Hot New Music Groups From The Outer Banks

Hot New Music Groups From The Outer Banks

Whether you like Jazz, Rock, Blues, Country, Hip-Hop, World or a slice of all of it together OBX has a unique blend of diversity when it comes to local music in multiple genres. There are many bars and restaurants that feature live local music which makes the live entertainment music scene rich and ever interesting. Whether you like cover bands or original groups OBX has what you are looking for and something for everyone. One of the greatest features of the Outer Banks music scene is the diversity of local talent with a wide range in age and music taste. In addition, there are plenty of DJ’s and wedding performers as well. There are also online websites that provides a source for music library listening as well as databasing the Outer Banks music scene. Whether you are just traveling into the Outer Banks area on vacation or business or if you are a local resident you will be pleased to discover the potential in live music entertainment. The beauty of this music scene is that there is usually some kind of music event happening almost everyday of the week making it very easy to discover new music and to have a good time in the Outer Banks area.  

Pirate Adventures of the Outer Banks

Welcome to Pirate Adventures of the Outer Banks, a place where children come to experience the magic of sailing away in search of buried treasure. Come aboard our pirate ship and get caught up n this real life adventure and be amazed as our crew taps into the wonder of a child’s imagination. Before you know it your child will be painted with a curly mustache or a beautiful mermaid, dressed up as a pirate and marching off to the ship.

Once aboard the young pirates will learn the rules at sea aboard their pirate ship and read a treasure map to find our sunken treasure. A message in a bottle floats by and the children discover that Pirate Pete, the smelliest, most rotten pirate on the seven seas is lurking nearby and he has something our brave crew needs. Off we go into battle with our famous water cannons! Will the crew defeat Pirate Pete and find the sunken treasure?

On the pirate ship Sea Gypsy we always find the treasure, we always defeat that stinky pirate, and the
children always walk away with incredible stories!

Pirate Adventures of the Outer Banks will begin operating Memorial Day weekend six times a day seven days a week from the town dock in the beautiful waterfront town of Manteo. Our great program, our caring, high energy staff and our committment to your child’s satisfaction make Pirate Adventures an outstanding choice for families on vacation or spending the day together.  

Museum of the Marine

Our Story

Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point and New River, North Carolina are sacred ground to all Marines. On these bases and their supporting auxiliaries, more than four million Marines and other members of the sea services – known as the Carolina Marines – have heeded the call to defend their country and have prepared themselves to respond to crises anywhere in the world.

Since being established during World War II, these bases have played a critical role in the training of an elite fighting force and in the development of technological and tactical innovations.

In many ways, the war in the Pacific from 1942 until 1945 was won on the beaches of Onslow County, North Carolina and in the skies of eastern North Carolina, as the area became a center for amphibious training and the building of Marine units.

The two Army divisions that spearheaded the Allied assault on North Africa and Europe were likewise trained in amphibious operations by Marines and Coast Guardsmen at Camp Lejeune.

A brief history

The Marine Corps came to North Carolina in 1941, following the decision by the U.S. to construct a base devoted to the organization and training of a Marine division. This base, ultimately named Camp Lejeune, was the site at which one complete Marine division (the 1st Marine Division) and components of four additional Marine divisions were trained during World War II. The first African American Marines all trained at Camp Lejeune, as did nearly all of the 23,000 women Marine reservists.

At nearby Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station and its 16 subordinate air stations and air fields, 17 Marine Corps Aircraft Groups and 91 Marine aviation squadrons were trained and deployed, mostly to the Pacific theater.

Our Carolina bases and units endured significant reductions following the war. With the eruption of the Korean War in 1950, however, military leaders quickly realized the need for amphibious expertise and both were substantially augmented. The vastly under-manned 1st Marine Division, then on the west coast, was brought to wartime strength by transferring Camp Lejeune’s 2nd Marine Division units to the 1st Marine Division and changing their designations.

With this reinforcement, the 1st Marine Division conducted what is considered to be the most successful amphibious assault in military history at Inchon, radically altering the course of the war.

Through the wars in Vietnam, the Balkans, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Africa and Iraq, the Carolina Marines have continued to prepare right here on the coast to conduct our country’s most challenging military operations at the “tip of the spear.”

Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.

