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.
Set sail to the small town of Beaufort, NC for this engaging event where mariners can meet and mingle with their water loving colleagues. The Fall In-The-Water Meet is a fun gathering that’s wide open to experienced mariners and newcomers alike, and which features a host of fun activities including free boat rides a pig pickin’, and plenty of opportunities to learn all about life on the water in this small and charming town.
Crystal Coast visitors of all ages will want to take a break from the sand and head inland to the small town of Newport for this unique annual festival that puts the flavors of the fall season in the spotlight. The Fall Festival at Camp Albemarle is a family-friendly event that features a wealth of activities that visitors of all ages can enjoy. From outdoor adventures to food trucks and s’mores, everyone can celebrate the cooler and breezy fall season at this event that has tons to offer around every corner.
Crystal Coast visitors don’t have to venture too far to enjoy a little bit of Halloween fun, thanks to this annual event that provides trick-or-treating in a safe and entertaining environment. The Trunk or Treat Atlantic Beach event is a free and kid-friendly celebration that features a wealth of food, games, and plenty of candy to go around.
With tons of games, food, fun, and attractions for visitors of all ages, the Newport Halloween Hootenanny is an annual event that can’t be missed. Held on Halloween night, this event is a community-wide celebration of the season, with lots of fun, food, and candy to go around all evening long.
The annual Veterans Day Parade in Morehead City is a time-honored tradition that honors the servicemen and women who have served their country. Located in the heart of the downtown area, and free and open to the public, this annual celebration is an event that visitors and locals alike won’t soon forget.
Come and get a big head start on your holiday shopping at this pre-Thanksgiving event that shines a spotlight on the many local vendors, artists, and craftspeople who call the Crystal Coast area home. The Mistletoe Magic Holiday Gift Show is renowned as one of the biggest local shopping events of the year, and it’s a great venue for folks to uncover all the talent and goodies that Eastern North Carolina has to offer.
Get a jump start on your holiday shopping while enjoying an inviting and relaxed atmosphere that is miles away from ordinary at the Jumble Sale at the Beaufort Historic Site. This annual sale that takes place around Thanksgiving is the perfect cure to the Black Friday blues, and offers a wealth of locally made, handcrafted, and wholly unique goodies and presents that can’t be found anywhere else, and which will truly add a dose of local flavor to your holiday gift giving.
Celebrating more than 15 years, the Emerald Isle Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting is a favorite wintertime event for visitors and locals alike that provides a fun and unforgettable way to ring in the season. Held in the heart of town, and featuring a line of floats that capture both the holiday and the coastal spirit, this annual parade and celebration will make everyone want to celebrate the holidays, Emerald Isle style.
The small community of Harkers Island comes to life at this annual event that puts this community’s rich heritage and history in the spotlight. The annual Core Sound Decoy Festival, which is held the first full weekend in December, is a unique celebration that combines exhibits, demonstrations, vendors, food, and much more, to the delight of local visitors and residents alike.
The Crystal Coast is renowned as a popular destination for seasonal visitors of all varieties, and that includes the thousands of waterfowl that flock to this region every year. This unique distinction is celebrated annually at the Core Sound Waterfowl Weekend, which is a fantastic opportunity for visitors to learn more about this stunning landscape, and the many feathered visitors who call it home for the winter season.
The historic Beaufort waterfront comes alive during this holiday celebration that combines this community’s love of the water with a literal boatload of holiday lights. The annual Friends of the Maritime Museum Holiday Flotilla is a fun and festive event that will wow spectators throughout the Crystal Coast, and which will put visitors of all ages in a holiday state of mind.
Crystal Coast visitors who want to get a jump start on their holiday shopping will adore this event that takes place in one of the region’s favorite beach towns, and which features a world of coastal-themed treasures. The annual Emerald Isle Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair is a great venue for finding gifts and seasonal treasures of all varieties and is a convenient opportunity for shoppers of all ages to explore all the talented artists and craftsmen that call the southern Outer Banks home.
Beaufort is a small town with a lot of personality, and this fun and coastal culture is on full display at the annual Beaufort Christmas Parade. Held in the heart of the waterfront downtown, the yearly parade is a fun event for visitors of all ages, and is a celebration that is sure to put all Crystal Coast visitors in a holiday state of mind.
Come explore a winter wonderland of holiday sights, sounds, and smells at this festive event that is celebrating its 10th year in 2023. The annual Gingerbread Festival & Competition is a fun and all-encompassing celebration that has incredible gingerbread displays, fun crafts and activities for the kids, and lots of ways to celebrate the holidays in style while admiring some of the most unique and creative gingerbread creations that the Crystal Coast has to offer.
Get into the spirit of the season while enjoying a picturesque taste of life on the water in a small North Carolina town with this event that offers plenty of spectacular views and festivities for spectators and participants alike. The Annual Crystal Coast Christmas Flotilla is a local tradition that’s been going strong for more than 25 years, and is an opportunity for both visitors and locals to enjoy a festive display unlike any other along the Crystal Coast.
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.
The annual Wooden Boat Show is a tradition in the town of Beaufort, and its 48th celebration in 2024 promises to be bigger and more engaging than ever before. With a long roster of activities that are slated for the weekend-long event, visitors will be treated to a wealth of activities, displays, exhibits, and interactive ways to join in the fun.
