Outer Banks Events for Winter and Spring

By Outer Banks Visitors Bureau on Feb. 28, 2023

A season of good times is waiting on the Outer Banks, from Running of the Leprechauns to the Hang Gliding Spectacular.

Milder days are getting close. Here are some lively late-winter and spring discoveries across the Outer Banks, including outdoor happenings, chances to try NEW experiences, and plenty of reasons to move beyond the usual routine.

February

Honor African American history and accomplishments on the OBX. At Kill Devil Hills Library, a National Park Service Ranger will present Roanoke's Forgotten Colony: The Freedmen's Colony of 1863-1867, sharing the story of how Roanoke Island became the site of a new Freedmen's Colony, created by the army to help formerly enslaved people prepare for postwar life.

Checkerboard Board Crews and Colored News brings a special program on Black history locations on Roanoke Island to College of the Albemarle in Manteo. Visitors can also explore The African American Experience of Northeast North Carolina throughout the year. This new self-guided discovery route ties together dozens of accessible points of interest and African American influence across a six-county region that includes the OBX.

Birding draws visitors to the beach in every season. Winter Seabirding Trips on the Stormy Petrel II offer birdwatching charters on several dates from February into the start of March.

March

Wear your green for St. Patrick's Day celebrations, including the St. Patricks Day Parade, Outer Banks Beer Mile, and Running of the Leprechauns. On March 3, 2023, birders can join the virtual Bird Identification Workshop. This hands-on identification program highlights important clues such as overall profiles, feeding behaviors, and habitat, helping birders of every skill level recognize species quickly and confidently.

Returning for another season, OBXWA Wedding Weekend + Expo is a two-day gathering that gives engaged couples access to premier local wedding professionals at five different venues across the OBX. Couples planning an OBX wedding, whether large or small and across a range of budgets, will find it especially useful.

The Outer Banks Taste of the Beach is also back. The OBX has never tasted so dang good. Food, Drink, Fun! The Outer Banks Restaurant Association and Outer Banks Hospitality Partners welcome visitors to enjoy Outer Banks Taste of the Beach.

April

If Easter weekend brings you to the shore, expect egg hunts, live music, memorable food and specials, art shows, and more. Roanoke Island's Elizabethan Gardens hosts Eastertide, with the largest egg scavenger hunt on the beach and thousands of eggs at their own Easter Event. For a different twist, Kitty Hawk Kites brings soaring kites into the mix with Flying into Spring And Easter Eggstravaganza.

Beginning the third Friday in April, visitors can climb the spiral staircase at Bodie Island Lighthouse for sweeping ocean scenery. These East Coast beacons have stood longer than anyone alive today, and they continue to keep watch. Bodie Island Lighthouse stays open through Columbus Day in early October. Climbs begin every 30 minutes starting at 9:00 AM daily, and tickets are required.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest in America and arguably the most recognized lighthouse in the world, is open for visiting the grounds, but not climbing the lighthouse while it's being renovated. Dare County also offers three NPS campgrounds on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, along with many private options, reopening this April for a new season.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your motorcycles. Outer Banks Bike Week brings opportunities to ride, relax with good food, hear live music, and check out bike shows along the route. The week is packed with entertainment, great food, events, and special attractions, including bike shows, poker runs, guided tours, party nights, live music, outdoor concerts, a pig-pickin' and more.

For anyone wanting a boost for body and mind, Spring's favorite running celebration returns with the Flying Pirate Half Marathon and 5K. The route follows 13.1 miles through the natural scenery of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Along the same stretch of coast, birds begin arriving at Pea Island Wildlife Refuge, where they can be viewed on walking tours or in wildlife exhibits at the visitor center, open 7 days a week. Thousands of neotropical songbirds return from the West Indies and Central and South America to breed and nest among the maritime shrubs.

May

Outer Banks Soft-Shell Week is coming May 15-20, 2023. Additional information will be shared as plans continue to develop.

Save the date for the Hatteras Village Offshore Open, the opening event of the NC Billfish Series, now in its second decade. Other major happenings include the Hang Gliding Spectacular and the opening of the Lost Colony Drama.

Spring is only beginning to heat up on The Outer Banks, making it a great moment to plan the next trip. Whether you choose an oceanfront rental home or a hotel filled with amenities, there is a coastal place ready for a spring or summer escape. Pick a date on the calendar and look forward to an East Coast getaway that can feel both peaceful and adventurous.