Outer Banks History Events - 2026 Schedule

Outer Banks History Events - 2026 Schedule
This Week
Thursday, August 13th - Friday, August 14th
Nags Head

Get ready for a pirate invasion on the Outer Banks, courtesy of the two-day Outer Banks Pirate Festival. This festival that will be held next to Jockey’s Ridge State Park in the central Outer Banks town of Nags Head promises plenty of swashbuckling good times and activities, and will be a memorable event for young and old salty visitors alike.

Thursday, August 13th 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Thursday, August 20th 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Thursday, August 27th 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Rodanthe

Visitors can take a step back in time and learn how the heroes of the original US Life-Saving Service performed their daring rescues and everyday duties through this special live demonstration that’s held on the grounds of the oceanside Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station.

Sunday, August 16th
Rodanthe

Come celebrate one of the most important events in Life-Saving local history with this special day at the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site in the heart of Rodanthe. The rescue of the Mirlo was one of the most legendary rescues that was ever conducted by the US Life-Saving Service, and during this special day, visitors will dive deeper into this story courtesy of a wealth of activities that will fascinate visitors of all ages.

Week of August 17, 2026 - August 23, 2026
Wednesday, August 19th
Kill Devil Hills

First proclaimed on August 19, 1939, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, National Aviation Day is a celebration of Orville Wright’s birth date, and is a fun-filled event at the Wright Brothers National Memorial that visitors of all ages will enjoy.  

Thursday, August 20th 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Thursday, August 13th 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Thursday, August 27th 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Rodanthe

Visitors can take a step back in time and learn how the heroes of the original US Life-Saving Service performed their daring rescues and everyday duties through this special live demonstration that’s held on the grounds of the oceanside Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station.

Week of August 24, 2026 - August 30, 2026
Thursday, August 27th 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Thursday, August 13th 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Thursday, August 20th 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Rodanthe

Visitors can take a step back in time and learn how the heroes of the original US Life-Saving Service performed their daring rescues and everyday duties through this special live demonstration that’s held on the grounds of the oceanside Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station.

Week of October 5, 2026 - October 11, 2026
Saturday, October 10th
ocracoke

Join the Ocracoke Preservation Society in celebrating Ocracoke heritage with its rich history and continuing tradition of working on the water with this unique festival that made its grand debut in 2023. Held on the grounds of the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum, this festival will celebrate these traditions with booths and exhibits with the watermen themselves, as well as plenty of food and fun to go around.

Week of October 26, 2026 - November 1, 2026
Friday, October 30th - Saturday, October 31st
Ocracoke

Come to Ocracoke Island for a Pirate Halloween! The Ocracoke Pirate Jamboree is an annual and multiple-day event that is highlighted by a family-friendly Pirate Encampment by Blackbeard's Pirate Crew on Ocracoke Island, and an ensuing world of fun on the southern Outer Banks.

Week of December 14, 2026 - December 20, 2026
Thursday, December 17th
Kill Devil Hills

Enjoy an uplifting experience at the exact location where aviation was born at the annual Celebration of the Wright Brothers First Flight at the impossible-to-miss Wright Brothers Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. This day-long celebration honors the birthplace of flight, with a commemoration that coincides with the precise time that the first successful launch took place, and a wealth of activities throughout the day that will delight aviation fans of all ages.

Week of April 26, 2027 - May 2, 2027
Friday, April 30th - Saturday, May 1st
Kill Devil Hills

Automobile enthusiasts can meet and greet with fellow aficionados while exploring some of the most stunning coastlines that North Carolina has to offer at this two-day festival that features a wide array of ways to have fun. The OBX Rod And Custom Festival is a special celebration of vintage and antique cars that will boast a host of family-friendly activities, from local food, to cruise-ins, to displays that will impress car fans of all tastes and ages.

Outer Banks Map
Carova Corolla Duck Southern Shores Kitty Hawk Kill Devil Hills Manteo Nags Head Wanchese Rodanthe Waves Salvo Avon Buxton Frisco Hatteras Ocracoke
Lighthouse 5K Series
Aug 19

August 19, 2026

(+ more dates)

Lace up your running shoes and see the sights. Add the fun of a run and fitness to your vacation joining us for a Summer morning 5k run/walk through the Historic Village of Corolla Light. Enjoy the sights of the Northern Outer Banks. The WhaleHead...

