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.
Come celebrate the history and culture of Hatteras Island’s working watermen at this annual event in the heart of Hatteras Village that has become a tradition for fall visitors and locals alike. Day at the Dock takes place along the waterfront that’s adjacent to the village marinas, and is a delightful combination of fresh seafood and good eats, live demonstrations, working commercial fishing boats, live music, kids activities, and more, and is a true and authentic sample of what life on Hatteras Island is all about.
The Dosher Foundation Gala is an annual fundraising event that brings together community leaders, healthcare supporters, local businesses, and residents for an evening dedicated to supporting the mission of the Dosher Memorial Hospital Foundation. Held each year in Brunswick County, the gala serves as one of the foundation’s signature fundraising events, helping generate support for healthcare programs, medical equipment, patient services, and future initiatives that benefit patients and families throughout the region. The 2026 gala is scheduled for Sept. 18 at the Homer E. Wright Event Center in St. James.
The North Carolina Seafood Festival is one of the largest and most celebrated annual events in North Carolina, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Morehead City waterfront each fall for a weekend dedicated to seafood, coastal culture, and family-friendly entertainment. Founded in 1987, the festival was created to promote North Carolina’s seafood industry, educate the public about the importance of commercial fishing, and celebrate the state’s rich maritime heritage. Over the decades, it has grown into a signature Crystal Coast tradition while remaining focused on honoring the fishermen, seafood producers, and coastal communities that help sustain the industry.
The Farewell Summer Jazz Funeral is a unique coastal tradition that combines New Orleans-style pageantry, live music, and community celebration to bid a lighthearted farewell to another summer season. Held each fall at Kure Beach’s Ocean Front Park and Pavilion, the event invites residents and visitors alike to don funeral finery, colorful costumes, masks, beads, parasols, and other festive attire as they join a jazz funeral procession through town. Led by a live brass band, participants march behind a symbolic casket honoring the passing of summer before gathering for an evening of music, entertainment, and celebration.
Second only to the springtime Azalea Festival in terms of size, activities and attendance, the annual Riverfest is an all-encompassing festival that celebrates life by the water. Featuring a lineup of events that include exhibits, vendors, competitions, kid activities, fireworks, and so much more, this family-friendly event ignites the Wilmington downtown area with miles of fun to go around.
If you’re a southern seafood fan, then you’re going to love the annual Mullet Festival of Swansboro. This two-day affair features a wealth of ways to enjoy this local crystal coast staple, as well as plenty of games and activities that celebrate the food, flavor, and all around fun of the heart of Swansboro and the North Carolina coastline.
Hungry visitors will want to bring along a big appetite for the North Carolina Oyster Festival, which is a popular annual event that offers a whole lot more than the staple shellfish. Featuring everything from BBQ and pizza, to music, arts, and crafts, this extensive festival has plenty of ways to delight attendees of all tastes, and of all ages.
Well known as one of the longest running events in the Port City area, the annual Cape Fear Fair & Expo has been going strong for decades, and is one of the most fun celebrations that the town of Wilmington has to offer. Taking over the grounds of the Wilmington Airport, this expansive festival features rides, exhibits, food, shows, and entertainment al all varieties to create a truly memorable experience for fun-loving visitors of all varieties.
Calling all brew fans – the Voracious Rare Beer Festival is the prime opportunity to discover a world of new flavors without ever leaving the heart of downtown Wilmington. Appropriately held in the month of October, this annual festival features plenty of great tastes to go around, with dozens of participating breweries and eateries, and ample reasons to raise a pint and toast the town.
The world of hops, grapes and grains is at your fingertips at the annual Lighthouse Beer & Wine Festival – a fun event that features plenty of delectable tastes from the Cape Fear area and miles beyond. Held at the North Waterfront Park in the heart of Wilmington, this full afternoon-long festival features more than 100 craft breweries and wineries to discover, making it one of the most anticipated events for wine and beer lovers throughout the North Carolina coastline.
There’s a lot to enjoy at the annual Classic Cars n’ Rock n’ Roll Cruise-In – a cool car show that’s held in the heart of Downtown Southport, and which features much more than the array of gorgeous and vintage automobiles. Featuring activities and attractions for visitors of all ages, this annual event that is brimming with live music, contests, and other activities is sure to be a crowd pleaser for the car lovers in your crew, and anyone who wants to dive into the community spirit of this coastal town.
Come explore a unique and picturesque corner of the Crystal Coast with this grand event that celebrates all the activities and fun of the fall season. The Town of Cape Carteret Fall Festival features a myriad of food, activities, and entertainment for visitors of all ages, and the free festival is a great opportunity to uncover this scenic town that’s located just a shell’s throw away from the Emerald Isle coastline.
The Roanoke Island Historical Association is launching a brand-new culinary celebration in 2026 with the debut of the Roanoke Island Oyster Shellabration and BBQ, a waterfront event that brings together fresh local seafood, Eastern North Carolina barbecue, live entertainment, and Outer Banks culture in the heart of Wanchese. Hosted at the Safe Harbor Marina and Tiki Bar, the festival promises a relaxed afternoon filled with food, music, and coastal charm.
