Atlantic Beach and Music! 2012 Season

ATLANTIC BEACH—The Friends of Ft. Macon’s free summer concert series continues its 2012 season with a great bluegrass show on June 22. 

We are pleased to announce that Samantha Casey & The Bluegrass Jam will be entertaining in the Fort’s parade grounds. They are one of the most sought-after groups in North Carolina, and present a fun-filled show of traditional and original bluegrass, bluegrass gospel and fiddle tunes. All shows are free (donations welcome), music is from 7-8 p.m., and it all takes place within the walls of historic Ft. Macon. The “Sally Port” doors open early, and picnic baskets are welcome (no alcohol or pets). Fort Macon is located at the end of East Fort Macon Road in Atlantic Beach. For information about any activities at the fort, call 252-726-3775 or call 252-354-5259 about the shows.

ATLANTIC BEACH — The Friends of Ft. Macon will present Unknown Tongues at Ft. Macon on June 15. 

Unknown Tongues is a well-known and very popular Cajun/Zydeco band that livens up any venue with their special personality and infectious music. They turn the austere Fort’s parade ground into a Mardi Gras party for the evening. The show is free (donations welcome) and begins at 7 p.m. Ft. Macon’s historic doors open early for picnickers (no alcohol) and those who want to soak up the beautiful views. Ft. Macon State Park, with 424 acres of dunes, beaches, nature and history, is located at the end of East Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach. Call the Fort at 252-726-3775 for more information, or 354-5259 about the concerts.

Fort Macon - Atlantic Beach A Historic Adventure

Fort Macon offers public access to the surf, sun and sand of the Crystal Coast—as well as a historic landmark. Located at the eastern end of Bogue Banks, one of a series of barrier islands along the North Carolina coast, the park is surrounded on three sides by water—the Atlantic Ocean, Beaufort Inlet and Bogue Sound. This area of undisturbed natural beauty is the perfect place to explore salt marshes and estuaries vital to the coastal ecosystem.

The park is also home to a Civil War fort with a history as intricate and unique as the waterways of the sound. Visit Fort Macon to enjoy the land's natural beauty and soak up some history

Five-sided Fort Macon is constructed of brick and stone. Twenty-six vaulted rooms (also called casemates) are enclosed by outer walls that average 4 1/2 feet thick.
In modern times, the danger of naval attack along the North Carolina coast seems remote, but during the 18th and 19th centuries, the region around Beaufort was highly vulnerable to attack.
Blackbeard and other infamous pirates were known to have passed through Beaufort Inlet at will while successive wars with Spain, France and Great Britain during the Colonial Period provided a constant threat of coastal raids by enemy warships. Beaufort was captured and plundered by the Spanish in 1747 and again by the British in 1782.
North Carolina leaders recognized the need for coastal defenses to prevent such attacks and began efforts to construct forts. The eastern point of Bogue Banks was determined to be the best location for a fort to guard the entrance to Beaufort Inlet, and in 1756 construction of a small fascine fort known as Fort Dobbs began there. Fort Dobbs was never finished, and the inlet remained undefended during the American Revolution.

For More information visit the official website