Outer Banks Annual Events - Food

If you’re on Ocracoke Island in December, you won’t want to miss the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association Oyster Roast and Shrimp Boil. One of the most popular winter events, this community meal celebrates seafood and the people who make enjoying it possible. For the afternoon, the Community Square turns into a fish-fest where makeshift tables offer gathering grounds for shucking oysters, peeling and eating shrimp and rubbing elbows with your neighbors. There is also fish stew to slurp and cold beverages to sip. Come enjoy the taste of Ocracoke’s heritage, community and fresh-catch seafood at this Outer Banks annual event, which occurs during the last weekend in December.

There are few better ways to celebrate the start of oyster season than with an oyster roast and North Carolina barbecue. For more than 16 years, First Flight Rotary Club has sponsored the Oink and Oyster Roast as a fundraiser for nonprofit organizations in Dare County. This event is open to everyone with a love of oysters and a hearty appetite. The First Flight marching band provides live music that will have your feet tapping as you’re shucking oysters. Come on out to Longboard’s restaurant in Kitty Hawk for a day of oysters, barbecue, friends and community fun. This event is usually held the second weekend in October.

Gone are the days when food trucks only carted around ice cream and hot dogs. The new generation delivers maximum flavor through unlimited creativity. The Outer Banks Food Truck Showdown is your chance to snack your way through not only the beach’s best food trucks but also those from the larger North Carolina and Virginia areas. Vendors include independent trucks as well as the catering trucks from popular Outer Banks restaurants. Sweet, savory and some things downright funky (in a good way), the small snacks or larger meals let you get your fill. Pair your food with a beverage from one of the stands serving beer, wine or water, or check out food trucks with slushies, lemonades and other refreshing beverages. Bands and local musicians perform live during the event, so bring a beach/lawn chair or picnic blanket to relax on while you listen and munch. This Outer Banks annual event is held at the Soundside Events Site in Nags Head.

It’s no secret that some of the world’s tastiest shrimp are found in Outer Banks restaurants. Have you ever wondered where you can find the cream of the crop when it comes to local shrimp dishes? Many of us have, and each year we turn to the Outer Banks Shrimp Cookoff to see which restaurants’ shrimp dishes stand out from the others. Top chefs from local restaurants bring their culinary expertise to Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar, and they battle for the title of best shrimp on the beach. The best part is that you get to judge the contenders. Sample the gourmet shrimp creations and vote for your favorite. There’s also the opportunity to leave with goodies from the silent auction and the raffle, made of items and offers donated by local businesses and organizations. The event ends with an awards ceremony determining the Chef’s Choice, Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice for the dishes.

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.