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.

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.

The historic Island Farm in Manteo takes on a spooky new appearance during this Halloween season event that will send chills down anyone’s spine. Highlighting this local attraction from an entirely new after-hours perspective, these spooky tours are sure to be a thrilling addition to any off-season Outer Banks vacation.

Early November is an exceptional time to clear out a front yard or backyard landscape, and to start gearing up for a crop of wintertime foliage and blooms that will add a little color to a chilly day. During this special workshop at the Elizabethan Gardens, gardeners of all skill levels will learn how to make the most out of their seasonal landscape, and how to plant flora and fauna that will survive and even thrive in the upcoming winter months.

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.

Just because the weather has turned chilly doesn’t mean that a local landscape can’t shine, even in the middle of the winter. During this special workshop, gardeners will learn how to make the most out of the cooler weather by planting festive containers gardens that will sparkle throughout the holiday season.

Cap off a delicious Thanksgiving holiday on the beach with this special two-day event that is held at one of the Outer Banks’ favorite historic attractions. The “Garden To Hearth; Heritage Cooking And Food Preservation” event focuses on food, family, and history with a myriad of activities and cooking-related traditions that will make a visit to the Island Farm even more special, and more memorable.

Ring in the holiday season with style with this special class that’s designed for gardening fans and festive visitors alike. Deck The Halls with Christmas Greenery is a two-hour workshop that will brighten your upcoming holiday through a myriad of ideas that transform local flora and fauna into stunning additions to any decoration scheme.

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.

With the holiday season just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start planning those festive centerpieces that will be the highlight of every family meal throughout the season. Visitors who want to brighten their interior décor scheme will find a lot of tips, tricks and practical applications for making their table-scapes shine through this special program that’s hosted by the Elizabethan Gardens.

With the holiday season just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start planning those festive centerpieces that will be the highlight of every family meal throughout the season. Visitors who want to brighten their interior décor scheme will find a lot of tips, tricks and practical applications for making their table-scapes shine through this special program that’s hosted by the Elizabethan Gardens.

Crafting the perfect holiday wreath is a true art form, and during this special workshop, students of all ages can learn from the pros at the Elizabethan Gardens to create a piece of décor that will brighten their door all holiday long.

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.

With the holiday season just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start planning those festive centerpieces that will be the highlight of every family meal throughout the season. Visitors who want to brighten their interior décor scheme will find a lot of tips, tricks and practical applications for making their table-scapes shine through this special program that’s hosted by the Elizabethan Gardens.

Poinsettias are a staple of the holiday season, and during this special workshop that’s held at the Elizabethan Gardens, visitors will learn all about this colorful plant – while enjoying a free Poinsettia plant to take home as a special gift.

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.

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.