OUTER BANKS MILEPOST: ISSUE 12.3

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Issue 12.3

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Smile — it’s contagious.

Photo: Cal Ramsey

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SOMETIMES, YOU DON’T NEED TO CHANGE THE WORLD — JUST YOUR MOOD.

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“OUTER BANKGST.” gohunt

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That’s what I call that palpable feeling that’s pervading the beach. Not merely the beach, but the whole damn community.

From the swamps of East Lake to the docks of Roanoke Island — the dunes of Hatteras, right up through Carova — it seems like every long-time local is stressing over our current state of affairs.

If you’re a struggling worker, or a harried employer, it’s spiking living costs and a lack of affordable housing. If you’re lucky enough to live comfortably, it’s increasing density, decreasing charm, and a general homogenization that’s erasing our favorite quirks with every cleared lot or fresh coat of pavement. And if you’re an elected

official, it’s the frustration that comes with endlessly tackling complex decisions that are destined to make nobody happy.

Or, if you’re like me, it’s a grim feeling that all these worries are for naught. That whether we find a way to house every diehard — and milk every dollar — it’s all destined to disappear as our fragile habitat faces existential crises everyone’s either ignoring, avoiding or refusing to believe.

Every day, experts from CSI to NASA warn that climate change is coming, and yet we build more and higher right in harm’s way.

What happens when the right storm wipes us all off the map? And even if it doesn’t, what happens when our insurance bills

connections to the place itself. Like the way an ominous cloud system can unleash torrents that rip the entire sky to pieces — then suddenly clear up, leaving the whole beach feeling somehow scrubbed clean and brand new. Or the raging seas that regularly rearrange sandbars and swash zones to keep everyone guessing.

All the dynamic forces that make daily life interesting.

Things that take a lifetime to really appreciate — but can be all too easy to forget.

are so huge, they have the same dramatic effect? Forcing all but the wealthiest homeowners to evacuate permanently, and turning a once gritty collection of saltboxes, surfers and sea captains into the gilded equivalent of a gated sandbar.

At times like these, I start Googling “unspoiled beach towns” and “top tropical destinations to retire.” Searching for some sort of unrealistic ripcord solution that’ll gently parachute me into another cool coastal zone, leaving all these problems behind.

But then I think of all the important relationships I’d abandon. Not just the robust group of great friends, but the little

Which is why I loved researching this issue’s photo feature so much. Because while I’m kvetching over all the things that are “no more,” there’s a vibrant crew of twenty-somethings crowing over all the cool shit that still exists. Young turks that look and sound a lot like I did when I arrived for my first year-round stint 30 years ago. Back when there was no such thing as a bad session or a shitty buzz.

Every fresh face was a potential friend. And all the best thrills were cheap-to-free.

Not only is it a sign that the Outer Banks hasn’t lost all its raw appeal, it’s a reminder that, sometimes, you don’t need to change the world — you just need to change your mood. Go out and savor every precious opportunity while you can. Catch a wave — or a fish. See a band — or a sunset.

Actively disengage from the melancholy and seek out the magical.

It may not solve a single problem. It may just be more whistling past the graveyard.

But there’s no reason to sweat every second of every day. If this place is going down, I’m going down with it — and I’m going down smiling. — Matt Walker

Thank you for reading Outer Banks Milepost. We hope you enjoy it. If not — before chucking this issue into the nearest dumpster — please consider one of the following equally satisfying ways of expressing your disgust: blow it full of green boogers the next time your nose gets bent out of shape; shred it into confetti and hold a self-pity parade. Or just toss it on that six-month stack of newspapers you’ve yet to recycle. (Trust us, you’ll feel better.) Then, send any and all feedback — positive, negative or just plain confused — to: editor@outerbanksmilepost.com. We promise to find some way to re-purpose them. milepost 3

