Start ExploringLogin

The Outer Banks Seafood Festival

The Outer Banks Seafood Festival

Beginnings

The Outer Banks Seafood Festival is held to appreciate the fishing culture of the region. There are various events held in the region for these purposes.

  1. The Wanchese Seafood Festival celebrates the fresh seafood industry. It also celebrates the village that was developed to bring seafood to the market.
  2. Day at the Docks: This is held every September on the Hatteras Village waterfront. It honors the region’s traditions.

Some of the activities at the event include:

  • Seafood cooking demonstrations
  • Fishing industry skills contests and competitions
  • Fishing boat and gear displays
  • Author readings
  • Music
  • A chowder cook-off contest
  • Activities for children
  • Blessing of the Fleet

These events led to the Outer Banks Seafood Festival. It came as a renewed desire to revive the history and heritage of the Outer Banks. This was for the benefit of both visitors and locals. After having the idea for the festival for years, four organizations came together in 2012. These organizations were:

  • The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce
  • The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
  • Outer Banks Catch
  • The Outer Banks Restaurant Association

They sat together and formed a partnership. They put together their different talents, resources, and time to create the event. Immense help came from people from all over the region. People with different experiences and expertise are offered to help bring the event to success. The whole town of Nags Head came together and helped organize the major outdoor event.

The Outer Banks Seafood Festival has a mission to provide educational experiences that are fun. It aims to promote, honor, and celebrate the coastal community and heritage.

Event Schedule

The Board of Directors of the Outer Banks Seafood Festival announced this year’s festival dates. The 2021 Festival will be held at the Soundside Event Site. It will be on October 16th, which is a Saturday. The event provides a fun and educational experience for all who attend.

The 2021 event schedule is as follows;

  • 10:30 a.m. – Gates Open
  • 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon – Out ‘N the Cold
  • 12:00 noon – Opening Ceremonies
  • 12:30 p.m. – Southern English Band
  • 1:45 p.m. – Johnny Waters Band
  • 3:00 p.m. – No More Room Band
  • 4:30 p.m. – The Patriot Band

Festival Executive and Directors

The Outer Banks Seafood Festival Board is made up of an Executive Board and Directors. The Executive Board consists of a Chair and a Vice-Chair. These are;

  • Richard Hess – Chair (works at Sun Realty)
  • Tim Kelly – Vice Chair (works at Staples)

There are a couple of directors, including;

  • Ray Dewey – Nags Head Gold Links
  • Bambos Charalambous
  • Kelly Pierce – Towne Bank
  • Lee Nettles – Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
  • Mary Ellon Ballance – NC Watermen United
  • Tim Schisler – Centurion Security and Big Blue Services

People's Choice Award

The People’s Choice Award is determined by who gets the most votes. This year, the ‘Best Local Dish’ will be awarded to a restaurant at the event. The presenting sponsor is TowneBank. TowneBank has been a presenting sponsor for eight years now.

The Outer Banks Seafood Festival provides a fun and educational experience for those who attend. 7500 participants will be given voting cards at the ticket gates. They will return the cards to the SeaBucks tent. The tent will be between dining areas and restaurants. Voting closes at 4:30 pm and the winner will be announced at around 5:20 pm. The award presentation will immediately follow.

TowneBank was founded in 1999 as a community bank. It focuses on forming relationships and friendships. There are 37 offices in northeastern North Carolina, Hampton Roads, and the Richmond area. The bank offers a wide range of financial services to community organizations, individuals, and businesses. It focuses on the hometown and leads the local community to cultural, social, and economic growth.

Festival Sponsors

Many businesses like to be associated with the event since it promotes the coastal seafood heritage. The festival includes a lot of entertainment, incredible music, food, shopping and a whole lot more! The generosity of sponsors is a great help to the success of the event.

There are crafts and non-profit vendors who provide support to make the event happen. They supply essentials and provide items needed for the event. Some of these sponsors are:

  • The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
  • TowneBank
  • Outer Banks Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram
  • Beachworthy Furniture
  • Nags Head Hammocks
  • Midgett Insurance Agency
  • Travelodge Nags Head Beach Hotel

Arts & Crafts and Non-Profit Vendors

There are many fun and educational experiences at the Outer Banks Seafood Festival. The event attracts many vendors who sell their products and services to attendees. Some of these vendors include:

  • Education
    • Chicamacomico Life Saving Station
    • NC Watermen United
    • NOAA/National Weather Service
    • Sea Grant
  • Artisans
    • Adornments
    • All Washed Up Jewelry
    • Blue Clover Essentials
    • Lone Wolf Trading
    • MurrRob Specialties
  • Non-Profits
    • Dare County Veterans Advisory Council
    • Marine Corps League Outer Banks Detachment
    • Feline Hope Animal Shelter
    • Eye of the Hurricane

T-Shirt Sales

There are no T-Shirts or event merchandise available on pre-sale. All T-shirts will be sold at the event on October 16. T-shirts that do not sell will then be placed on the website after the event.

The Outer Banks Seafood Festival is an appreciation of the coastal seafood heritage. It is a fun and educational experience for people of all ages. There is entertainment, great food, and music to be enjoyed. A lot of local businesses get involved with the event. They come in as sponsors to help make the event a success. It is a great effort to bring local communities together.

ENC Explorer
Author: ENC Explorer

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.

This place is for Publicity

This place is for Publicity

Related Post

5 Coffee Shops at the Outer Banks You Must Visit

Read the Guide

Tortugas' Lie Nags Head NC

Read the Guide
1 2 3 7

Latest Guides Added

Kinston NC Electricians

Read the Guide

Kinston NC Lawn Care

Read the Guide

Kinston NC Roofing

Read the Guide

Kinston NC Car Insurance

Read the Guide
1 2 3 145
crossmenuchevron-down
WordPress management provided by OptSus.com