From playing in the sand and visiting the local aquarium, there are plenty of fun activities on the Outer Banks for kids to enjoy. However, we know that sometimes it’s fun to go to a special event or celebration specifically designed to be family friendly! Luckily, there are tons of great events going on over the next couple months! Here are the top 3 summer events for kids on the Outer Banks:
1) Dare Day Festival
Date: Saturday, June 1, 2019
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Location: Manteo Waterfront (downtown Manteo)
The 44th annual Dare Day Festival celebration is scheduled for June 1, 2019. Typically bringing about 5,000 visitors to Manteo, Dare Day is a community event for kids of all ages and is held rain or shine! The event itself features arts & crafts, entertainment & music, local food vendors, pirates, pig racing, and plenty of other family fun. Shop for clothing, toys, furniture or jewelry at one of the many local vendor tents and then grab a fresh lemonade and some tasty seafood from one of the many food vendors on site. Previous festivals featured Kiddie rides, magic shows, face painting and plenty of games! Additional details, festival map and parking information can be found on the town of Manteo’s website.
2) Rogallo Kite Festival
Date: Friday June 14 through Sunday June 16, 2019
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Jockey’s Ridge State Park
This year, the 37th Annual Rogallo Kite Festival, hosted by Kitty Hawk Kites, is scheduled for Friday June 14 to Sunday June 16! In honor of Francis Rogallo, a NASA scientist who invented the flexible wing used in stunt kites and hang gliders, this festival is the perfect place to admire some of the most incredible kites you’ve ever seen! Your kids will love watching 30 ft – 100 ft long kites flying across the sky over Jockey's Ridge! Look for kites of all colors, shapes, sizes and creations... you may even spot a dolphin, shark, octopus, or some other giant sea creature! You can also show off your kite flying skills or participate in free stunt kite lessons. There is even kite coloring available for the kids!
3) OBX Watermelon Festival
Date: Thursday August 1, 2019
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Jockey’s Ridge State Park
What fruit says “summer” more than watermelon!? The Outer Banks Watermelon Festival takes place August 1 from 10 – 4 at Jockey’s Ridge in Nags Head! All proceeds from this event, hosted by Kitty Hawk Kites, will benefit the Outer Banks Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Coalition. This festival will have plenty of activities to keep the kids entertained from games, face painting and tie-dying, to arts and craft activities, competitions and an inflatable waterslide! Of course, there will also be lots of watermelon! Tickets are required to play and eat. Mulligan’s Raw Bar & Grille will be providing lunch and Scoop’s Homemade Ice Cream will offer frozen treats for dessert. You might even win prizes from local companies like Kitty Hawk Kites and Duck Donuts! This event supports a great cause and will be fun for the whole family.
Bonus Event - Pirate Festival!
Did you know that the Outer Banks also has a Pirate Festival in August? If you have a junior swashbuckler at home, be sure to head to Kitty Hawk Kites in the Jockey’s Ridge Crossing shopping center pf Nags Head on August 14th or 15th to learn more about local Atlantic pirates! Click here to learn more about the Pirate Festival!