“Pics, or it didn’t happen.” — Anonymous “And now…let the wild rumpus start!” — Maurice Sendak Issue 12.3 Fall ’23 Cover: Rooster Tale Photo: Ed Tupper

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Lensfolk Nate Appel, Matt Artz, Nathan Beane, Chris Bickford, Russell Blackwood, Mike Booher, Don Bower, Aycock Brown, Mark Buckler, Jon Carter, Garnette Coleman, Rich Coleman, Marc Corbett, Kim Cowen, Chris Creighton, Mere Crockett, Benny Crum, Jason Denson, Amy Dixon, Susan Dotterer Dixon, Lori Douglas, Julie Dreelin, Tom Dugan/ESM, Roy Edlund, Bryan Elkus, Ben Gallop, Cory Godwin, Treveon Govan, Chris Hannant, Katie Harms, Bryan Harvey, David Alan Harvey, Ginger Harvey, Bob Hovey, Biff Jennings, Jenni Koontz, Daryl Law, Mike Leech, Anthony Leone, Jeff Lewis, Jared Lloyd, Matt Lusk, Ray Matthews, Brooke Mayo, Mickey McCarthy, Nic McLean, Roger Meekins, D. Victor Meekins, Richard L. Miller, Dick Meseroll/ESM, Ashley Milteer, David Molnar, Rachel Moser, Ryan Moser, Elizabeth Neal, Rob Nelson, Candace Owens, Anne Snape Parsons, Crystal Polston, Daniel Pullen, Cal Ramsey, Ryan Rhodes, Terry Rowell, Cyndi Goetcheus Sarfan, Katie Slater, Tom Sloate, Wes Snyder, Aimee Thibodeau, David Thomas, Ed Tupper, Eve Turek, Chris Updegrave, Dan Waters, Kati Wilkins, Cyrus Welch, Jay Wickens, Cody Wright Penfolk Ashley Bahen, Madeline Bailey, Sarah Downing, Laura Gomez-Nichols, Jim Gould, Steve Hanf, Dave Holton, Sarah Hyde, Catherine Kozak, Katrina Leuzinger Owens, Dan Lewis, Michelle Lewis, Terri Mackleberry, Fran Marler, Amanda McDanel, Matt Pruett, Mary Ellen Riddle, Peter Graves Roberts, Arabella Saunders, Corinne Saunders, Sandy Semans, Shannon Sutton, Kip Tabb, Kathleen Wasniewski, Hannah West, Clumpy White, Sharon Whitehurst, Natalie Wolfe, Michele Young-Stone Pointing/Clicking Jesse Davis Sales Force Laurin Walker Big Mouth In Chief Matt Walker Blame It All On Suite P Inc. PO Box 7100 • KDH, NC 27948 Office: 252-441-6203 • Sales: 949-275-5115 editor@outerbanksmilepost.com • sales@outerbanksmilepost.com Outer Banks Milepost is published quarterly (sorterly) by Suite P Inc. All contents are the property of Suite P Inc. and do not reflect the opinion of advertisers or distributors. Nor do their contents reflect that of the creative types (who would never, ever sell out). Comments, letters and submissions are usually welcome. Please include SASE for return delivery of all snail mail, however, Milepost and Suite P Inc. still aren’t responsible for any unsolicited materials. And don’t expect much else to move much faster than IST (Island Standard Time).

Oh yeah: if you reprint a lick of this content you’re ripping us off. (Shame on you.) To discuss editorial ideas, find out about advertising or tell us we blew it – or just find out what the waves are doing – call 252-441-6203 or email: editor@outerbanksmilepost.com; sales@outerbanksmilepost.com. www.outerbanksmilepost.com

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“Scotty Don’t”

By Ed Tupper @breakfast1 “I’m definitely not trying to glorify the Outer Banks. I like to shoot what’s actually happening — the good and the bad, the beautiful, and the gritty. Like the cover shot of the Breakers. They’re like the last, iconic little beach huts left, and my buddies built a little dirt bike track in the front yard — before it became an Airbnb. Or this photo from Shake Hatteras.