Coastal Home OBX

Distinctive, Authentic, Affordable Coastal Furniture & Design. Beach Living Furniture Line • Largest In-Stock Furniture Warehouse on the OBX • Professional Design Services. Transform your home—visit our showroom in Kill Devil...

Lunasea

OCEANSIDE Salvo — Tarheel Ct. — It’s crazy that you didn’t have to search long to find the ideal Outer Banks vacation rental, right? But here it is — LUNASEA — a modern six-bedroom/five-full and one-half-bath home that meets all of...

  • Salvo
  • 6 Bedrooms
  • 5.5 Bathrooms
OBX Laser Tag and Arcade

Here’s some high energy entertainment for the kids, and for young adults (or young at heart) who love laser tag. On one side of this large facility is the “moon bounce inflatable room,” where the young ‘uns can go and bounce...

No Time Flat

SEMI-OCEANFRONT Avon - Wahoo Circle - Panoramic ocean and sound vistas abound from your top floor well-equipped kitchen, dining and great rooms. Unwind and appreciate the cavernous decks loaded with comfortable furnishings. Unwind in the hot tub...

  • Avon
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2.5 Bathrooms
Super Wings

Best store on the beach! Everything you need for your vacation. Largest selection of beach supplies and the best deals on T-shirts, sweatshirts and mens, ladies, and kids, apparel, swimwear and resort wear. Get all your souvenirs, suntan lotions...

015 | Oyster Pointe M-2

Oyster Point is a Wonderful Wooded Community w/Walking Paths. Located approximately 1 Mile from the 1st Street Beach Access, this Third Floor Condo is a Great Choice for Your Outer Banks vacation. This is a Nicely Decorated, Spacious, and...

  • Kill Devil Hills
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 7
Poke Box

PokeBox offers fresh, quick, simple, healthy poke bowls in Nags Head. Choose your items and build your bowl. Tuna, salmon, chicken, steak, shrimp and tofu options available. Mix in your favorite veggies, sauces and toppings for the perfect poke...

Tequila Sunrise

CANALFRONT – Frisco – While the name of this home evokes the emerging dawn, both sunrise and sunset vistas will capture your imagination when you stay at TEQUILA SUNRISE, a four-bedroom/three- and one-half-bath home perched on the edge of a...

  • Frisco
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 4.5 Bathrooms
The Northern Outer Banks

Discover Historic Corolla Park With its wide open green spaces and scenic views, Historic Corolla Park is the heart of Corolla in Northeastern North Carolina. It's a great place to take in a seasonal event or simply take a walk, and is home to three...

Dolphins Reach

Located in Hatteras | 4 Bedrooms | 3 Full BathroomsNew in 2025: Kitchen remodel, new dining room table, shuffleboard, and giant Connect 4This charming 4-bedroom, 3-bath oceanfront home will be your favorite Hatteras Village vacation home with...

  • Hatteras
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
Twiddy & Company

Twiddy & Company is here to provide all the help and southern hospitality you've come to anticipate when planning your beach vacation. We invite you to let us share our unique understanding of this coastal landscape; unlike any place in the...

Beachcomber COS-324

Enjoy the spectacular oceanfront views from your private balcony or from the sunroom in this third-level end unit in Colony by the Sea. With bright decor and the extra sleeping areas, you’ll want to return to Beachcomber again and again. This...

  • Duck
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
Southern Shores Realty

Southern Shores Realty offers over 350 Outer Banks rentals from Corolla to S. Nags Head.  We've been an Outer Banks tradition since 1947, providing families just like yours with memories that last a lifetime.  Take a moment to search...

Wink Beach

This is a Blue Standard Bedding Property. Learn more about our hospitality bedding program here.Wink Beach is a fabulous oceanfront beach house with a private pool in Nags Head, near milepost 10. It offers a variety of private amenities and a...

  • Nags Head
  • 8 Bedrooms
  • 7 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 20