Day at the Docks

Dates: Friday & Saturday, September 18–19, 2026
Location: Hatteras Village Waterfront and other Hatteras Village locations

Description:
Day at the Docks celebrates the working watermen, maritime heritage and community spirit of Hatteras Island. The festival began following Hurricane Isabel in 2003 as a celebration of the “Spirit of Hatteras” and continues with seafood, working boats, demonstrations, competitions, live entertainment, educational exhibits, vendors and children’s activities.

Friday’s events include a Hurricane Preparedness Forum and the ticketed Seafood Under the Stars dinner. Saturday brings the main waterfront festival with boat tours, local seafood, the Seafood Throw Down cooking competition, live music, children’s activities, vendors, the Fishy 5K and Dock Dash, youth fishing tournament, Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation Chowder Cook-Off and the traditional Blessing of the Fleet.

Times:
Friday, Sept. 18: Hurricane Preparedness Forum begins at 1:00 p.m.; Seafood Under the Stars dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19: Fishy 5K activities begin in the morning 7:30 a.m. Main waterfront festival approximately 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., with additional activities surrounding the festival.

Good to Know:
The main waterfront festival is community-oriented and family-friendly and free to attend.

Seafood Under the Stars requires advance registration and is $60 without wine pairing or $80 with wine pairing. Individual festival activities may have separate fees or registration requirements.