Events

From Sept. 2–4, Artists will take to the outdoors across the Outer Banks during Dare Arts’ Fresh — A Plein Air Event, celebrating the tradition of painting en plein air — or “in the open air.” Participating artists will create works inspired by Outer Banks landscapes, waterways, and coastal scenery.

The finished pieces will be featured in a September exhibit at the Dare Arts Gallery. A free public opening reception will be held during First Friday on Friday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m., offering visitors a chance to see the freshly created artwork and meet participating artists.

Location: Dare Arts, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo
Event dates: Sept. 2–4
Public opening reception: Friday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m.
Exhibit: Sept. 5–25, Tues-Fri (10am - 5pm), Sat (10 am - 4 pm), Sun (10 am - 3 pm)
Opening reception admission: Free

Dates: Sunday, September 20–Saturday, September 26, 2026
Time: Competition is scheduled to begin around 8:00 a.m. daily; exact heats and daily schedules depend on surf and weather conditions.
Location: Jennette’s Pier, 7223 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head, NC

Description:
Some of the East Coast’s top amateur surfers return to Nags Head for the Eastern Surfing Association’s Easterns Surfing Championship. The week-long competition at Jennette’s Pier is the season finale for the Eastern Surfing Association and brings qualifying surfers together to compete in youth and adult shortboard and longboard divisions.

Good to Know:
Spectating is free and open to the public. The competition schedule is highly dependent on surf and weather conditions. The ESA’s tentative schedule places many adult divisions early in the week and youth divisions throughout the Monday–Friday period, but divisions may be moved to different days as conditions require.

Step into an immersive outdoor art experience at Dare Arts' Courtyard this summer with Weather the Storm, a captivating mixed-media installation by artist Lara E. Parks. Blending light, shadow, sound, movement, and fabric, the installation transforms with changing weather and natural light, inviting visitors to return throughout the season to experience it in new ways.

Celebrate the opening during First Friday on Friday, July 3, from 6:00–8:00 p.m., where you can meet the artist and enjoy live music by The Blue Crab Boys in the Courtyard. The installation will remain on display through the fall, offering a unique outdoor art experience in the heart of downtown Manteo. Be sure to walk through and enjoy the art!

Discover the mysterious side of Ocracoke Island on an evening walking tour filled with local legends, fascinating history, and ghostly tales. Choose between the Down Point Tour, featuring stories near the Ocracoke Lighthouse, or the 'Round Creek Tour, exploring the historic Howard Street area. Each tour is led by knowledgeable local guides who bring the island's rich past—and its lingering spirits—to life.

Tours are offered most Tuesdays and Fridays from May 19 through September 29, beginning promptly at 7:30 p.m. and lasting approximately 90 minutes. Advance online reservations are required, and space is limited.

Dates: September 18–27, 2026
Location: Theatre of Dare, 3848 N. Croatan Highway, Kitty Hawk, NC

Description:
Theatre of Dare opens its 36th season with Happy Birthday, Wanda June, Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s darkly comedic and unconventional satire exploring war, heroism, masculinity and what happens when the past unexpectedly returns.

The story centers on famed hunter and adventurer Harold Ryan, who returns home after being presumed dead for eight years and expects to resume his former life—only to discover that his wife, family and the world around him have changed. Vonnegut’s trademark absurdity and dark humor mix with scenes from the afterlife and a sharp look at the conflict between violence and peace. The production is directed by Kim Plyler.

Performance Times:
Sept. 18, 19, 24, 25 & 26 – 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 19 – Special 1:00 p.m. matinee
Sept. 20 & 27 – 2:00 p.m. matinees

Good to Know:
Individual performance tickets are on sale through Theatre of Dare. Because of the play’s dark satire and adult themes, parents may want to review the production information when considering it for younger children.

Experience the freshest flavors of Northeastern North Carolina at Secotan Market, a producer-only farmers market where everything is grown, raised, crafted, or created by local vendors. Held in Wanchese, this […]

From Sept. 2–4, Artists will take to the outdoors across the Outer Banks during Dare Arts’ Fresh — A Plein Air Event, celebrating the tradition of painting en plein air — or “in the open air.” Participating artists will create works inspired by Outer Banks landscapes, waterways, and coastal scenery.

The finished pieces will be featured in a September exhibit at the Dare Arts Gallery. A free public opening reception will be held during First Friday on Friday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m., offering visitors a chance to see the freshly created artwork and meet participating artists.

Location: Dare Arts, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo
Event dates: Sept. 2–4
Public opening reception: Friday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m.
Exhibit: Sept. 5–25, Tues-Fri (10am - 5pm), Sat (10 am - 4 pm), Sun (10 am - 3 pm)
Opening reception admission: Free

Dates: Sunday, September 20–Saturday, September 26, 2026
Time: Competition is scheduled to begin around 8:00 a.m. daily; exact heats and daily schedules depend on surf and weather conditions.
Location: Jennette’s Pier, 7223 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head, NC

Description:
Some of the East Coast’s top amateur surfers return to Nags Head for the Eastern Surfing Association’s Easterns Surfing Championship. The week-long competition at Jennette’s Pier is the season finale for the Eastern Surfing Association and brings qualifying surfers together to compete in youth and adult shortboard and longboard divisions.

Good to Know:
Spectating is free and open to the public. The competition schedule is highly dependent on surf and weather conditions. The ESA’s tentative schedule places many adult divisions early in the week and youth divisions throughout the Monday–Friday period, but divisions may be moved to different days as conditions require.

Step into an immersive outdoor art experience at Dare Arts' Courtyard this summer with Weather the Storm, a captivating mixed-media installation by artist Lara E. Parks. Blending light, shadow, sound, movement, and fabric, the installation transforms with changing weather and natural light, inviting visitors to return throughout the season to experience it in new ways.

Celebrate the opening during First Friday on Friday, July 3, from 6:00–8:00 p.m., where you can meet the artist and enjoy live music by The Blue Crab Boys in the Courtyard. The installation will remain on display through the fall, offering a unique outdoor art experience in the heart of downtown Manteo. Be sure to walk through and enjoy the art!

Spend a Saturday morning exploring the Downtown Market in Manteo, a lively open-air market in the heart of Manteo's charming waterfront district. Browse a variety of local vendors offering fresh […]

Dates: September 18–27, 2026
Location: Theatre of Dare, 3848 N. Croatan Highway, Kitty Hawk, NC

Description:
Theatre of Dare opens its 36th season with Happy Birthday, Wanda June, Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s darkly comedic and unconventional satire exploring war, heroism, masculinity and what happens when the past unexpectedly returns.

The story centers on famed hunter and adventurer Harold Ryan, who returns home after being presumed dead for eight years and expects to resume his former life—only to discover that his wife, family and the world around him have changed. Vonnegut’s trademark absurdity and dark humor mix with scenes from the afterlife and a sharp look at the conflict between violence and peace. The production is directed by Kim Plyler.

Performance Times:
Sept. 18, 19, 24, 25 & 26 – 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 19 – Special 1:00 p.m. matinee
Sept. 20 & 27 – 2:00 p.m. matinees

Good to Know:
Individual performance tickets are on sale through Theatre of Dare. Because of the play’s dark satire and adult themes, parents may want to review the production information when considering it for younger children.