Recent news: Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. hosted Thalian Hall: Wilmington’s Living Room, a historic theatre forum presented by the League of Historic American Theatres, Inc., October 11-12, 2010 in the recently renovated Thalian Hall.

Representatives from approximately 30 historic theatres and other organizations across the country convened in Wilmington for the League’s quarterly board meeting and another in a series of forums hosted by and for historic theatres. They joined host Tony Rivenbark, Thalian Hall’s Executive Director, in discussions ranging from preserving and sustaining a cultural icon to partnerships for enhancing community engagement and strategies for expanding historic theatres without threatening their unique characters.

By visiting a historic theatre and community renewed, forum participants learned first-hand from Thalian Hall and Wilmington, sharing information and techniques for surviving and thriving during challenging economic times.

Dedicated to sustaining America’s historic theatres for the benefit of their communities and future generations, the League of Historic American Theatres, Inc. is a national network of resources for improving historic theatres, their business and their communities. For more than three decades, League members and their historic theatres -- a growing network of more than 300 historic theatres across the U.S. and Canada -- have been at the forefront in stimulating downtown redevelopment, building community identity and heritage, promoting pride of place and anchoring creative communities.

League members know from direct experience that historic theatres are irreplaceable social, economic, historic and cultural resources for their communities. As successful survivors, historic theatres’ longevity is due to managements who constantly adapt their programming, operations and facilities to remain relevant to their communities.
Additional information about the League of Historic American Theatres, Inc. is available online at www.lhat.org .

The 1858 Thalian Hall is one of the most significant theatres in the United States and has been in almost continuous use since it first opened. The theatre has been under the management of the Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. since 1963. In addition to the historic Thalian Hall Main Stage, the THCPA staff operates the City Council Chambers and Ballroom, and the Studio Theatre. The THCPA operates the Center Box Office, co-ordinates the calendar and supervise the use of the facility. It provides the ushers, and maintains the interior of the building.

THCPA produces the Main Attractions Concert Series, the Adventures in Arts Series for family audiences, and the Cinematique Film Series with WHQR. It also serves as a private foundation by subsidizing the use of the theatre by a wide range of community users.

Last year there were over 250 shows, events and films for a total of 495 performances, and these programs attracted audiences totaling more than 85,000 people. The events ranged from music to ballet and theatre, from pop, jazz, folk and country music to the finest in domestic, independent and foreign films. The Thalian Hall complex is the site of recitals, awards ceremonies, film festivals, lectures and charity events, and is "home" to a large number of theatre and performing companies, including By Chance Productions, Opera House Theatre, Thalian Association, Willis Richardson Players, Theatre Exchange, and Stageworks Youth Theatre.

Thalian Hall is an education center, with unique performances and programs attracting more than 10,000 school children each season. Thalian Hall is one of the most heavily utilized facilities of its kind in the nation and is an economic generator stimulating the local economy by more than $2 million dollars annually. Today Thalian Hall continues to serve as the most enduring symbol of Wilmington’s cultural heritage and exciting plans are in process for its future under the direction of the THCPA.

Explore here to learn about the near-limitless activities and opportunities that Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts affords our community and our visitors.

Core Sound Museum

Much has been said about the flare bow of Harkers Island boats. Writers and boat builders have come from across the country to marvel at the engineering that its structure exemplifies. They are amazed at how the shape of the bow worked the shallow waters of Core Sound and the way the soft juniper wood would make the angle of the curve. How could a man with only an innate knowledge of the water and a natural talent for working wood develop such a design? The answer is simple; he knew what was needed and he built it. The boat's beauty is the culmination of that understanding.

Other boatbuilders on the Island explained it this way: "Brady had a gift for building things and he understood the water. The curve of the bow turns water away from the inside of the boat, the round stern has no corner for net to get hung on; practical thinking, practical people, fine craftsmanship, ingenious results." From his influence has come a long legacy of master boatbuilders and an industry whose trademark Harkers Island "flare" is recognized worldwide.

The Core Sound Waterfowl Museum recognizes the "Jean Dale" as a story that goes far beyond boat building design. This vessel's history reflects the talents and strength of a community of people who for generations have made a life for themselves and their families with that same style and ingenuity. Mr. Brady's boats began with a hatchet and just the right tree to make the "knee" of the boat. Brady Lewis believed he had all he needed and he made it work.

