Holiday Events in The Outer Banks of North Carolina

Spend the holidays on the Outer Banks to make them even more memorable. Every month, there are plenty of fun events for the entire family to celebrate while staying in your vacation rental. We’ve included some of the big holidays and events taking place in our communities below. 


For a complete schedule of activities during your stay, go to the Area Guide tab and look under Things to Do In The Outer Banks.

Tree Lighting

A blurred image of a lit up Christmas tree.

Each year, cities and communities on the Outer Banks hold Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremonies. With a few exceptions, the festivities are normally conducted after Thanksgiving and after dark and are sometimes sponsored by towns, business areas, or malls. There may be entertainment, Santa Claus, and sing-alongs at the Tree Lighting festivities. They can also be found at larger events like festivals, and parades. You may want to attend one of the following tree lighting celebrations. All of the events listed are free and open to the general public.

Town of Manteo

The Manteo tree lighting ceremony, which takes place in front of the historic old courthouse, is a musical-dramatic celebration of that indefinable spirit of selfless joy that has touched the lives of Roanoke Island residents at Christmastime for over 400 years and inspired them to persevere against all odds in pursuit of their dreams.

Browse some of the beautiful Nags Head vacation rentals available which is a wonderful town just a short drive from Manteo.

Price: FREE

Age limit: Fun for the whole family!

When is the Event?: Friday, December 3, 2021 – 6:00 pm

Christmas Tour

Shelves of Chritmas cottages and candles lit up.

There is an amazing holiday-themed tour for all of the festive activity seekers here in the Outer Banks. It takes place in the wonderful town of Corolla at The Whalehead. If you are interested in visiting the OBX to attend one of these tours we have plenty of stunning vacation homes in Corolla to help you with your accommodation needs.

Whalehead’s Candlelight Christmas Tour

The Whalehead Candlelight Tours are a wonderful way to start the holiday season. Enjoy music, drinks, and the wonderfully adorned Whalehead estate. Live performances on Whalehead’s original Steinway piano, caroling, and an exclusive peek of the new Starkey Room exhibit and new acquisitions will all be included in the tour.

Candlelight Christmas Tour Details

Dates – Tours will take place starting November 26, 2021, thru December 18th, 2021 from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm. The exact dates are November 26th and 27th and December 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th, and 18th.

Admission – $20 per person Tours are very limited. Advance registration is required. For more information and to register call: 252-453-9040

Holiday Festival

A couple of ladies shopping in a Christmas themed shop.

Keep that Christmas energy going with this engaging holiday festival. Get there early to enjoy all the shops and dining the town of Duck has to offer. Shop local and find something for everyone on your nice list this year!

If you want to make a vacation out of this visit look into staying at one of our conveniently located coastal home rentals available to you in the town of Duck.

Duck Yuletide Celebration

Join the town of Duck for live Christmas music, sweets, and an elf scavenger hunt as we await the arrival of our special guest: Santa Claus, who will swap in his sleigh for a spectacular arrival on a Duck Fire Truck.

Price: FREE

Age limit: All ages

When is the Event?: Saturday, December 4, 2021 – 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Santa will be waiting!

Santa sitting on the beach under an umbrella

So what are you waiting for, come celebrate your holidays on the Outer Banks by attending our holiday OBX-mas events this month? We strongly encourage you to participate in the month of holiday activities and entertainment for the whole family. We hope to hear from you and see you and your friends & family soon! Best wishes and Happy Holidays.

Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates is one of the most trusted vacation rental managers in the local area by growing into a market leader in the Vacation Rental and Sales Industry. Joe Lamb Jr. and his family have played a vital and intricate role in the Outer Banks Community for decades. 

Over the past 50+ years, Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates have worked diligently to help promote the Outer Banks for the amazing beach and family vacation destination that it is, helping to increase tourism in the area and grow our beautiful community.

Outer Banks Event Calendar Filled for Mother’s Day Weekend

Kids painting the wall at Dowdy Park at Artrageous 2017.
Kids painting the wall at Dowdy Park at Artrageous 2017.

Things are heating up on the Outer Banks and it’s not just the weather, although that’s getting warmer as well. The event calendar is getting so full that we can’t even get to everything there is to do—but we can at least give a good sense of upcoming events.

There’s plenty to do this weekend, with the Kentucky Derby Party at Elizabethan Gardens and the Eastern Surf Association regionals at Jennette’s Pier.

But for for visitors on the Outer Banks, those events are already scheduled, so we thought we would look ahead a bit to next weekend—Mother’s Day Weekend, because there is a bunch of ways to help mom celebrate.

For visitors—or residents—with little kids, there are two fantastic events lined up perfectly for the weekend.

On Friday, May 11, it’s KidsFest at Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo and on Saturday May 12 the Dare County Arts Council brings Artrageous, their annual celebration of children and the arts, to Dowdy Park in Nags Head.

KidsFest is sponsored by Children and youth Partnership of Dare County and the event is very much designed for younger kids. Artrageous will appeal to kids of just about every age group and there is something for everyone to do.

Tickets are required for some of events.

One of the nicest races anywhere is the Nags HeadWoods 5K on Saturday.. Now celebrating its 35th anniversary, the course is competely on a dirt road with a beautiful canopy created by old growth trees shading the route. There’s a little bit of up and down to the course, but not too much.

Dog lovers—Woofstock brings a weekend of fun and funny competitions to the the Nags Head Event Site on Roanoke Sound.

And…do not forget about Annual Pirate Putt-Putt for Polio Fundraiser Tournament at Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf Course in Kill Devil Hills. That’s a lot of fun for a very good cause.

Still looking for accommodations for the upcoming weekend? Check out Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates for great selection and quality homes.

Outer Banks Events May 11-13

KidsFest

Roanoke Island Festival Park, Manteo

Friday, May 11

9:30am-12:30pm 

This annual event is a FREE and fun-filled day where children, ages five and under, can enjoy face painting, bubbles, ice cream and snowballs, arts and crafts, music, large vehicles, and much more! 

WOOFstock 2018 – featuring Outer Banks Spring Splash

The Outer Banks Soundside Event Site

May 11-13

Phone: (252) 473-3234

Head over to The Soundside for two pooch-friendly events. Woofstock moves to the beach this year and is joined by the “Outer Banks Spring Splash,” featuring Dock Dogs and a 25,000-gallon competition pool.

35th Annual Nags Head Woods 5K Run

Nags Head Woods, Kill Devil Hills

May 12

Double starts at 7AM & main race at 8am.

It is an out-and-back course that covers rolling terrain on a hard-packed trail. The Nags Head Woods 5K Run is the longest running charity race on the Outer Banks hosted annually by the North Banks Rotary Club.

Annual Pirate Putt-Putt for Polio Fundraiser Tournament

Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf, Kill Devil Hills

May 12

(252) 489-9198

Time: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Pirate Putt Putt for Polio is an annual miniature golf tournament and fund raiser for Rotary International’s End Polio Now – worldwide polio eradication initiative.. The price is $10 per person, which includes a round of miniature golf.

Artrageous Kids Art Festival

Dowdy Park, Nags Head

Nags Head, NC 27959

May 12

10:00 AM-8:00 PM

Artrageous is organized and staffed by volunteer artists, musicians, crafters, dancers, writers, photographers and other creative people who dedicate their time and energy to the event each year.   Proceeds from Artrageous benefit DCAC cultural arts programming and the Artrageous Youth Scholarship Fund, which awards one scholarship to a senior at each Dare County High School.