Upcoming Happenings: Summer/Fall 2025

With the winding down of the summer season comes emptier beaches, less traffic, quieter evenings, and ultimately the Outer Banks transition from tourist getaway to hometown. The return of OBX to the locals is marked by a slew of unique festivals and traditions that aren’t catered towards the summer visitors but are instead held for those who call this beach home. From musical performances to seafood festivals, home tours and film screenings, OBX is still buzzing with activities long after summer comes to an end. Events scheduled from August to October celebrate local talents and heritage, keeping the fun going all year round. Skip the off-season slump and mark your calendars, because you won’t want to miss this year’s festival line-up.

—By Hadley Shoaf

Shake Hatteras
August 11, 2025. 11am – 10pm

Wrapping up the summer season is the fourth annual Shake Hatteras Festival. Presented by the Untitled Agency Project, the festivities will be held August 11th soundside, behind venue partner Howard Adam’s Neptune’s Kitchen & Dive Bar Sound Side Stages in Rodanthe. The festival starts at 11am and goes well after dark. Barry Wells, cofounder of the Untitled Agency Project, member of the band The Carolina Sweaters, and father of Shake Hatteras is dedicated to keeping the party’s authentic, backyard vibes. Hosting an end of summer celebration in his own back (and front) yard, Wells unintentionally held the first Shake Hatteras and has since given OBX locals a space to perform, create, and come together. The music will be non-stop throughout the day, with two stages being occupied by local performers simultaneously. On deck are musical performances from local, Hatteras Island bands to groups based in Raleigh, and of course, The Carolina Sweaters. Shake Hatteras has also given young, emerging bands a space to develop their musical pursuits. Local islanders, many of whom most likely attended some of the first Shake Hatteras festivals before it earned its name, are now performing themselves, some of which include Car Crash, Izzy Pop, and Sickov It.

Since its birth on Wells’s soundside property, the festival has only grown to include more community members, more artists, more performers, and naturally, more fun. Entrance into the event does not require the purchase of a ticket, something that Wells has avidly avoided so that anyone and everyone can enjoy the local talent. A portion of this year’s proceeds will be donated to the Outer Banks Wild Care organization, and donations are welcomed. With each passing year, Shake Hatteras has only expanded, and we can’t wait to see what the 2025 festival will bring!­

Photos provided by Untitled Agency Project.

14th Annual Surfalorous Film Festival
September 15th–17th

Join both international and Outer Banks filmmakers at Jeanette’s Pier for the 14th annual Surfalorous Film Festival this September. The festival, presented by Dare County Arts Co. and the Cucalorus Film Foundation of North Carolina, honors creatives in the film and surfing spaces by featuring the year’s most notable ocean themed films and awarding the top contenders. Categories include Best Short Film, Emerging Filmmaker Award, and more to honor both established and rising creators. Through its partnership with the NC Department of Natural and Cultural resources and NC Aquariums, the festival is a blend of creative expression and ocean activism, featuring footage of natural marine beauty and ocean conservation efforts.

Not only will some of the most notable ocean-affiliated filmmakers be at Jeanette’s Pier this September, but the best surfers of the East Coast will also be in Nags Head as the festival coincides with the annual ESA Eastern Surfing Championship. The film screenings will grant viewers a first-hand perspective of waves, tides, and beaches through the lens of a surfer. With a wide range of talent in one space, the festival has attracted a growing number of Outer Banks locals and surf enthusiasts over the years. The three-day event will include food, drinks, and live entertainment before each screening. Tickets can be purchased online at Surfalorus.eventive.org/welcome. Catch you there!

OBX Jeep Invasion
September 18th–20th

Presented by Outer Banks Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram dealership and OBX Jeep Charities, the fifth annual OBX Jeep Invasion festival will take place this September. The festivities begin with a kickoff party hosted on September 18th at the Jolly Roger restaurant. The following mornings of September 19th and 20th, Jeepers will have the opportunity to join a fleet of their fellow Jeep enthusiasts on a cruise along the Outer Banks’s famous coastline during the Beach Crawl.

The heart of the festival will be held at the Sound Side Event site in Nags Head, where admission is free and the activities are plentiful. The agenda is jam packed, with multiple food and apparel vendors, live entertainment, raffles, contests, and more. Think like a pirate and get ready to look for treasure because on September 19th the Jeep Fun-Run will be held! The event is a scavenger hunt-style competition, but don’t let the name fool you, contestants race in their Jeep vehicles. Think your Jeep is a winner? The Show-and-Shine competition will take place on the 20th, and awards will be given to the top contenders, so go all out.