In that day, the people of Harkers Island accepted that reality in everything they did. Their resourcefulness was their survival, their work was their success and their character was shaped by both. The "Jean Dale" is a beautiful symbol of all that. That is the story she tells.

Calvin Rose, one of the legendary Rose Brothers boat builders was born and raised among these boats all his life. He explained Harkers Island boats this way. "What makes Harkers Island boats the best? I guess it's the material, the design of the boat that we put in it and then we put ourselves in that boat. When that boat is finished, what's in us is in that boat and I think that's what makes our boat one of the best boats built ..."

Mr. Harry Lewis, the man who owned, fished and loved the "Jean Dale," was a man who worked the water by putting himself into his work. Depending on the season, the wind, the tide (in other words, "what he had") and the working knowledge and determination born in him, Mr. Harry made a living for his family. His children's names, Patty Jean and Dale, graced the vessel he worked and loved for more than half a century. His family, his work and his boat were all one and the same.

It is this community's story that the "Jean Dale" tells and the heritage we will carry on.

Funding provided by the NC Arts Council to document this historic vessel.

Airlie Gardens

Airlie continues to amaze visitors with its breathtaking combination of formal gardens, wildlife, historic structures, walking trails, sculptures, views of Bradley Creek, 10-acres of freshwater lakes, more than 100,000 azaleas and the grandeur of the 467-year-old Airlie Oak.

Maritime Museums

About the NC Maritime Museum in Beaufort

Visit the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort for a taste of coastal cultures and maritime history.  Exhibits feature the state’s rich seafood industry, life-saving stations and lighthouses, and sailboats and motorboats. The Museum is the official repository for artifacts from Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge, which ran aground near Beaufort in 1718.

The waters off North Carolina's Outer Banks entomb thousands of vessels and countless mariners who lost a desperate struggle against the forces of war, piracy and nature. The Graveyard of the Atlantic, with one of the highest densities of shipwrecks in the world, holds some of America's most important maritime history. More than just a collection of artifacts, the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum is a premier cultural attraction for the Atlantic Seaboard and one of the finest, most innovative maritime facilities in the nation. All along the Outer Banks lie shipwrecks associated with this rich heritage, such as ...

The Ghost ship of Diamond Shoals
January 31, 1921, 6:30 a.m. - 
Surfman C.P. Brady of the Cape Hatteras Coast Guard Station scans the horizon in the first light of day with his spyglass. As daylight increases he is shocked to spot a five-mast schooner with all sails set riding a sandbar on Diamond Shoals. The sea was rough and the tide was strong. He put out a call for help...

To try your hand at solving one of history's greatest maritime mysteries, click in the spyglass view at left.

 

The association of the flag with the USS Monticello makes it of primary importance to the history of Hatteras and North Carolina.  The flag is 8 feet at the hoist and 12 feet on the fly and is in very fragile condition. It is estimated that it could cost in excess of $60,000 to preserve this one-of-a- kind Civil War Artifact.  We ask you to help the Museum to save this remarkable piece of history. Please donate now by clicking on the Donate Tab or contact the Friends of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum at (252) 986-2995 to make a donation towards the preservation of the Monticello flag. We thank you for your consideration and kind support!

Native America Museum

Frisco Native American Museum had it's beginning over seventy years ago in the heart of museum founder, Carl Bornfriend, when he was just a young boy. Carl has had an appreciation for Native American cultures from his earliest memory. At a time when many people did not realize the importance of preserving native artifacts, Carl frequently saw beautiful items carelessly treated or destroyed. Though his own resources were limited, he often made sacrifices to become a keeper of the heritage. 

When Carl moved to Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and met Joyce, they discovered a mutual love for historical preservation. Married in 1986, they brought a more than a half century of experience as educators to the task of creating the museum

Teaching full time, Carl used every spare minute developing exhibits in the oldest section of the current facility, opening the museum in 1987 as a non-profit educational foundation with 501 (c) (3) status. The building, which is almost a hundred years old, has a rich history as a general store and gathering place, post office and shell shop. The low ceilinged, small rooms have slowly been transformed into delightful galleries. New additions to the facility have expanded both headroom and display space! 

