Outer Banks Outdoor & Nature Events - 2026 Schedule

Celebrating its sixth year in 2026, the Hatteras Village Waterfowl Festival (HVWF) is returning to Hatteras Island in March. The festival will kick off Friday evening with the delicious Fin, Feather, and Bourbon event. Small plates featuring seafood and waterfowl will be accompanied by select bourbons, wines, and beer. 

Come enjoy the spirit of the Easter holiday on the Outer Banks while taking advantage of National Kite Month at this fun and family-friendly event that joyfully combines these two celebrations. The Flying Into Spring And Easter EGGstravaganza festival is a great way to take in the fresh spring air along the coastline, while participating in a myriad of games, displays, and a little kite action at one of the best spots on the East Coast for high flying.

The Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air Show is landing on the Outer Banks, and visitors are welcome to take flight on a new adventure and join in the fun. Renowned as the longest-running hang gliding competition in the world, the Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air Show is a multiple day event that combines a wealth of activities for professional hang gliders and spectators alike. The incredible air show is the cornerstone of the event, and visitors can head to the sky-high dunes of Jockey’s Ridge State Park to check out the action. Throughout the day, an incredible display of colorful gliders will fly overhead, and lots of fun will be had at ground level as well thanks to a host of activities for competitors and everyday sightseers alike.

The Rogallo Kite Festival is a free and family-orientated event that features multiple days of kite flying to honor Francis Rogallo, NASA scientist and inventor of the flexible wing. His initial inventions started the sport of hang gliding, and his designs have carried over into the stunt kites, power kites and hang gliders that are flown today. To celebrate this innovator, visitors will be treated to a full day of kite-flying fun in one of the best destinations on the East Coast for high flyers, Jockey’s Ridge State Park.

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.

The Town of Manteo will host an incredible display of fireworks over the water on 4th of July that will make any Independence Day celebration truly memorable. Launched over the Roanoke Sound and Shallowbag Bay, visitors can find a spot along the downtown docks or a seat at the famed Roanoke Island Festival Park to catch an incredible show with a stunning backdrop.

Visitors can keep the Independence Day celebration going strong with this special fireworks display in the heart of the central Outer Banks that’s sponsored by the Town of Kill Devil Hills, and which is held at the scenic Avalon Pier.

Head to the heart of Nags head for this special 4th of July fireworks display over the Atlantic Ocean that will leave all beach-goers breathless. The Town Of Nags Head Fireworks Spectacular will be held on the evening of Independence Day, and is sure to be a show-stopping aspect of any Outer Banks vacation.

Celebrating its 13th year in 2026, the Hatteras Village Golf Cart Parade is quickly becoming a favorite Independence Day celebration for Hatteras Island visitors and locals alike. Launched in 2013 as a fundraiser for the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation with less than a dozen golf cart participants, today the event features more than 50 or 60  golf carts of all styles, decked out in purely fun and patriotic themes.

Enjoy a thrilling scene along the towering sand dunes of Jockey’s Ridge State Park as giant kites and stunt kite pilots wow the crowd at the engaging and family-friendly Outer Banks Kite Festival. Hosted by Kitty Hawk Kites, this festival features both live demonstrations and interactive activities to ensure that everyone can have a ball enjoying the high flying lifestyle on the Outer Banks.

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.

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.

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.

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.