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Pirates, fossils, and bears. Oh my! Are you looking for a day of festival fun that’s not too far from Washington NC? Well, you are in luck. These fests are great for the entire family. These events are held throughout the year so you can enjoy each one. Here are the best festivals near Washington NC.
Are you boat-crazy? Then head over to the Harbor District Maritime Festival. People of all ages can enjoy the magic of being on the water here. Be prepared to see beautiful boats, and learn about the maritime culture. You can meet experts, share your boat stories, and have a fantastic weekend with your family. Here you will find marine dealers, a nautical flea market, and boating demonstrations. There will also be food trucks, live music, and more. When you leave, you will have become part of a community that loves to celebrate the sea.
When: Late April
Where: Washington Waterfront Docks, 301 W Stewart Pkwy, Washington, NC
Distance from Washington NC: None
The Washington Summer Festival is a fun festival that's all about families. It takes place in downtown Washington and all around town. There are lots of things to do, like a street fair, sidewalk sales, and lots of great food. You can also see arts and crafts, watch live performances, and even see fireworks! One of the most popular events is called Dock Dogs, where dogs jump off a dock into the water. There's something for everyone at the Washington Summer Festival!
When: Mid-June
Where: Washington NC, on the Waterfront
Distance from Washington NC: None
Every year on the first Saturday in June, there's a fun event held on the Roanoke River in Plymouth. It's called the NC Black Bear Festival. It's all about celebrating and teaching people about black bears in a fun way. The event organizers try to make each year's festival even more exciting than the last. Be prepared for a massive event with food, rides, and live music!
When: Early June
Where: 302 East Main St. Plymouth, NC
Distance from Washington NC: 35 Miles, 39-minute drive.
Spazz Fest is a yearly event that takes place over several days in Greenville. It's a celebration of the city's music scene and the people who make it happen. The festival started at an art gallery called The Spazzatorium. But it grew to include many other places around town. People come from all over North Carolina and the world to take part in this awesome event. Including artists, musicians, writers, and fans.
When: Late March
Where: All around Greenville NC
Distance from Washington NC: 22 Miles, 37-minute drive.
Mumfest is a great way to experience the community spirit of New Bern. Come see the town come alive with color and excitement. The festival usually takes place in mid-October, when mums are in full bloom. You can enjoy live music, art shows, and classic carnival fun during this event. The highlight of this festival is the Mumfest Parade. Where you can watch floats, marching bands, and other performances.
When: Mid-October
Where: 316 S Front St, New Bern, NC
Distance from Washington NC: 40 Miles, 46-minute drive.
The NC Fossil Festival happens every year in May in Aurora NC. It's a time to celebrate the area's history of finding fossils. People of all ages can come to have fun and learn. You can go on a guided fossil hunt to find real fossils. Talk with fossil experts and see cool exhibits. When you are done with that, there are plenty of vendors to shop at. Don’t forget to take the kids on carnival rides, play games, and eat fair food. Be sure to catch the fossil parade with dinosaurs and other extinct creatures on the floats. With so many things to do, you will have a ball at this event.
When: Memorial Day Weekend
Where: Aurora Fossil Museum, 400 Main St, Aurora, NC
Distance from Washington NC: 30 Miles, 36-minute drive
The Beaufort Pirate Invasion is a fun festival held every year in Beaufort, NC. It's all about pirates and their history in the area. When you go to the festival, you can see lots of pirate-themed things, like battles and shows. You can learn about pirates from local historians and see exhibits. Of course, there's lots of great seafood and exceptional pirate snacks. One of the coolest parts is when pirates take over the waterfront!
When: Late September
Where: 116 Turner St. Beaufort, NC
Distance from Washington NC: 78 Miles, 1.5-hour drive
NC Seafood Festival is a fun and tasty event that celebrates North Carolina's seafood. It takes place in Morehead City on the first weekend of October. During the festival, you can enjoy a variety of seafood dishes. Including shrimp, oysters, crab, and lobster. There are will be cooking demos, competitions, and exhibits about the seafood industry. Also, there are carnival rides, live music, arts and crafts vendors, and a beer garden.
When: Early October
Where: 412 Evans St, Morehead City, NC
Distance from Washington NC: 72 Miles, 1.5-hour drive
From right in Washington to an hour and a half drive. These festivals near Washington NC will educate and thrill you this year. You and your family will have an amazing time. Pirates, bears, music, mums, fossils, and seafood. These events have something for everyone to enjoy. Are you looking for other things to do on a weekend? Check out these Best Weekend Trips from Washington NC for ideas.
After getting accepted to ECU, I started looking for things to do in and around Greenville, NC. However, my searches kept taking me to places in South Carolina! There must be things to do around ECU, so I started asking other students. They kept telling me to graduate and move away! This inspired me to begin exploring eastern North Carolina and build this website as a showcase of the places to go, sights to see, and things to do all over eastern NC. I have fallen in love with this region and started taking up roots here. After graduating, I didn't move away - I bought a house here and continue to explore eastern North Carolina.