For the first four years, Joyce and Carl continued to work full time as educators and opened the museum Friday through Sunday during the school year and seven days a week in the summer. Land for the nature trail was acquired in 1989, and a year later when Carl's health no longer permitted him to teach full time, the museum opened six days a week, year round. 

Visitors and friends who discovered the museum in 1987 have shared its remarkable growth. A new gift shop was opened in 1989, and the old gift shop became display space. In 1991, a spacious pavilion was constructed on the nature trail, and in 1992, Hurricane Emily brought more than three feet of water through the facility. Recovery from Emily was challenging, but in 1995, a two story addition was built, providing a research facility, preparation areas, expanded storage space and the opportunity to convert the old gift shop into a natural history center!
 
In 2005, the museum underwent another major renovation, relocating the gift shop, creating a small book store,  and adding more than a thousand square feet of new display room. A small observation room overlooking the bird yard was added to the Natural History Center, and a floating dock was constructed on the nature trail. 
 
In 2010, a section of the nature trail was "re-designed" to create a dance circle under the trees.   The new circle was created to debut with the 12th Annual Inter-Tribal Powwow, Journey Home,  and the 1st Annual Living History weekend, Dancing Moccasins.

Dolphin Watch

Join our research team on an unparalleled nature tour. You’ll see Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and learn about their feeding and social behavior. You can observe the diverse and fascinating wildlife of the Outer Banks including Osprey, Pelicans and many others.

Throughout your trip, our expert naturalists will provide a fascinating and in-depth commentary on the local ecology and history of this unique area. And if you like, you can participate in the ongoing study of our “brothers of the sea.”

Dolphin & Nature Tours

Tour Overview

• See Atlantic bottlenose dolphins! Learn about their migratory patterns and social behavior
• Observe diverse and fascinating wildlife
• The only dolphin watch on the Outer Banks that participates in a long-term bottlenose dolphin research study
• Crewed exclusively by accredited marine biologists
• Dolphin identification information on board
• Kids participate in hands-on activities measuring environmental conditions of the sound
• For more information about the dolphin research program, click here

Your Tour Boat

40 ft. fast pontoon boat with full canopy, padded seats and a bathroom on board

Cool soft drinks, water, and snacks available on board or bring your own cooler

Trips Daily

Monday at 12pm and 3pm

Tuesday thru Friday at 9am, 12pm and 3pm

Saturday at 9am and 12pm

$29 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under

Call for reservations! (252) 449-8999 or contact Kitty Hawk Kites

The History Place

The Carteret County Historical Society is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization run by volunteers and one full-time paid staff member and one part-time staff member. The museum is free to the public. Hours of operation are Tuesday-Friday plus 1st Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  It's supported by donations, grants, fund-raisers and membership dues. The Historical Society publishes a history journal, "The Researcher" twice a year, a bi-monthly newsletter; "the History Place Newsletter", and various books related to Carteret County.

Our mission statement is: To foster and promote public knowledge of, and interest in, the history and culture of the peoples of Carteret County and related areas through the collection, preservation, interpretation, and documentation of written and tangible artifacts.  

New Bern Fireman Museum

The museums mission is to preserve the history of fire fighting in New Bern, which boasts the first chartered fire company in the state of North Carolina. In keeping with this tradition, the Museum is relocating to the original 1928 station that housed the fire department for 72 years.

Visit the New Bern Firemen's Museum for the history of the Atlantic Hook & Ladder Company and the New Bern Steam Fire Engine Company No. 1 (which later became the Button Company). Experience the Great Fire of 1922 which burned over 1,000 homes, and left much of the city in ruin. Learn about New Bern's famous fire horse “Fred” and bring the kids (or an entire class of children) for an educational and fun day of learning what to do if there's a fire. People of all ages will appreciate the City’s firefighting history and will enjoy the interactive exhibits.

HOURS: Monday - Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm, Closed on Sundays*

ADMISSION: Adults: $5.00 - Children: $2.50 - Children under 6: FREE
*The Museum will be closed February 4, 2013 - March 3, 2013 and will reopen on March 4, 2013.

Fossil Museum

The latest addition to our museum is now open. Athough its use is primarily earmarked for classes and meetings, it contains some very interesting new displays. Our most recent acquisition is the large partial skeleton of a Yorkown whale. Check out the News page for photos and more information.