Shucktoberfest is an annual fall food-and-drink celebration hosted by Beaufort Wine & Food that highlights the Crystal Coast’s rich seafood heritage, with a special focus on North Carolina oysters and coastal cuisine. Held in Beaufort during the autumn oyster season, the event brings together seafood lovers, local chefs, oyster growers, beverage vendors, and visitors for a weekend dedicated to great food, live entertainment, and coastal hospitality.
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.
The OBX Truck Fest is rolling back into the Outer Banks for another exciting weekend celebrating lifted trucks, off-road culture, live entertainment, and coastal fun. Bringing together truck enthusiasts from across the region, the popular event showcases an impressive lineup of customized vehicles ranging from classic pickups and show trucks to massive lifted builds and off-road machines, all set against the laid-back beach atmosphere of the OBX.
The Cape Fear region is a unique coastal community that’s known for its variety of global influences, and visitors can get a first-hand look at this worldly flavor by attending the annual Polish Festival. Held in the smaller region of Castle Hayne, this family-oriented and fun festival features a wealth of food, music, arts and crafts, beverages, and more to provide a hefty sampling of everything this distinctive culture and heritage has to offer.
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.
Held just after Halloween, the annual Dirt Nap Fest at Mill Whistle Brewing has become a favorite event for Beaufort locals and visitors alike, thanks to its spooky and surprising atmosphere, wholly unique car show, cool vendors, and plenty of delicious Mill Whistle beer to go around.
The Cucalorus Film Festival has been going strong for 30 years, and this annual film festival is well known as one of the biggest and best of its kind in the Cape Fear region and well beyond. Renowned as one of the largest film festivals in the southern United States, this multiple day event features a wealth of films, shorts, live entertainment, music, and many more ways to celebrate Wilmington’s reputation as the Hollywood of the East Coast.
Celebrate the holidays Crystal Coast style with this annual event that entices locals and visitors alike to get into the holiday spirit. The Swansboro Christmas Flotilla is a time-honored tradition that combines Swansboro’s love of life on the water with a truly festive atmosphere, and the event is sure to become an annual celebration that Crystal Coast visitors will want to return to again and again.
Join in the fun of the season and enjoy a days-long festival that highlights the community spirit of Southport by attending the highly anticipated WinterFest festival. This annual celebration features a wealth of activities at landmarks and popular spots throughout the coastal town, and is a great way to enjoy the spirit of the holidays while taking in everything this popular vacation destination has to offer.
Join in the fun of the season and enjoy a days-long festival that highlights the community spirit of Southport by attending the highly anticipated WinterFest festival. This annual celebration features a wealth of activities at landmarks and popular spots throughout the coastal town, and is a great way to enjoy the spirit of the holidays while taking in everything this popular vacation destination has to offer.
The aptly-named Pleasure Island is the place to be in the Cape Fear region to ring in the new year, thanks to a hopping beach boardwalk, music and dancing, plenty of refreshments, and a beautiful backdrop next to the Atlantic Ocean. The Island of Lights New Year's Eve Celebration lives up to its name with a traditional fireworks show and a grand beachside party that is sure to have everyone in the family ready to ring in the new year with style.
The North Carolina Jazz Festival is one of the nation’s longest-running traditional jazz festivals, bringing world-renowned musicians and jazz enthusiasts to Wilmington each year for a celebration of America’s original musical art form. Founded in 1980, the festival has built a reputation for showcasing premier traditional jazz performers from across the United States and around the world while preserving the rich heritage of classic jazz styles. Held annually in downtown Wilmington, the event attracts visitors from across the country who come to enjoy performances by internationally acclaimed artists in an intimate concert setting.
Visitors of all ages will have a ball at the Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Festival, which is an annual celebration that has become one of the most anticipated events of the springtime season. Going strong for more than 25 years, the Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Festival features a wealth of food, arts and craft vendors, rides, and activities for kids, which will all combine to get attendees into a festive holiday spirit.
Feast Wilmington is an annual food and beverage festival that showcases the culinary talent, craft beverages, and vibrant dining culture of the Wilmington area. Held at the scenic Live Oak Bank Pavilion along the Cape Fear River, the festival brings together more than 70 chefs, 20 breweries, wineries, distilleries, and beverage makers for a weekend of tastings, pairings, live entertainment, and waterfront celebrations. Designed for food lovers of all kinds, Feast highlights the flavors, creativity, and hospitality that have helped establish Wilmington as one of North Carolina’s premier culinary destinations.
For more than 75 years, the North Carolina Azalea Festival has reigned supreme as one of the biggest and best festivals along the southeast coastline, and newcomers are welcome to join in the fun to experience full days of vendors, live music, parades, and other events that shine a spotlight on the lively city of Wilmington. Founded in 1948, the North Carolina Azalea Festival has emerged as one of the most anticipated events in the state, and the celebration attracts visitors from all over the world who want to discover how enchanting the Cape Fear region can be.