What’s on your Outer Banks Vacation Bucket List this Summer?

Hand drawn illustration on blue background.

Welcome back to our final installment of the ‘What’s on your Outer Banks Bucket List’ In this post, we will be covering Summer. While it may seem silly to be thinking about your Summer vacation now, we promise that it’s never too early. Summer is an excellent time to visit the Outer Banks as the weather is perfect with just a few afternoon summer showers. Staying in one of our OBX Vacation rentals will allow you and your family to explore the Outer Banks even more this Summer.

40th Annual Rogallo Kite Festival

The little girl in the t-shirt plays on the beach by the sea with a colorful kite. In the background many people are walking on the beach.

As summer vacation begins and the temperature rises, the 40th Annual Rogallo Kite Festival begins. The weekend of June 17th – 19th, 2022, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, is hosted by Kitty Hawk Kites at Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Some of the fun things that you can experience at this festival are taking part in a free stunt kite lesson, learning about the different kinds of kites, coloring activities for the kids, or flying your kite. For many families, going to the beach and getting to fly that kite can be the highlight of your trip! Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates are a proud sponsor of the Boardwalk & a Friend of Jockey’s Ridge State Park. 

The Lost Colony

Another great thing that happens every summer is enjoying The Lost Colony shows. This is a production put on by actors and performers sharing the story of the 117 English men, women, and children whose dream was to live in America. This outdoor drama has become a tradition for many families to not miss every summer. This year The Lost Colony is celebrating its 85th year, and we are proud to be sponsors of this incredible act. Be sure to get your tickets today for your next trip to the Outer Banks.

16th Annual Watermelon Festival

Friends having great time on the beach,eating watermelon.

Summertime is a great time to spend with friends and family while enjoying some freshly cut watermelon as you sit on the deck of your OBX vacation rental together. We had to share with you the 16th Annual Watermelon Festival on Thursday, August 4th, 2022, from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. This year it will be at Kitty Hawk Kites located in Nags Head and featuring many fun things. Some of the things you can enjoy are Watermelon Themed Competitions, Watermelon Bowling, Face Painting, and more. Plus, there will be plenty of vendors that will have some delicious food to try out. Admission to the festival is free, but you will need to purchase tickets to enjoy the activities. Don’t miss out on this fun adventure this summer with the family.

Honorable Mentions

We know that the possibilities are endless when you vacation to the Outer Banks during the summer, but we wanted to share a few more things on the list.

  • Have a picnic on the beach with the family – pack a lunch with the kids, bring the cooler filled with drinks & enjoy spending time together on the beach.
  • Explore Historic Corolla and visit the Whalehead Club
  • Go Deep Sea Fishing or do a little Surf Fishing with the family
  • Create new memories with the family

The Outer Banks is always a different experience for many during the summer months, and we promise that you’ll enjoy every moment you have. Staying in one of our OBX vacation rentals, you’ll be close to the fun each summer. We’d like to know what is on your #OBXBucketList this summer?

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.

Kitty Hawk Kites Watermelon Festival Fun for the Whole Family

Face painting is just one of the great kid-friendly activities at the Kitty Hawk Kites Watermelon Festival.
Face painting is just one of the great kid-friendly activities at the Kitty Hawk Kites Watermelon Festival.

Need something for the kids to do? A fun time that will keep the whole family laughing and create some great memories? Check out the Kitty Hawk Watermelon Festival this Thursday at Jockey’s Ridge Crossing in Nags Head.

This is the 12th Annual Kitty Hawk Kites Watermelon Festival and having attended quite a number of them we can guarantee it will be a great time..

It’s all about watermelon, fun and there’s a little bit of silliness to it as well, but that just adds to the good time.

The classic for the day is the watermelon seed spitting contest. Of course…how could there be a Watermelon Festival without a watermelon seed spitting contest?

The day is really geared around children, so there is face painting, an inflatable waterslide and tie dye T-shirt making. And of course, a watermelon eating contest.

The event is free, but activities and contests do require a ticket. However any money collected goes to a good cause— the Outer Banks Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Coalition. The Coalition has been working with local communities and government to enhance bicycle safety and awareness.

The festivities kick off at 10 a.m. and keep going until 4 p.m. The weather forecast is looking pretty good for Thursday, so pack up the kids, put a bounce in your step and go spit some watermelon seeds.

So much to do and so little time, so plan another visit to the Outer Banks with Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates.

Watermelon Festival-Kids, Family, Fun

Getting ready for the Watermelon Eating contest.
Getting ready for the Watermelon Eating contest.

A Perfect Day to Celebrate Watermelon

During the summer there’s not a lot of large celebrations, mostly because just about everyone is concentrating on making sure our visitors are treated like guests and they that they’re having a great time.

But there are a few, let’s call them, mini-festivals and one of our absolute favorites is the Kitty Hawk Kites Watermelon Festival at the company’s Jockey’s Ridge Crossing store in Nags Head. They list it as the 11th Annual Watermelon Festival, but those of us who have lived here longer remember the Festivals going back longer than that.

What it really is, is a celebration of kids, family and summer. Because let’s face it—fresh watermelon is about as perfectly summer as it gets.

So what is?

It’s all about kids. Yes, Mom and Dad will have a great time, but the activities are really geared to children. There’s face painting, tie dye shirt making and toy demos—the balance board was really cool.

There were great activities. Stanley the Shark—think a mechanical bull only a shark—was getting a real workout inside Kitty Hawk Surf Company. The inflatable waterslide is always popular and kids were lined up all day.

One that was really cool…or maybe cold. Kids, and some adults, stuck their hand in a bath of ice water then immediately dipped their hand into soft wax creating an image of their hand.

The highlight of any Watermelon Festival, though, has to be the contests. The seed spitting and the watermelon eating.

Always highly competitive, ultimately it’s all about having fun. Nonetheless, the eating contestants really gave it their all, champing their way through three large pieces of watermelon in hope of taking home the grand prize…whatever that may have been.

Is the Kitty Hawk Kites Watermelon Festival a huge day of celebration? No, not really. But at the end of the day, what it really is all about is what the Outer Banks does best…family, kids and fun.