewing Company. This Outer Banks event is family friendly with activities that children can enjoy too. Admission includes a tasting glass, and nondrinkers are admitted free.