Events

Start your Friday morning with a scenic run or walk through the beautiful Kinnakeet Shores community in Avon. The Run Hatteras Summer 5K & 1-Mile Race Series offers a flat, fast course through the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, making it perfect for runners chasing a personal best and families looking for an active vacation adventure. New for 2026, participants can choose between the traditional 5K or a shorter 1-Mile out-and-back course.

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.

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is home to nearly 400 species of birds that reside here or migrate through. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, you'll enjoy this casual stroll beside North Pond. Field guides, binoculars, sunscreen, and insect repellent are recommended. Some field guides and binoculars will be available for loan. Pea Island Bird Walks are held year-round except during the Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival in October and December. Meet at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, located on NC Highway 12 approximately 4 miles south of Oregon Inlet and 9 miles north of Rodanthe. The Pea Island Bird Walk is FREE. 

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!

Family Fun Times takes place Tuesdays from June 16 through August 11 and Fridays from June 5 through August 14, from 9:00–10:30 a.m. The program is designed to provide engaging, educational fun while making the most of a summer morning on the Outer Banks.

Dowdy Park
3005 S. Croatan Highway, Nags Head

Free Admission

Take a trip around the Alligator River Refuge and learn about the wild lands and wildlife. Bring your binoculars and camera! Drinking water and insect repellent are also recommended. The program will proceed, except in the event of lightning, heavy wind, rain, or impassable road conditions. Dress for the weather! Meet at Creef Cut Wildlife Trail parking lot, Hwy 64 and Milltail Road, approximately 6 miles west of Manns Harbor. Call 252-216-9464 for reservations.

Alligator River Refuge Tram Tour $10 per adult. Children 12 and under are free with one or more paying adults. Reservations required. Tram seating is limited.

Event Series: Rotating Art Show, “Between Tides,” by Kate Leal is the next exhibit in the 2026 Rotating Art Show series. The exhibit will be on display in the first floor conference room of the Town Hall and open from 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from May 1 – July 29, 2026.

Step into a world where art changes with every glance. The Perception Project is a captivating solo exhibition by artist, educator, and design strategist Emily Holmes, featuring interactive mixed-media works that explore the fascinating ways perception shifts through movement, light, texture, layering, and visual illusion. Visitors will discover vibrant paintings, stained glass, collage, optical effects, […]

Experience art that changes the way you see the world at The Perception Project, a solo exhibition by artist, educator, and design strategist Emily Holmes at Dare Arts' Vault Gallery in downtown Manteo. Exhibit Dates: July 4 – August 1, 2026, T-F 10 am - 5pm, Sat 10am - 4 pm, Sun 11am - 3 pm

Opening Reception: Friday, July 3,  6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Dare Arts – Vault Gallery, Manteo
Admission: Free

Discover the heart of rural North Carolina through the lens of ten talented photographers in Southern is Feeling: A Visual Telling of Rural NC at Dare Arts' Courtroom Gallery in Manteo. This compelling photography exhibition explores themes of community, heritage, landscape, and identity, capturing the people and places that define rural life across the state. The exhibit invites visitors to experience North Carolina beyond its destinations, revealing the stories, traditions, and emotional connections woven into its small towns and landscapes.

The exhibition opens with a free public reception on Friday, July 3, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. during Manteo's First Friday celebration, where guests can meet the photographers and explore the collection. The exhibit remains on display July 4 through August 29, T-F 10 am - 5 pm, Sat 10 am - 4 pm, Sun 11 am - 3 pm.

Experience the freshest flavors of Northeastern North Carolina at Secontan Market, a producer-only farmers market where everything is grown, raised, crafted, or created by local vendors. Held in Wanchese, this community-focused market brings together farmers, bakers, artisans, and makers offering an impressive selection of seasonal produce, pasture-raised meats and eggs, honey, flowers, herbs, teas, mushrooms, […]

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!