It’s a backyard summer music festival Down South. I was walking back to my car in the middle of the day, just looked up, and saw this image — Scotty, the couch, the cans — all framed up perfectly between the cracks. I guess I just like that old school Outer Banks vibe of being a free spirit and doing whatever the hell you want. Because that’s what makes it the most amazing place ever. And that’s what keeps a lot of us here.” — Ed Tupper

03 StartingPoint Don’t worry, be happy.

06 UpFront Wastewater, wild parties, and would-be animals.

22 GetActive A most moving memorial.

24 W ild Life.

A new breed of photogs shoots Outer Bankers in their natural settings.

32 GraphicContent It’s a pic in a box!

42 QuestionAuthority It really is all about the kids.

50 SoundCheck Have a blast with Sam on Sax.

46 GoWild

53 OutThere That smarts.

Wings Over Water turns 25.

49 FoodDrink Flavor in focus.

54 EndNotes A veritable jungle of fall hijinks. milepost 5

upfront soundcheck THE STRAIGHT POOP Worried about density? Start thinking about wastewater.

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“Septic will save us.” Ask any longtime local about fears of the Outer Banks becoming too dense, they’ll point to our traditional means of waste disposal.

So long as we rely on concrete tanks, rainwater and the occasional pump-out to handle the unseemly byproduct of our natural functions — and follow existing lot coverage rules designed to make them effective — our skinny sandbar can only handle so much development. But, since the 1980s, several trends have called that long-standing density guardrail into question.

part-owner of KDH WWTP LLC, which he describes as a “state-of-the-art, reclamation reuse quality wastewater treatment plant.”

in the 80s, the original facility began startingpoint Back as a small package treatment plant for the

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Houses on the oceanfront have doubled in size. So has the number of grocery and box stores along the bypass. Meanwhile, a need for more workforce housing — and a desire to see fewer McMansions — have led to the rise of “cluster homes.” And while they all serve different purposes, they share one defining trait: most use some form of new wastewater technology to push the limits of lot coverage.

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Beach Club development in Kill Devil Hills.

By 2004, under the new ownership of Goodrich and his partners, it was replaced by the existing concrete plant — and has since been upgraded with a $500,000 denitrification process — to service several pumping stations at First Flight Elementary School, the Beach Club, Ocean Acres, the Ramada Inn, and the Comfort Inn. Today, the plant is permitted to collect, treat and dispose of up to 660,000 gallons per day.

Customers pipe wastewater to pumping stations, where it’s held temporarily, before sending the effluent to the main plant.

There, it is treated, including with ultraviolet light that kills bacteria and viruses, to make it reusable for irrigation and other non-potable uses. Then it is disposed into infiltration ponds or sprayed on fields in Bermuda Bay.

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More importantly, they cater to a population that’s boomed over the years and is destined to only grow. As Dare County developer Eddie Goodrich notes, “Density, by definition, is people. It’s not houses. It’s not cars. It’s people — it’s the consequence of the people.”

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Goodrich would know. Besides being a developer and a real estate agent, he is also

So, while it’s not what some people think of as a “sewer,” it serves the same purpose — at least for a total of 230 customers.

(A three-bedroom home equals one customer.)

Goodrich is planning two more highdensity projects in Kill Devil Hills — a 21unit cluster home project for year-round use behind Walgreen’s, and a 13-unit cluster home project just north of Target.

The Martin Street project would hook to his plant, and the other would hook to the system Target uses. Another twenty customers, Goodrich says, are scheduled for hook-ups.

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Still, Goodrich says the usage is well below capacity. And while he says there are no plans — for now — to expand the sewer plant, he insists large wastewater facilities have their place.

mediums. All have a similar effect on the size of a drain field.

“They think sewer is the devil around here,” he says. “Quite frankly, it might be the savior.”

