Outer Banks Annual Events - Outdoor & Nature

This two out of three day fishing tournament is a low-key Outer Banks event of fishing and socializing. After the initial day of cocktails, a captains’ meeting and mingling, teams head out from Pirate's Cove to compete for the best offshore catches. Fishing starts in the morning and continues well into the afternoon. This tournament concludes with an awards banquet and silent auction. It's called a two out of three day fishing tournament because each team is given one lay day – a great way to enjoy a flexible schedule during the tournament. There are four levels of the Carolina Boat Builders Tournament, so whether you’re an amateur angler or have been a passionate fisher your entire life, there’s a spot for you to compete. The tournament benefits the Dare County Boat Builders Foundation, which promotes the public awareness of the local boat building industry and supports educational opportunities for local students. For information, go to the DCBBF website.

Here at the Outer Banks we love our seafood – the tuna, mussels, oysters, grouper, scallops, mmmm, we could go on and on about it. Have you ever thought about the source of seafood that you buy or eat? Hatteras Island’s Day at the Docks is an event to celebrate seafood and answer all of your questions about it. Learn how seafood affects the Outer Banks community and economy. Discuss marketplace choices and sustainability within local communities. You can participate in the Fishy K Fun Run, put your cooking skills to the test in a chowder cook off, enjoy competitions, demonstrations and much more. The Taste of North Carolina, Hatteras Style event is also held during Day at the Docks, so spend your evening sampling regional food and beverages while listening to live music. For more information, questions or concerns, reach out to Day at the Docks through their Facebook page or by emailing the event's website.

This event has become an Outer Banks spring tradition, and there could be no more beautiful setting than The Elizabethan Gardens in full bloom. The event features an egg scavenger hunt, photo ops, a homemade bake sale, an egg roll on the Great Lawn, visits from Sir Walter “Peter” Wabbit, make and take crafts, gift certificates, stuffed animals, bake sales and more. All of the family fun activities make this a favorite for the little bunnies in your house. The Great Lawn features entertaining performances from local music groups, dance troupes and storytellers. Kids with festive hats and bonnets will even get to enter a contest for their finery. This Outer Banks event takes place the Saturday before Easter.

Take a step back in time to a Roanoke Island winter in the 1850s. Island Farm invites you to celebrate fall food traditions as they share with visitors how coastal families prepared for winter two centuries ago. Learn about and try your hand at hearth cooking, food preservation and candle making. You can shuck some corn and do a little shelling too. In between all of these activities, tour the farm with a classic ox-drawn wagon ride. If you bring a nonperishable food item with you, you’ll receive a dollar off admission, and the goods will be donated to the Roanoke Island Food Pantry. You’ll be having fun while helping out a great cause. From Garden to Hearth is held the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving Day.

This is one of the most fun fall traditions on the Outer Banks. Stroll around The Elizabethan Gardens, which are beautiful at any time of the year. Take a hayride through the gardens, twist and turn through the hay bale maze, stuff a scarecrow, make an educational craft, get your face painted, listen to music and stories and more. And when the chilly air makes you shiver, cozy up to the bonfire while sipping on some hot apple cider. Extra points if you enjoy a slice of pumpkin pie too. This event is usually held the third weekend in October.

Grab the best anglers in your crew and start dreaming of a seafood dinner. The Hatteras Village Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament takes advantage of Hatteras’s superior beaches for surf fishing. Teams of six or fewer people come together for a day of friendly competition, beach time and fishing. And you don’t have to be an angler to enjoy this Outer Banks event; it’s fun to watch the participants battling it out with their scaly opponents. If this sounds like the tournament for you, round up your team members and start practicing. For more information or questions, get in touch with the event's organization through their Facebook page.

Kitty Hawk Surf Company's annual Outer Banks Kayak Fishing Tournament is held in mid-September. This is a great way to explore the scenic waterways of the Outer Banks. Where else can you gently float near a heron while also reeling in a fish? After garnering your bounty of fish, head back to land to enjoy a cookout and awards ceremony. The $40 registration fee can be paid online or at any of the four Kitty Hawk Surf Company shop locations along the Outer Banks.

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.

Sell, buy, browse – the Ocracoke Island-Wide Yard Sale invites you to do it all. Maybe you have items that you never use or no longer need. Perhaps you’re in the market for a few knick knacks. Or you could just be looking to earn some cash. Shop an incredible assortment of items and score great bargains at this community yard sale. The Ocracoke Variety Store and the Little Visitors Center distribute maps of yard-sale locations. This Outer Banks annual event occurs in April and again in September.

You don’t have to be a top tier athlete to enjoy the Outer Banks Marathon weekend. The shorter distances of the 8K, 5K and Fun Run offer walkers and runners of any ability a chance to take part in this popular event. Run, jog or walk your way through one of the most picturesque areas on the East Coast. The trail is lined with enthusiastic volunteers and supporters ready to cheer you on as you make your way toward the finish line. After crossing the finish line, celebrate your achievements at the after parties, then by visiting the delicious nearby restaurants or heading out to the beach. These races are held the second Saturday in November.

Do you ever wonder about the abundant amounts of seafood caught and consumed on the Outer Banks? Well, wonder no more. The Outer Banks Seafood Festival is an event that will educate, entertain and feed you. What more could you want? The local bounty of the sea and the tradition of fishing that puts it on our tables are celebrated at this festival in Nags Head. Learn about the fish that are indigenous as well as the importance between the seafood industry and the Outer Banks community. You’ll leave with a full belly and brain. This Outer Banks Event will be held on October 20 in 2018 and includes live music, beer and wine, kids' activities and more.

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.

Lace up and join hundreds of other runners and walkers as they complete a 5K or 10K course through the Town of Nags Head and Nags Head Woods Nature Conservancy. Get your heart pounding and blood flowing as you take in the scenery of springtime on the Outer Banks. What better way is there to celebrate the Irish than by running as groups of volunteers and spectators cheer you on? It’s for a great cause too – all proceeds from registration and donations go to local charities. This Outer Banks event, now organized by Outer Banks Sporting Events, is held on the Saturday closest to St. Patrick’s Day. There's a fun after party too.

St. Patrick’s Day is a fine holiday, bringing people together to celebrate all things Irish. A huge parade takes place in Nags Head on the Beach Road on the Sunday closest to St. Patrick's Day (some say it's the biggest in North Carolina). So don your green and head out for a day of community fun. People on stilts or riding unicycles, waving flags or walking festively dressed dogs meander through the procession of floats, delighting onlookers and other participants in the parade. Adults love the green beer and parties; kids love the showers of candy and the fun of the parade floats. The parade runs from Bladen Street to Driftwood Street and always starts at 1 p.m.

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.

The Elizabethan Gardens transforms into a winter wonderland during the holiday season. Walk outside along the whimsical path lit by Christmas lights and cheery holiday characters, and you’ll pull your coat a little tighter around you because there’s no way you’re going inside yet. This is your chance to revel in the beauty of the holiday season. The gardens are embellished with thousands of twinkling lights, topiaries, displays and more. Decorations in the gardens range from traditional to alternative, and they all work together to create a magical experience. In the center of all the decorations you’ll find a crackling open-air fire on the Great Lawn, perfect for warming your hands and maybe roasting a marshmallow. Special events are held throughout the duration of WinterLights, with offerings such as Dinner with Santa and Thank You Notes to Santa. In late November and early December, WinterLights is held Tuesday through Saturday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. In January it's held on Friday and Saturday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. See the website for more information.