It's always a good day when the Pit of the Pungo gets new fossil dirt. The new fossil soils we received in May have dried out nicely and are prime for sifting. Some great micro fossils have been found, including cookie cutter and whale shark teeth.

The Aurora Fossil Museum, founded in 1976, is a non-profit fossil education resource center. Our museum’s mission is to increase knowledge of the geology and paleontology of the coastal plains of North Carolina. We accomplish this task through exhibits, outreach programs and field studies. Our own fossil pile, affectionately dubbed the 'Pit of the Pungo', is an unlimited source of Miocene age fossils donated by our local phosphate mine. In these fossil rich soils, one may find the remains of ancient sharks, whales, bony fish, corals, shells and other invertebrates. Our staff will willingly provide personal assistance and other resources to help you identify your finds. Bring a garden trowel or sifter and plastic bags, spend the day collecting with us, and take home a piece of the past.

The museum has a wide variety of Pleistocene, Pliocene and Miocene marine fossils on display. Most displays feature specimens collected from the local PotashCorp mine (formerly referred to as Lee Creek). This famous mine has been called the most important source of Pliocene and Miocene fossils in the world.

ANTEBELLUM HOUSE

One of the largest antebellum plantation houses in North Carolina, recently restored Buckner Hill House (1855), still surrounded by hundreds of acres of  cotton corn tobacco and cattle,  provides a  rare view of original, mostly  undisturbed Greek Revival plantation architecture.  Built by highly skilled African-American labor for the Hill family on the site of their  previous plantation house (c.1700s), Buckner Hill House also has Italianate features and an unusual cruciform floor plan with wide halls on both floors crossing in  the center of the house. A wealthy physician and landowner, Dr. Buckner Lanier Hill, began the project  in the 1850s. The house has undergone very few modifications in its 150 year history. Original marbleizing, mahogany and rosewood graining, and all of the ornate plaster cornices in the house survive. The frame structure is constructed of centuries-old heart pine from the virgin forests of the New World. Much of the wood for the 1855 house was recycled for use from the previous dwelling, built in the 1700s. The house appears in North Carolina Architecture, which notes "when the wide double doors on all four sides of the house are thrown open, the broad passages that meet at the center of the dwelling become a vast  interior porch." This area was also used by the family as a ballroom. In June, 2001, filming of a major motion picture concluded at the house. It was used as the set for the Walker family home in the film version of Rebecca Wells' national bestseller "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" (released in 2002). Appointments are required: phone 910-293-3001. Select links on the left of this screen for directions and a map.

USS NC BATTLESHIP

Moored in quiet dignity and majesty the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, across the river from downtown Wilmington, beckons visitors to walk her decks. Envision the daily life and fierce combat her crew faced in the Pacific Theatre during World War II.

From all across our Nation they came, young men who had grown up in the crucible of the Great Depression and now determined to serve their Country in its time of need. These are the men whose stories you will encounter through their oral histories, photographs, and mementos as you experience the Ship and the exhibits.

Step back in time and let history come alive through the crews’ stories. Discover and build your personal connection by steering the ship, starting her engines or even firing the guns. The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA It's Your Experience.

The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is asking for your stories and experience from her travels to her current berth 50 years ago .  See more information here.

Great Smokey Mountain Railroad

With the romance and mystique of an era gone by, guests on board the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad will enjoy year-round scenic train journeys across fertile valleys, through tunnels and across river gorges in a spectacular region of eastern America called the Great Smoky Mountains.

Wild Horse Adventure Tours

Find the Outer Banks Wild Corolla Spanish Mustang Horses and discover some of the most unique sights OBX has to offer with our air-conditioned Excursions or open-air tours. Our friendly and knowledgeable guides take you onto the pristine northern beaches - accessible only with a 4x4 off-road vehicle. We guarantee to find you the Corolla Wild Horses or your money back!

Ricks Jeep Adventures

We offer Jeep Rentals to see the Outer Banks Wild Horses. Your off-road Jeep adventure lasts a little over 2 hours. The Jeep tour will take you across the pristine 4x4 beaches. Because our Jeep Rentals are "self driven" but "fully guided" we can offer a full money-back guarantee to find the horses. Rent from the best and all you need to do is enjoy your ride!