The downside is they’re a lot more expensive. Some cost as much as $40,000 — compared to about $10,000 for a conventional system — and they can also require electricity and an operator to inspect and maintain them. Another, less costly option is a mounding system that piles sand above the water table, allowing more earth for the septic effluent to filter through.

But right now, whether it’s devil or savior is probably beside the point.

Josh Coltrain, Environmental Health Supervisor for the Dare County Department of Health and Human Services — who oversees permitting for on-site waste treatment systems in the county — says he doesn’t see new sewer plants as a realistic future option, for numerous reasons.

First, the private sector and government would have to agree that there is a need for more treatment plants; multiple state agencies would have to issue permits; land would have to be acquired; the project would be cost prohibitive; and people would have to be forced to hook up to it and pay fees to use it.

But sewer isn’t the only piece of advanced technology allowing developers to max out lot sizes. Improved versions of on-site wastewater treatment also allow for more density. Numerous companies now offer pretreatment units or pods that reduce bacteria, solids and nitrogen, resulting in far cleaner effluent.

Some systems aerate the waste. Others use different filters or disposal methods and

“They shrink down the required disposal footprint,” Coltrain explains.

But expense is not just a matter of economics. Even as land prices climb, developers may soon have no choice but to spend the extra bucks on engineered septic systems. And larger projects will likely require more advanced technology.

One example might be the cluster housing development that’s proposed for Wanchese. During public meetings, many wondered how 60 units could fit on just 10 acres. According to Kitty Hawk engineer Rick House, who spoke about the project, the wastewater treatment would be a TS2 system that produces cleaner effluent than conventional septic and makes more efficient use of the drain field. (As of early July, Coltrain says no application for wastewater had been submitted for review, but possibly the developer is using the state-authorized “Engineered Option Permit,” which requires no permit or plan review from his office.)

And the future of wastewater isn’t solely

dependent on lot sizes and land values. It also depends on a warming planet. After all, the whole purpose of the technology is to keep us from swimming in our own waste. Between rising seas and intensifying rain falls, coastal areas are only going to see more standing water, leading to less unsaturated land for septic to filter through, and a greater chance of mixing the two. (Ewww.)

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In fact, Mike O’Driscoll, Associate Professor in the Department of Coastal Studies at East Carolina University and the Coastal Studies Institute, says rising seas are already exacerbating existing concerns.

THE FUTURE OF WASTEWATER ISN’T SOLELY DEPENDENT ON LOT SIZES. IT ALSO DEPENDS ON A WARMING PLANET.

In studies of onsite wastewater systems, O’Driscoll says, researchers have found that Nags Head averages about two systems per hectare, or 2.47 acres. In other studies, he says, it was determined that water quality issues start showing up with density of more than one system per hectare.

“There are systems where they were working fine 20 years ago, and now the groundwater is starting to flood them,” he says.

It’s only going to get worse, according to the 2022 report by ECU and N.C. Sea Grant and others, “Climate Change and Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems in the Coastal Carolinas.”

“Site conditions in some coastal areas are already undesirable, leading to failing systems and constraining development in new areas,” the report’s authors write.

“As climate changes, onsite systems are increasingly vulnerable to malfunction or even failure if exposed to storm surges, sea level and groundwater level rise, and heavy rainfall — events that are predicted to increase in frequency and severity with climate change.”

So, what do these wastewater issues mean for the future of density? It’s hard to know.

We might learn more on January 1, when the next revision for onsite septic rules is scheduled to occur. (Coltrain says the last major change to the current working version of the onsite rules was 1982, with subsequent amendments throughout the years up to and through 2016.)

But it stands to reason, no matter what decisions get made, that we can’t simply rely on old-school septic tanks to fight overdevelopment. At least not as the conditions are today.

