Ask someone lucky enough to live on the Outer Banks what their favorite time of the year is and there’s a good possibility the answer will be fall.

Summer is wonderful—the beaches are great; everything is open and there’s lots to do. But when fall comes around, the peak of the summer heat has backed off a bit, the ocean water is still warm enough for swimming, businesses are still open, and best of all—fall has become its own second season with something for everyone to do.

Compiled by Kip Tabb

OCTOBER

1-6 Manhattan Short Film Festival
Dare Arts, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo.
Vote on 10 best short films screened simultaneously on 500 screens. Festival begins Sept. 26.
darearts.org/events-1/manhattan-short-film-festival

4 First Friday
Downtown Manteo. Food, music, and art on the waterfront in Manteo. darearts.org/firstfriday

5 Crabdaddy Seafood & Wine Festival
Sanctuary Vineyards, Jarvisburg. A celebration of fresh seafood, local wines, and beers. sanctuaryvineyards.com

5 First Flight Rotary Club Oink & Oyster Roast
Jolly Roger Restaurant, Kill Devil Hills. All-you-can-eat barbecue pork and oysters, plus the fixin’s! firstflightrotary.org/oink-oyster-roast

5-6 Casey Logan Fall Throw Down
Casey R Logan Disc Golf Course, Kill Devil Hills.
discgolfscene.com/tournaments/2024_Casey_Logan_Fall_Throwdown_Part_1_2024

9-11 Nags Head Surf Fishing Tournament
Nags Head and surrounding communities.
Community-driven fishing tournament; includes lunch and social events. nagsheadsurffishingclub.org/

10-13 Outer Banks Home Builders Association’s Parade of Homes
Gain exclusive access to some of the most innovative and exciting homes on the Outer Banks.
obhomebuilders.org/2024-parade-of-homes

12 Outer Banks Forum Brad Simmons: Acoustic Storyteller
First Flight High School, Kill Devil Hills. Brad Simmons interprets the music of James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Tom Petty and more.
outerbanksforum.org

12-13 Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station 150th Anniversary
Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station. Highway 12, Rodanthe.
Storied Lifesaving Station Celebrates history with demonstrations, speakers, Coast Guard displays and more. chicamacomico.org

12-13 Duck Jazz Festival
Town of Duck. Live music from a variety of performers.
Event is free. townofduck.com/recreation-special-events/special-events/duck-jazz-festival

15 Run, Lola, Run
Dare Arts, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo. Restored 1998 hi-tech thriller, innovative for its time when first released. darearts.org

16-20 13TH Annual Bluegrass Island Festival
Roanoke Island Festival Park, Manteo.
Music lovers from all over the world flock the OBX for this
tradition, featuring a roster of acclaimed bands.
bluegrassisland.com/2024-bluegrass-island-music-festival

19 Another Round 25K
Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Nags Head.
Complete one 5K loop per hour for a total of five 5K loops at the East Coast’s largest sand dune. obxse.com/another-round

19 Outer Banks Seafood Festival
Soundside Event Site, Nags Head. Honoring and celebrating the Outer Banks seafood heritage and community, featuring live music and entertainment.
outerbanksseafoodfestival.org

21-23 NC Lions VIP Fishing Tournament
Three-day event benefitting 350 visually impaired persons,
held at multiple OBX fishing venues with the involvement of
130 sighted guests and 350 volunteers. ncvipfishing.org

22-27 Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival
Annual Wildlife Refuge event for novice and experienced
birdwatchers. wingsoverwater.org

23 Ken Block & Drew Copeland
Pioneer Theater, 109 Budleigh St, Manteo. Ken and Drew of Sister Hazel with special guest Craig Honeycutt of Everything. thepioneertheater.com

23-26 Red Drum Fishing Tournament
Sixty hours of continuous fishing on the beaches of Hatteras Island. ncbba.org

26 Night of 1587 Pumpkins
Elizabethan Gardens, Roanoke Island.
Join in the fun as Elizabethan Gardens attempts to light 1587 Jack-o-lanterns. elizabethangardens.org

26-Nov. 2 OBX Wind 2024
OceanAir Sports, 39450 Hwy. 12 Avon.
One of the biggest windsurfing events in the country.
oceanairsports.com

26 8th Annual Outer Banks BrewTag
Soundside Event Site, Nags Head.
Annual festival featuring a unique keg flying competition.
kittyhawk.com/event/outer-banks-brewtag

