Family, Fireworks & Fun at Manteo New Year’s Eve Celebration

Spectacular fireworks welcomed in the New Year in Manteo.
Spectacular fireworks welcomed in the New Year in Manteo.

Manteo, New Year’s Eve Celebration and oh, what a difference a year makes!

With temperatures hovering in the low sixties and a gentle breeze off Shallowbag Bay, the celebration bringing in 2019 could not have been much more different that 2018.

Last year…that gentle breeze was was a 12 mile an hour wind with occasional gusts, the temperatures never did quite get to 20 degrees and there were snow flurries.

There was a brief light shower last night, but the rain arrived late in the evening and it came and went very quickly.

When Cory Hemilright of Bluegrass Island and Tod Clissold owner of Poor Richard’s came up with the idea last year, this is what they had in mind. The evening was a wonderful celebration of many of the things that are best about the Outer Banks.

A very nice touch, though, that was fun and funny was dropping a lighted ball from the old Dare County Courthouse at 8:30 so the kids could get in on the fun. OK, the timing might have been just a bit off and there might have been a brief technical delay, but hearing all those little voiced counting down from ten and the squeals of joy when the ball lit was a true joy.

The Original Rhondels provided the sound track fo the evening and their blend of classic beach music with a couple of modern songs that matched their stye was perfect. They began playing soon after the ball dropped and kept playing right up to midnight.

Many of the parents opted to keep their children with them waiting for the fireworks that had been billed as the largest New Year’s Eve pyrotechnics in the state. Maybe they were the largest…maybe not…but they were spectacular and were the perfect way to welcome in the New Year.

Now that we’re into 2019, be sure to book your Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates vacation as soon as you can for the best selection of our Outer Banks properties.

Manteo’s Dare Day Highlights Welcomes Summer to OBX

Manteo Dare Day--street fair and county fair rolled up into one celebration.
Manteo Dare Day–street fair and county fair rolled up into one celebration.

Celebration Brings Food, Fun, Music to Manteo

If Norman Rockwell were alive today, he would travel to Manteo to paint the perfect picture of small town life.

Saturday’s 43rd Annual Dare Day was about as ideal a day to throw a part welcoming summer as there could be. The weather was wonderful—a little warm, but not too bad, bright sunshine and no rain at all until much later in the day.

For anyone who has not had the opportunity to go to Dare Days, imagine a small town that is also the county seat for the County deciding to though a County fair. Only it’s more of a street fair than anything else, with the downtown area closed off.

Filling sidewalks and spilling into the road are lots of food vendors, booths filled with crafts and art of all sorts, authors were on hand to sign their books, and live music all day.

And we can’t forget the Blue Ribbon Prizes awarded for the best homemade goodies in nine categories…everything from cookies and candy to pickles and salsa and relish.

Highlights of the day? That’s hard to say.

The Pirate demonstration put on by The Shadow Players Stage Combat Group was a lot of fun. They maintained a running dialogue with the audience, were funny, entertaining and informative. The whip demonstration was particularly good.

There are always plenty of kid’s rides and, of course cotton candy and funnel cakes

Special mention has to be made of the music—especially the Rhondels. Based out of Virginia Beach, back in the 1960s they were one of the hottest groups around. They’re still really good, although the original members aren’t in the group these days.

The reason they are getting a special call out is they braved what might have been the coldest Outer Banks New Year’s Eve on record to perform outdoors at the Manteo New Year celebration. They probably deserve the great weather they got this time around.

There’s always something special happening on the Outer Banks. Find the perfect home to be a part of Outer Banks life at Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates.

Great Time but Cold Temps for New Year in New World Celebration

A Cold Night for a Great Celebration

We have some good news and some bad news about the upcoming New Year in the New World New Year’s Eve Celebration in Manteo.

The good news—it’s looking amazing!

The bad news—bundle up…

Looking at things on the bright side, it’s not going to be anything at all like the forecast for Times Square in NYC. Sure, they get all the press, but this is our first time doing a New Year’s celebration in Manteo so we’re still building our good will.

It does look like a great way to welcome the New Year.

The music and fun begins at 5:00 p.m with DJ Mike followed by bluegrass jazz band Sassafras at 7:00.

A really nice touch, there will be an 8:30 ball drop for the kids so they don’t have to stay up until midnight to watch the ball drop.

The musical headliner for the evening will be the Rhondels. Hailing from Virginia Beach, the Rhondels had a series of hits in the 1960s and their sound is smooth as silk.

At midnight…the official ball drop with what is being billed as the largest fireworks display in North Carolina.

Definitely break out the down parka and wear some layers for this one though. The Manteo midnight forecast temperature is 28 degrees. Of course, it could be worse—Times Square forecast calls for 11 degrees.

Announced Schedule for the Town of Manteo

5:00 PM DJ Mike

7:00PM   Sassagrass

Sassagrass is an eclectic group of multi-instrumentalists who wow crowds with hard-hitting bluegrass and jam fused music.

8:30pm   Children’s Early Ball Drop

Following an evening of family-friendly events, the early ball drop at 8:30p.m. allows little ones to ring in the new year before the late hours. 

9:00PM   The Rhondels

From Virginia Beach, VA, the Original Rhondels are a music tradition who have performed their hit recordings in almost every major city in the United States.  In 1969, Bill Deal and The Rhondels began a recording career that would take them to Madison Square Garden and across the country.  With three top 10 hits, ‘May I”,  I’ve Been Hurt”,  and “What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am”, the band toured the country delighting audiences with outstanding vocals, powerful brass, and exciting showmanship.  The band continues that honored tradition today, playing the music that made them famous as well as current favorites for all ages.

Midnight  FIREWORKS

Join us on the docks of Downtown Manteo for theLARGEST NEW YEARS EVE FIREWORK SHOW in the state, all choreographed to music!