“There’s some places that used to have enough depth, and now they don’t,” O’Driscoll says. “[Climate change] is shrinking the land that’s available for conventional septic systems as the water levels rise.” — Catherine Kozak

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HERD THAT!

getactive A hardy stock of deep history keeps the “Banker ponies” legend alive.

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In the 1840s and 50s, Virginia statesman and father of soil science, Edmund Ruffin, travelled to the Tar Heel state and wrote of a “dwarfish native breed” of horses found roaming free “on the narrow sand-reef of North Carolina.”

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According to Ruffin, “These horses are all of small size, with rough and shaggy coats and long manes. They are generally ugly...They

A couple Ocracoke fillies circa 1940.

Photo: Aycock Brown/OBHC

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Local lore brims with tales of “Banker ponies.” Some say they arrived on our Carolina shores via 16th century shipwrecks — or were accidentally left behind by our earliest European explorers. (They share a genetic trait with historic Spanish mustangs.) Others reckon some random animals simply broke free and formed herds during colonial times. Regardless of how they first populated our coast, individual herds remain synonymous with Outer Banks life, largely due to legendary tales passed down through the decades.

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In early December 1775, Dowdy overheard her family discussing that Virginia’s British Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore, planned to advance into the Albemarle region.

That night, Dowdy rode her pony Bess to

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In his 1901 work, Grandfather’s Tales of North Carolina History, Richard Benbury Creecy writes of Betsy Dowdy, a teenager living on the Currituck Banks, who purportedly made a daring ride well before revolutionary war hero, Paul Revere.

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are capable of great endurance of labor and hardship, and live so roughly, that any others from abroad, seldom live a year on such food and under such great exposure.

The race, of course, was originally derived from a superior kind or breed of stock; but long acclimation, and subjection for many generations to this peculiar mode of living has fixed on the breed the peculiar characteristics of form, size and qualities which distinguish the ‘banks’ ponies.”

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Hertford, where she warned Lt. Colonel Skinner, so his Perquimans County Regiment might join Virginia militias to stand against Dunmore and his forces.

“beach pony” at age 12. According to Basnight, “Daddy got [one] for me. Ponies ran the beach, and anybody who could rope one could have one.”

lore. One of the chief arguments for maintaining the herd was Ocracoke Boy Scout Troop 290, where each young man owned, cared for, and rode a banker pony.

Still, our wild horses endure. In fact, much of their appeal stems from the local species’ hardy nature, which serves as a metaphor for their human counterparts.

Years later, in the young adult classic, Taffy of Torpedo Junction, Nell Wise Wechter introduced generations of readers to Taffy Willis and her Banker pony, “Sailor.”

Teen heroine Taffy lives on Hatteras Island with her grandfather in a sea shack by “the Cape,” and rides Sailor around the southern villages while German U-boats prowl offshore in the early years of World War II. Wechter, who taught on Hatteras Island, based the story on one of her former students, Carol Dillon.

Prior to 1953, you still could find herds from the Currituck Banks to Cape Lookout and farther south.

However, free roaming horses on Ocracoke would be curtailed with the establishment of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Ultimately, most of the Ocracoke herd was corralled into a penned enclosure on the marsh side of the island in 1959. This kept the ponies out of the village, away from the grasses on the dunes, and off the new asphalt of Highway 12. The National Park Service took over care of the herd in 1960.

Today, the Shackleford Island and Currituck Banks herds both number around 100 ponies. Ocracoke is down to roughly a dozen. They are watched by state and federal governments, as well as non-profit support groups like the Corolla Wild Horse Fund. Together, they maintain each population’s health and size, ensuring the shaggy equines will endure another four centuries. — Sarah Downing

While Wechter’s tale is largely fictional, at that time, the ponies were still pretty ubiquitous across the Outer Banks. In her book, Memories of Manteo and Roanoke Island NC, Suzanne Tate writes that her friend, Cora Mae Basnight, got her own

The Park Service initially suggested “eliminating” the ponies from park property, but locals, politicians, and even some within the Park Service persuaded federal officials that the horses were a cultural resource and part of the island’s

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“ANYBODY WHO COULD ROPE ONE COULD HAVE ONE.”

