The National Park Service offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore one of the Outer Banks’ most iconic structures from an entirely new perspective. The Bodie Island Lighthouse Full Moon Tours take place during the summertime and early fall, with a 30-minute ascent up the 219 steps to the lighthouse. Along the way, explorers will enjoy unparalleled views from the top of the balcony, which are illuminated by the brightness of the moon. A wholly unique adventure, the Bodie Island Lighthouse Full Moon Tour is a special event that can’t be missed.

Manteo’s vibrant downtown scene is on full display during this monthly event that highlights the area’s businesses, restaurants and galleries that makes this central Outer Banks community so unique. The First Friday in Manteo is held every month on the initial Friday of the month, and is a street festival that will make any new visitor fall in love with this charming coastal community.

Celebrate the fall season at one of the prettiest outdoor attractions in the heart of Roanoke Island with this special weekly event that has become a favorite activity for locals and fall visitors alike. Pumpkin Patch Saturdays are a fantastic opportunity for kids and adults to pick up their own Halloween pumpkins while exploring a myriad of activities and attractions found within the Island Farm.

Celebrate the fall season at one of the prettiest outdoor attractions in the heart of Roanoke Island with this special weekly event that has become a favorite activity for locals and fall visitors alike. Pumpkin Patch Saturdays are a fantastic opportunity for kids and adults to pick up their own Halloween pumpkins while exploring a myriad of activities and attractions found within the Island Farm.

Join us on Saturday, October 14, for a fall open house at the farm! Meet the rescued Corolla horses currently in our care. Get up close, hear their stories, learn their history, and talk with the staff responsible for their care and managing the wild horses. At 11 a.m., a special screening of the award-winning documentary “The Secret of Corolla” will be held, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker and CWHF staff.

The Outer Banks, and the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge in particular, is known as one of the best bird watching destinations in the world, and the annual Wings Over Water celebrates this distinction like no other local festival. The weeklong event, which is held each October, features a wide range of educational programs, lectures, and opportunities to meet and greet with fellow birders. During this year's festival, attendees will also have the opportunity to go on guided birding trips, attend art and photography workshops, take a tram or kayak tour of National Wildlife Refuge, visit an ancient maritime forest, and much, much more. A complete schedule can be found online at the organization's website, and attendees should note that some programs do cost a small fee to participate.

Celebrate the fall season at one of the prettiest outdoor attractions in the heart of Roanoke Island with this special weekly event that has become a favorite activity for locals and fall visitors alike. Pumpkin Patch Saturdays are a fantastic opportunity for kids and adults to pick up their own Halloween pumpkins while exploring a myriad of activities and attractions found within the Island Farm.

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 is making 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.

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.

A celebration of flight and beer, OBX Brewtag is modeled after the whimsical and entertaining Red Bull Flutag, translated to “flying day” in German. With OBX Brewtag, the general premise is the same, although rather than human-powered flying machines, Brewtag contestants will be competing to see who can launch and fly an empty 1/6 keg barrel the furthest.

Admission to the OBX Brewtag in 2023 is free for everyone, and the sky is the limit as to how creative your homemade flying contraption can be! Individuals and teams are welcome.

Admission to the event is FREE to the general public. A rather crafty selection of local and regional beer and food will be available for purchase that day. This family-friendly event will also feature plenty of activities for the kiddos!

Enjoy a day at the Manteo waterfront and see wooden boats displayed in the water and on the grounds of the Roanoke Island Maritime Museum at this special event that pays homage to the region’s deep ties to maritime history and culture.

Celebrate the fall season at one of the prettiest outdoor attractions in the heart of Roanoke Island with this special weekly event that has become a favorite activity for locals and fall visitors alike. Pumpkin Patch Saturdays are a fantastic opportunity for kids and adults to pick up their own Halloween pumpkins while exploring a myriad of activities and attractions found within the Island Farm.

Discover just how spirited that Hatteras Island and the southern Outer Banks can be during the fall holidays with this special event that will delight local and vacationing kids and their families alike. Trunk or Treat is becoming a favorite annual Halloween celebration, and is a great opportunity for kids to load up on candy in a safe, central, and wonderfully convenient location.

Manteo’s vibrant downtown scene is on full display during this monthly event that highlights the area’s businesses, restaurants and galleries that makes this central Outer Banks community so unique. The First Friday in Manteo is held every month on the initial Friday of the month, and is a street festival that will make any new visitor fall in love with this charming coastal community.

Celebrate the vibrant Latino community on Ocracoke Island which has been growing and thriving in the past 20 years with this special festival that features a wealth of tempting foods, arts and crafts, music, activities for kids, and much more. Held at the Ocracoke School during the day and the Ocracoke Community Center at night, this festival deliciously combines education and effortless fun to present a day that visitors of all tastes will adore.

