First Friday is a fun-filled, family-oriented event held the first Friday of each month, in historic downtown Manteo. The sidewalks pulse with live music, magic, artisans, and much more. The Manteo Stroll featuring celebrations, specials, art openings, sales and more inside Manteo galleries, shops and restaurants also happens during First Friday.

The 12 Bars of Christmas in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, is a popular annual event that combines holiday cheer with a festive pub crawl. The event takes place at 12 local bars and restaurants, each offering a different holiday-themed drink, dish and/or special activity for the occasion. It's a fun way for both locals and visitors to celebrate the season while enjoying the vibrant bar scene of the Outer Banks. Eleven of the bars double as family-friendly restaurants. We plan many special events for kids such as cookie decorating, crafts, trivia, and character dining. All the stops offer a holiday kids menu with festive drinks and desserts. This year, the event introduces Christmas Island Kids Quest! See the event website for participating restaurants and additional information.

Wings Over Water (WOW) is an annual national wildlife refuge fundraising event that has grown from a few activities in 1997, to over 70 birding, paddling, photography, art & natural history programs. The festival takes place in 6 national wildlife refuges over 6 northeast North Carolina counties. It is one of the premier east coast wildlife festivals. Locally, many activities take place on National Park Service property, specifically Cape Hatteras National Seashore, one of the Festival partners. See the event website for a full list of all the programs and activities offered during this festival. There is certain to be something for everyone in the family.

Secotan Market in Wanchese is a producer-only market featuring fresh produce, vegetable ferments, kombucha, pasture-raised meat & eggs, pecans, mushroom products, pastries, pies, cakes, jams, pickles, honey, medicinal products, flowers, herbs, spices, teas, potted plants, natural skin care, rotating artisans and so much more. Our family of producers join each market in person to share food and goods that they have grown or crafted themselves, here in Northeastern North Carolina. We are deeply committed to honesty and sustainability in our practices. Winter Season Markets are every first and third Saturday of the month December - April 5 from 9am -12pm.

“A Thousand Words: Photographs by Vietnam Veterans,” is a collection of photographs taken by North Carolina soldiers and explores the experiences of soldiers during the Vietnam War. Each snapshot is enhanced by commentary from veterans relaying what a photo means to them. This collection was assembled by Winston-Salem photographer Martin Tucker. It lets visitors step into the memories of Vietnam veterans. The exhibit, on loan from the North Carolina Museum of History, is on display at Roanoke Island Festival Park in the ticket sales exhibit space Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Dec. 31. This exhibit is free and open to the public.

The Town of Kill Devil Hills is proud to support our small business community by hosting the First Flight Holiday Markets. There are typically about 50 local vendors that participate in the markets, food trucks, and sometimes live music. Vendors offer a wide variety of goods from sweet & savory treats, woodworking, photography, paintings, jewelry, candles, bath and body items and so much more - you’re sure to find tons of one-of-a kind items for yourself and others!

From November through December, the Dare Arts Vault Gallery will feature photography by Ocracoke artist Robert Chestnut. This series of environmental portraits, named “Ocra-broke” exposes the viewer to the other side of living in paradise: the everyday people who work hard and have fun, an island that closes down during the winter months, and the weathered structures that persist through each tourist season. Along with nature filled scenes, Robert  loves to find forgotten items and help shine a light on them. To convey his ideas he uses photography, oil painting, and printmaking. Ocra-broke will be on display in the Vault Gallery November 1 through December 21, 2024. 

Local high school programs will face off against nationally ranked players as Phenom Hoops will partner with First Flight basketball coach Chad Williams to host the Annual Good Guys vs. Cancer Showcase, at First Flight High School. Good Guys vs Cancer Showcase takes place December 4th-7th, 2024 at First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills, NC. Start times vary. See the event website for a full event schedule.