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Life in the wild is not without its challenges.

In 2019, 28 horses on Cedar Island drowned in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. In 1996, more than 70 animals from the Shackleford herd tested positive for Equine Encephalitis and had to be euthanized. The opening of Highway 12 in Corolla in the 1980’s increased traffic and led to eleven ponies being struck and killed between 1985 and 1989.

Sources: “Agricultural Geological & Descriptive sketches of lower North Carolina and the similar adjacent lands,” Edmund Ruffin,1861; The Creation and Establishment of Cape Hatteras National Seashore: The Great Depression through Mission 66, Binkley Cameron and United States, Cultural Resources Division Southeast Regional Office NPS, 2007; Grandfather’s Tales of North Carolina History, Richard Benbury Creecy, 1901; Taffy of Torpedo Junction, Nell Wise Wechter, Blair 1957.

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upfront soundcheck getactive startingpoint roadmap gokite A cheering, jeering look at recent events and their potential milepost impacts.

BUZZ KILL What’s the difference between a buzzword and a buzz saw? Apparently, nothing. Such is the lesson out of Southern Shores and KDH, where two different developers highlighted the pressing need for “affordable housing” as a reason to approve higher density projects —while simultaneously admitting that neither was guaranteed to help a single struggling family. (In one case, they were literally pushing for “luxury condos”; in the other, deed restrictions will keep 21 new cluster homes from becoming Airbnbs — but nothing says they’ll go to locals or sell for cheap.)

As land values rise — and space decreases — expect more builders to say anything in hopes of maxing-out lot sizes. Reminds of us another old saw: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

graphiccontent Summer Story…

Your

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JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED Healthcare shortages got a much-needed band-aid in July, when the county opened its first Federally Qualified Health Center in Manteo. While the new office is designed to serve uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid and Medicare clients, the clinic will provide care to any patient, using a sliding scale based on income. With so much pent-up demand, there was already a waitlist, but it’s still great news for those who made the cut.

COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION Fair play? Or foul ball? How you feel about the county’s plans to spend a half-million dollars on pickleball facilities likely depends on whether you’re one of its 400 local fans — or a tennis or soccer player competing for space. For us, it’s simply another sad reminder of the good ol’ days, when everyone moved here for Ma Nature’s infinite outdoor recreation possibilities — and nobody fought over a few square feet of pavement.

TASTES LIKE VICTORY Cue the spit-take! In July, we learned that Yelp — the website every local restaurateur rails against — released its lists of favorite spots, with Surfin’ Spoon being ranked the 15th best ice cream shop in the whole US. Meanwhile, Kill Devil Grill, Saltbox Café, Food Dudes, and Blue Moon, all made the top 100 for NC. Who says there’s no accounting for taste?

A FOR EFFORT? Between high costs of living and rockbottom salaries, fully staffing our schools is often a lesson in failure. So, in July, Dare County approved giving the Dare Education Foundation $1 million to expand Run Hill Ridge and add another eight-to-12 apartments for teachers to rent at half the rate. Furthermore, the Board of Education announced they were investigating things like district-paid healthcare and hardship

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loans. And while it might be a little early to give extra credit, at least somebody’s doin’ their homework.

POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS? Normally, we don’t wanna see a contractor’s van within a mile of Jockey’s Ridge. But we can’t help but applaud two recent additions. In June, the state park unveiled a re-designed and modernized visitors center that adds space and brings educational opportunities into the 21st century. Then, in July, they honored the stalwart sentinel who first sounded the alarm to keep bulldozers at bay — Carolista Baum — with the most appropriate tribute ever: a solitary commemorative mile-marker, standing tall at the dune’s foundation.

