Annual Outer Banks Events

Ocracoke Waterfowl Festival, held in April, draws hundreds of decoy carvers and collectors from Ocracoke Island and around the region. The event is sponsored by the nonprofit Ocracoke Island Decoy Carvers Guild, which was formed in 2018 to preserve this art form and piece of Ocracoke Island history. It's a one-day event and usually features a barbecue dinner and bake sale.

Forget decking the halls – Ocracokers prefer decking the hulls. Get into the holiday spirit the island way with the Ocracoke Parade of Boats. This annual event welcomes aquatic vessels of all shapes and sizes to Silver Lake where they show off their holiday finery. Fishing boats, yachts, sailboats, skiffs, kayaks, Jet skis and more form a procession along the banks of the harbor at Silver Lake, and eager spectators gather along the docks at the waterfront to watch the boats float by. The Ocracoke Parade of Boats is a celebration of both the holiday season and the island’s maritime heritage. This annual event usually happens on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  

If you’re on Ocracoke Island in late November or December, you won’t want to miss the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association Oyster Roasts at The Fishhouse. These community meals celebrate 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 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 these Outer Banks annual events, which occur the weekends after Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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.

Support local business owners, encourage entrepreneurship and start your holiday shopping at the annual Outer Banks Entrepreneurs Holiday Bazaar. Usually in the days following Thanksgiving, the Ramada Plaza in Kill Devil Hills turns into an emporium of wares and goods as local vendors set up shop. Booth and tables from artists, craftswomen, salespeople and other small business owners showcase their hard work and talent. Meet and mingle with owners of your favorite Outer Banks business. Admire products like jewelry, pottery, mixed media artwork, textile designs, essential oils, baked goods, decor – including trinkets that will spruce up your home in time for the holidays – and so much more. This free and family friendly event is organized by the Outer Banks Entrepreneurs, a group of female business owners, and is open to all interested applicants.