Outer Banks History Events - 2025 Schedule

Outer Banks History Events - 2025 Schedule
Week of April 27, 2026 - May 3, 2026
Friday, May 1st - Saturday, May 2nd
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.

Week of May 4, 2026 - May 10, 2026
Friday, May 8th 11:00 AM
Ocracoke

Visitors can pay tribute to the fallen heroes of Ocracoke’s past at this special and inspired ceremony that pays homage to the heroes who lost their lives off the island’s coast. Orchestrated by the Friends of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, the Ocracoke community, the U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary 16-04, the National Park Service, and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the annual British Cemetery Ceremony is a historic and landmark event that honors Ocracoke’s tumultuous past.

Friday, May 8th 11:00 AM
Buxton

In mid-May, representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Navy, British Royal Navy, and National Park Service come together at the British Cemeteries on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island to honor the 63 foreign sailors who perished while protecting our coast.

Week of June 1, 2026 - June 7, 2026
Saturday, June 6th
Manteo

Toast the beginning of the 2026 season for one of the country’s most acclaimed outdoor dramas, The Lost Colony, with this special opening performance at the famed Waterside Theater in the heart of Downtown Manteo. The Lost Colony is the longest-running outdoor drama in America, and is an acclaimed production that tells the story of the first colonists to arrive from England to the “New World,” eventually creating a settlement just steps away from where the performance takes place.

Week of June 29, 2026 - July 5, 2026
Saturday, July 4th 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Manteo

Take a step back in time to the Outer Banks of the mid-1800s, and celebrate Independence Day in a historical fashion, with a visit to The Island Farm. Located in the heart of Manteo, The Island Farm is a unique attraction that takes visitors on a tour of what life was like for island residents more than 150 years ago. Featuring a wealth of historic homes with period artifacts, live farm animals, and costumed interpreters who explain what life was like for these original locals, The Island Farm is both an educational and utterly fascinating attraction for visitors of all ages.

Week of August 3, 2026 - August 9, 2026
Friday, August 7th - Saturday, August 8th
Ocracoke

Take a stroll along any shaded street in Ocracoke village and you’ll naturally notice the town’s love of all-things fig. Fig trees are everywhere in this coastal town, and during this annual celebration, visitors and locals alike can celebrate the fig through a myriad of  music, dancing, history, activities, and of course, plenty of fig goodies.

Week of August 10, 2026 - August 16, 2026
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.  

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.

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
Sailing the Outer Banks

Vacationers will notice a handful of sailboats at every local Outer Banks port, either saddled up to the docks or breezing across the harbor, en route to the nearest sound for a cruise, or to the continent-spanning Intracoastal Waterway to continue...

TRiO Restaurant & Market

Wine, beer and cheese lovers will love TRiO, an exciting retail and tasting destination in Kitty Hawk. Both a gourmet retail wine, beer and cheese shop as well as a bistro with a wine bar and tap house, TRiO offers the best of the worlds of...

Fly Away 975

Fly Away to this beautifully furnished and decorated sound side home with all the amenities your family could ask for during your Hatteras Island vacation. Everyone will have plenty of room in the six main bedrooms each offering a TV, Netflix, and...

  • Avon
  • 6 Bedrooms
Jolly Roger

When you first catch sight of The Jolly Roger, you might be unsure exactly what to think of it. Since its conversion from a gas station/grocery store to a restaurant in 1972, The Jolly Roger has been anything but your ordinary Outer Banks...

4110 - Coop's Cottage

BEACH GEAR RENTAL INCLUDED! Always Included, complimentary linens and made beds! THIS IS A PET FREE HOME. NEW FOR 2025: Queen Bedroom's Bathroom Renovated. Coop's Cottage is located on the Duck...

  • Duck
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
Cosmo's Pizzeria Southern Shores

If you're searching for great pizza on the Outer Banks, look no further than Cosmo's Pizzeria at The Marketplace in Southern Shores! We offer authentic New York-style pizza made fresh and just the way you like, using only the highest quality...

Makin' Waves

SEMI-OCEANFRONT Waves – Mac Oca Ct. - Making memorable vacation memories is painless to do at MAKIN’ WAVES. This four-bedroom/two- and two-half-bath home provides a calming counterpoint to the active endeavors of a Hatteras Island vacation...

  • Waves
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
Nags Head Dolphin Watch

Scientists run these dolphin tours as part of their research on these beloved aquatic animals, so you know this will be an interesting trip. Passengers will be able to see how researchers with the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research, a nonprofit...

K0221 Sea Glass Castle at Cambridge Cove

Welcome to Sea Glass Castle! Your colorful vacation accommodations will brighten both your day and your spirits! Your three-story townhome boasts several covered porches, perfect for al fresco meals or beverages. The first level features a dry entry...

  • Kill Devil Hills
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
Moge Tee

QUALITY YOU CAN SEE, FRESHNESS YOU CAN TASTE! Every cup made to order with the freshest ingredients and handcrafted loose leaf tea brewed to perfection! Combining all the natural gifts from mother nature!

5541 - Moongate 1

BEACH GEAR RENTALS INCLUDED! Always Included, complimentary linens and made beds! NEW IN 2025: New Level 3 Couch and Chairs. Located in the Village at Nags Head, Moongate 1 is one of 14 new homes in...

  • Nags Head
  • 7 Bedrooms
  • 8 Bathrooms
Just for the Beach Rentals

Just for the Beach Rentals (not to be confused with the similarly-named "Just for the Beach") offers rentals to accommodate your stay. Equipment includes linens, baby gates, cribs, monitors, seats, joggers, bikes, kayaks, skim boards, surf boards...

AVKS628 Somethin' Fishy #28-6

You will certainly find more than Somethin' Fishy at this 3,500+ square foot (including two screened porches) Kinnakeet waterfront home. Located on the quiet sound side, Somethin' Fishy is a short jump over the pond to the beach access. If you'd...

  • Avon
  • 6 Bedrooms
Paradise Dolphin Cruises

With the best views around and the quickest access to dolphins, Paradise Dolphin Cruises is committed to offering you one of the most amazing experiences of your life! Climb aboard the Kokomo, our 40-passenger catarmaran and the area’s newest...

Moonshine

OCEANFRONT Salvo - Hattie Creef - Let your vacation expectations reach new heights against the back drop of miles of blue ocean vistas, with a stay at lavish 5,820 sq. ft. MOONSHINE. Outside, you can savor long sunny days at the beach, or simply...

  • Salvo
  • 8 Bedrooms
  • 9 Bathrooms