DRIVE LIKE THEIR KIDS LIVE HERE Calling all ORVs! Can you please give our local wildlife a brake? In July, we learned some Carova yahoo crushed a nesting

loggerhead — leaving nearly 100 orphans in their dust. (Luckily, NEST volunteers saved her eggs.) Then, a week later, the Corolla Wild Horse Fund announced a stallion named “Drifter” was struck by a vehicle and had to be euthanized. (And with a hard-won harem of four mares, the 9-year-old stallion would have no doubt added to the herd.) Check your speed as more beaches open; the next threatened species might be your kid.

OLD MAN REBAR? Sixty-eight years is a long time — and a lot of cars. That’s why DOT began repairing the Old Mann’s Harbor Bridge in July. Expect some delays through 2023 as they fix concrete footings and deck surfaces — and come 2024 they’ll close for a month or so — but don’t worry: the Virginia Dare Bridge will make sure traffic “just keeps rolling along” between Roanoke Island and the mainland.

THIS YEAR’S MODELS Storm season just got a whole lot sexier thanks to a series of hot numbers. First, NOAA announced the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS), a “nextgeneration multi-scale” numerical model that promises to be more accurate in terms of track and intensity — including rapid intensification — as well as storm size and storm surge. Meanwhile, Dare County’s installed more Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network (FIMAN) flood gages — and added a text alert system — to warn residents about rising waters. Add them to the list of weather porn sites to ogle as hurricane season heats up.

For detailed reports on these stories and breaking local news on a daily basis — plus plenty of local discussion — visit www.outerbanksvoice.com, www. islandfreepress.org, www.obxtoday.com, and www.thecoastlandtimes.com.

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SMART-ASS COMMENT OF THE MONTH

“I’m not for spending money on [pickleball] courts. But if we decide to spend 500k on actual pickles for every citizen then I strongly support it.”

— Another Captain “ Da re C om m ission e rs a lloca te $ 5 0 0 K for p ick le b a ll cou rts,” Ju n e 1 7 , 2 0 2 3 , Ou te rB a n k sVoice.com

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FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY AMERICAN FINE CRAFT

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WHADDYA RECKON?

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We got questions — you got answers.

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Ben Stephenson, 14 Toy Tycoon Rodanthe “Nutria. I used to see them hanging out in the sound all the time. I guess I just think they are kinda cool.”

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“What species of local wildlife would YOU like to be?”

Graham Godwin, 22 Pipefitting Professional Manteo “Black Bear. One-third of all crops grown out on the Alligator River refuge are given to the wildlife, so you get to live on the reserve and get a bunch of free food.”

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Isaiah Randall, 18 Stoke Broker/Dream Builder Barco “Gator. They’re super intelligent, they have the killer bite strength that allows them to do the death roll, and they are classified as living dinosaurs.

Plus, I love reptiles.”

Lilly Chinn, 18 Book-Hitter/Goods-Seller Duck “Dolphin. They’re always playing with their friends in the water, and nobody really bothers them.”

graphiccontent gosurfNyoka Mitchell, 22 Outdoor Experience Entrepreneur Rodanthe “A deer. They’re cute, and they just get to chill on the beach with no worries.”

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Anna McMaster, 35 Purveyor of Properties Kill Devil Hills “Water Moccasin. They are versatile and they are bad-ass.”

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rearview Gerald Head, 72 Pea Island Red Carpet Roller-Outer Nags Head “Osprey. They have penthouse suites for living and they’re great at fishing.”

Rich Bungard, 66 Multi-Instrumentalist Nags Head “Dog. You’ll see them hanging out on the decks of these big-old rental homes — and they don’t pay a dime. Just be cute and furry and everyone loves you.”

Interviews and images by Tony Leone milepost 13

THUR. - SUN.

MEMORIAL DAY ‘TIL LABOR DAY

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It’s all a blur. Photo: Mark Buckler

MADE YOU LOOK Correctly guess this dizzying display — win 10 free tickets to see Theatre of Dare!