NOVEMBER

1 First Friday – Downtown Manteo
Food, music, and art on the Manteo waterfront on Roanoke Island. darearts.org/firstfriday

1-2 Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree
Ocracoke Village.
Celebrating Ocracoke’s unique pirate history with a weekend of swashbuckling fun. visitocracokenc.com

2 Outer Banks Forum presents
The Troubadour Project
First Flight High School, Kill Devil Hills. Immerse yourself in the ‘70s rock anthems that defined a generation. outerbanksforum.org

4-11 Outer Banks Veterans Week
Various Locations. Annual event celebrating Veterans and their families through the arts. darearts.org/veterans

7 Jaki Shelton Green, North Carolina’s
Poet Laureate
Jennettes Pier, Nags Head. A Reading by Jaki Shelton Green, North Carolina’s Poet Laureate. bryanculturalseries.org

8-17 (weekends only) Misery
Theatre of Dare, 3848 N. Croatan Highway, Kitty Hawk. Play based on the Stephen King novel. theatreofdareobx.com/misery

9 Currituck Bulls and BBQ
Currituck Rural Center, Powells Point.
Great food, family activities, mechanical bull, live music, crafts, and a rodeo. visitcurrituck.com/events/bulls-and-bbq

9-11 Outer Banks Marathon
In addition to the marathon the weekend will include a Half Marathon and the Surf Pediatrics Surf & Soar 5K, 8K and Fun Run. obxse.com/outer-banks-marathon

15-17 Southern Momma Comedy Tour
With Darren Knight
Pioneer Theater, 109 Budleigh St, Manteo.
“Southern Momma,” has captivated audiences relatable and hilarious take on Southern life. thepioneertheater.com

18 The Promised Land
Dare Arts, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo.
Historical drama as poor soldier Ludvig Kahlen arrives in 1755 on the barren Jutland heath. darearts.org

22-Dec. 28 Winter Lights at
Elizabethan Gardens
Stroll along illuminated garden walks and discover the joy of the holiday season. elizabethangardens.org/winterlights

27 Tipsy Turkey Beer Mile
Outer Banks Brewing Station, Kill Devil Hills. Join the Brewing Station crew for a Thanksgiving themed beer mile.
theobxrunningcompany.com

29 8th Annual Christmas Craft Village
Corolla Village. Arts and crafts, fine arts, handmade cosmetics, baked goods and from local artists and vendors.
visitcurrituck.com/events/christmas-craft-village

29-30 32nd Annual Kites with Lights and Hangin’ with Santa
Jockey’s Ridge State Park & Kitty Hawk Kites, Nags Head.
This holiday events include a visit and photo opportunity with Santa Claus, and an illuminating kite show that will light up the sky over the dunes at Jockey’s Ridge. kittyhawk.com/events

30 Big Currishuck
Sanctuary Vineyards, Jarvisburg. AYCE steamed oysters, crabs, barbecue beer and wine, hayrides, live music. sanctuaryvineyards.com

DECEMBER

1-28 Winter Lights at Elizabethan Gardens
Stroll along illuminated garden walks and discover the joy of the holiday season.
elizabethangardens.org/winterlights

6 Manteo Christmas Tree Lighting
Manteo Waterfront.
Small town Christmas celebration. Local choirs, Santa, tree lighting and more.

6-8 Wings Over Water Wildlife
Festival Encore
Various locations. Learn from the experts about migratory waterfowl. wingsoverwater.org

7 14th Annual Duck Yuletide CelebratioN
Duck Town Hall, Duck.
Join Santa to welcome the Christmas season as Duck’s merchants are open for the holidays.
townofduck.com/recreation-special-events/yuletide-celebration

7 Manteo Preservation Trust Holiday Tour of Homes
Historic places open their doors to encourage the appreciation of Manteo, both architecturally and culturally.
manteopreservationtrust.com

10 What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat and Tears?
Dare Arts, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo.
An intriguing and little-known story in rock history.
darearts.org

17 Wright Brothers Day
Wright Brothers National Memorial and the Outer Banks community celebrate the 120th anniversary of the first flight. wrightbrothersday.org

20-21 Shuck Hatteras Oyster Festival
Cape Hatteras KOA, Rodanthe.
The newest Outer Banks food festival.
koa.com/campgrounds/cape-hatteras

22 The Tams
Pioneer Theater, 109 Budleigh St, Manteo.
What Kind of Fool, Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy and more hits from the 1960s. thepioneertheater.com

Author: Kip Tabb