Through arts, music, and miles of fun, the Outer Banks celebrates visiting and local veterans alike through this special event that has a wealth of ways to stay entertained while discovering the heart of the islands’ cultural scene. OBX Veterans Week is an annual event which honors veterans and their families through live concerts, cool activities and arts in downtown Manteo, and so much more.

Thrill to front-row views of black bears, deer, and even alligators from the safety of a vehicle with a special Alligator River Guided Open-Air Tram Tour. Held weekly in the summer months, these unique tours present a wild opportunity to check out the local wildlife while learning all about what makes this region wholly unique.

Get a head start to your fall fun with this lightly competitive road race that is open to active visitors of all ages. Hosted by the Kitty Hawk Elementary School, the Flying Falcon Road Race is a great way for residents and vacationers to get into the local spirit while cruising through some of the more scenic sections of the central Outer Banks.

Through arts, music, and miles of fun, the Outer Banks celebrates visiting and local veterans alike through this special event that has a wealth of ways to stay entertained while discovering the heart of the islands’ cultural scene. OBX Veterans Week is an annual event which honors veterans and their families through live concerts, cool activities and arts in downtown Manteo, and so much more.

Head to one of the Outer Banks' most unique and historic sites during Thanksgiving week for an array of educational and fun events that will appeal to the whole family. The Chicamacomico Thanksgiving Week Festivities event is an annual collection of distinctive activities that include a pig pickin’, a visit from Santa, and much, much more.

Head to one of the Outer Banks' most unique and historic sites during Thanksgiving week for an array of educational and fun events that will appeal to the whole family. The Chicamacomico Thanksgiving Week Festivities event is an annual collection of distinctive activities that include a pig pickin’, a visit from Santa, and much, much more.

Get a head start on the holiday season with this post-Thanksgiving event that offers a world of fun for visitors of all ages. Held at the flagship Kitty Hawk Kites store in Nags Head, this two-day event features amazing shopping, activities, demos and displays, and - of course - a visit by old St. Nick himself to allow kids to get a jump start on their Christmas lists.

Ring in the holidays island-style with this seasonal parade that takes place on the waters that surrounds Ocracoke village. The Ocracoke Parade of Boats is a celebration of life on the water, and this annual procession of ships of all shapes and sizes is sure to make anyone fall in love with the coastal scene and community that calls Ocracoke Island home.

Ignite your holiday spirit with this special annual event that combines the natural beauty of the Outer Banks with twinkling Christmas lights for an unforgettable display and seasonal experience. The Kites With Lights event is hosted by the flagship Kitty Hawk Kites store that’s just across the street from Jockey’s Ridge State Park, and the beautiful landscape of twinkling kites with the iconic massive sand dunes of the park in the background will be a sight that spectators won’t soon forget.

Manteo’s vibrant downtown scene is on full display during this monthly event that highlights the area’s businesses, restaurants and galleries that makes this central Outer Banks community so unique. The First Friday in Manteo is held every month on the initial Friday of the month, and is a street festival that will make any new visitor fall in love with this charming coastal community.

Head to the Island Farm in Manteo where history, local culture, and the holiday spirit will combine for a fun and multiple-day event that showcases the holiday traditions of the earliest days on the Outer Banks.

Thrill to front-row views of black bears, deer, and even alligators from the safety of a vehicle with a special Alligator River Guided Open-Air Tram Tour. Held weekly in the summer months, these unique tours present a wild opportunity to check out the local wildlife while learning all about what makes this region wholly unique.

Visitors who missed the annual Wings Over Water festival - or who just want a second opportunity to admire the hundreds and thousands of birds that flock to the Outer Banks – won’t want to miss this special weekend where these feathered visitors are once again in the spotlight. The Wings Over Water Encore event is a weekend-long celebration of the many wintering waterfowl that are found at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and beyond, and is a great way for birders to discover the off-season beauty of the OBX.

Join in the fun of one of the most festive celebrations on Hatteras Island with this annual Christmas parade that has become a decades-long tradition for locals and holiday visitors alike. The Hatteras Island Christmas Parade combines local businesses, fire departments, the US Coast Guard, and non-profit organizations in a joyful and small-town parade that will inspire anyone to get into the holiday spirit.

Celebrating its second year in 2023, Shuck Hatteras is Hatteras Island’s newest food-centric festival, and this unique wintertime event is a fun community celebration that is brimming with music, entertainment, and plenty of oysters to go around.

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.

The Annual Wooden Boat Show isn’t just for master craftsmen and adults, as kids will find a wealth of activities designed with them in mind at the corresponding Wooden Boat Kids event. Held throughout the two-day festival at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, this event allows kids to join in the fun through an array of hands-on activities, demonstrations, arts and crafts, competitions, and more.