The weekend wraps up with the Lighthouse-to-Lighthouse Toy Run. Jeepers parade from the iconic Bodie Island Lighthouse all the way to the Hatteras Island Lighthouse in Buxton. Bring an unopened toy to be donated to children of Dare and Currituck counties and earn a chance to win a prize! Registration for the Beach Crawl and Fun-Run can be found online at OBXJeepInvasion.com/registration/ or at the Kickoff Party at the Jolly Roger. See you there!

33rd Annual Outer Banks Parade of Homes
October 9th–11th

This year marks the 33rd annual Parade of Homes hosted by the Outer Banks Home Builders Association (OBHA). Whether you’re thinking of building your dream home or wanting to check out some of the newest builds in the Outer Banks, this year’s selection of properties is sure to impress your inner architect. This year’s lineup will feature more homes and architectural styles than before. OBHBA director and owner of FullTilt Blinds and Shutters, Johnathan Daniels, says the OBHBA is, “expecting to have more houses than in the past five to six years” featuring “a variety of different styles” including the popular modern coastal aesthetic. The curation of builds spans from Southern Shores to Hatteras Island, and ranges from cozy, bungalow-style homes to 11-bedroom, luxurious getaways. Each featured home has been specially crafted by one of the 450 current members of the OBHA. Now is your chance to not only marvel at the precision and skill of these craftsmen, but to also support our community members in the home industry. Builders will also have door prizes at their respective homes, so don’t miss your opportunity to win an item for your future or current OBX beach home!

The purchase of an OBX Parade of Homes ticket grants online and in-person tours of all of the properties featured in this year’s parade. Tickets can be found online Zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2025-parade-of-homes or at the participating homes upon arrival.

Duck Jazz Festival
October 9th–11th

From nationally renowned musicians to local talents, the Duck Jazz festival hosts a rich blend of jazz artistry right here in the Outer Banks.

Dr. Kelsey Klotz of the University of Maryland is kicking off the festival on Thursday the 9th with a lecture at the Duck Town Park. Her talk, titled Voices and Virtuosos, will highlight women’s historical role in jazz music, and is a perfect way to get your mind thinking about jazz.

The Community Kick-Off concert will also be held on the Town Green on Saturday the 11th and features the decorated artist Adam Hawley in his first ever Duck Jazz festival appearance. The following Sunday is stacked with a multitude of performers, some of which include The Hot Lanes with Bobby Jasinski, Gerald Veasley, Tito Puente Jr., and Shayna Steele. Returning to the main stage are the Brass Queens, whose all-female band first appeared at the 2023 Duck Jazz festival. For a sneak peak into the future of jazz music and to support the artists in our community, make sure to watch the First Flight High School Honors Jazz bands performance at the amphitheater!

With 2025 being the festival’s 16th year, the Duck Jazz festival has brought community members and artists together for nearly two decades. Come enjoy renowned musicians and community performers alike in our Outer Banks backyard. Keep an eye out around Duck for other jazz themed events and promotions from local business and get in the spirit of jazz! Photos courtesy of Town of Duck.

Outer Banks Seafood Festival
October 18th

The Outer Banks Seafood Festival is returning to Nags Head this October! Hosted at the Soundside Event Site in Nags Head, the festival kicks off at 10am on October the 18th. Shop boutique clothing to kitchen accessories at the several retail vendors stationed inside the event. Featured vendors also include a diverse range of local artisans whose one-of-a-kind products are certainly worth a peruse. Pair the festival’s iconic lineup of seafood with beverages from local OBX breweries. Coastal Beverage, Lost Colony Brewery, Sanctuary Vineyards, and 1718 Brewing of Ocracoke will all be serving locally crafted drinks inside the event. Eat, drink, and shop while a packed schedule of live entertainment performs on the main stage.

Notably, the festival supports our local Outer Banks fishing industry. Organizers of the festival have made it a mission to support our local fishermen, charters, and head boats while providing educational experiences for the greater community. Learn about the Outer Bank’s fishing heritage and practices at one of the several scheduled demonstrations and have the chance to see first-hand the vessels that catch and deliver our favorite world-famous seafood.

Off-site parking is available at the First Flight High School and accessible shuttles will provide transportation to the event site. Mark October 18th on your calendar as a day to experience the culmination of art, history, and community unique to the Outer Banks, while getting your seafood fix of course!

Author: Hadley Shoaf