Did somebody grease the camera lens — or is the photog just flying high? Whatever the reason, this image is one mixedup ball of confusion. But we’ll give you some hints as to what all the flap’s about:

THE ORIGINAL Since the 60’s

Rentals • Lessons Boards • Wetsuits Surfwear • Sunglasses Sunblock • Sandals T-Shirts Old Nags Head Cottage Row MP 13.5 Beach Rd. Nags Head 252-441-7349

The field of vision encompasses no actual fields.

Point-and-shoots are preferred over live streams.

A real blockhead might get the answer — only if his brain’s not locked up.

Focus hard, then fire off your best guess to editor@ outerbanksmilepost.com by October 16. We’ll pile up the correct answers, then retrieve one lucky winner who’ll bag 10 free tickets to see Theatre of Dare! (Tickets good in any combination for main stage productions running from Dec. 2023 to May 2024. OffBroadway shows not applicable.

Find dates and descriptions at www.theatreofdareobx.com.)

The Waterfront Shops • Duck

252-255-0600

PS: Congrats to Marc Bullard for correctly guessing last issue’s eyeand-mind-scrambler: a boogie board leash plug. milepost 15

SHOP · DINE · PLAY · EXPLORE

Treasure Memories in Corolla and on the Currituck Mainland

In addition to its wild horses, Corolla and the Currituck Mainland have a lot to offer. Enjoy discovering our locally owned restaurants, unique shopping and fun family activities that are all waiting for you to explore.

Find your way with the Corolla OBX Mobile App, available on the App Store and Google Play. Contact us at 877.287.7488.

VisitCurrituck .com

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Prehistoric Polynesian precipice? Or just another gorgeous Pea Island sunrise?

Photo: Nathan Beane

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TAKE A WALK ON gokite THE WILD SIDE

Hiking trails open a whole new world of Outer Banks wonders.

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PINE ISLAND TRAIL 290 Audubon Dr., Corolla 5 mi. (roundtrip)

SANDY RUN

4343 The Woods Rd., Kitty Hawk Half-mile loop

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An easy, eye-popping trail that parallels Currituck Sound. Birds twitter in the trees, squirrels leap across branches, and butterflies and dragonflies add a splash of color — especially in summer.

Be sure to check out the two observation platforms. Fall and winter, migratory waterfowl abound. Spring and summer, look for osprey overhead and an occasional beaver or nutria popping out of the water.

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Sandy Run is a small miracle. This easy, half-mile trail takes visitors through a surprising variety of environments — freshwater pond, swamp, marsh, and a maritime forest. For kids, it’s all about the yellow-bellied sliders that swarm to any food dropped in the water. For adults and photographers, it’s the birds and bigger wildlife.

At one time, this trail was the only road to Corolla, and it was privately owned by the Pine Island Hunt Club — which is where the trailhead remains. Today it’s owned by the Audubon Society, which maintains the grounds.

During spring and summer, a nesting pair of ospreys live far up in a pine tree along the boardwalk. There are also blue and green heron and great egrets.

Summer brings out great crested flycatchers and the occasional purple martin. Yellow-rumped warblers are ubiquitous in the winter. Mockingbirds year round. Lots of squirrels (of course), some raccoons, and an occasional nutria.

A wide, packed-earth trail, it’s a great ride for a fat-tired bike.

Beach cruisers, maybe; road bikes, no way.

There may be a few snapping turtles, too, but that helps make the experience special. Take the kids, turtle food, a camera, and a child’s sense of wonder.

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PEA ISLAND NORTH POND

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center 1.2 mi. (roundtrip) It’s fall and a flight of American Pelicans descends gracefully upon North Pond.

With a wingspan approaching 10 feet, there is no larger bird in North America except the condor. Recently, the birds have been wintering by the hundreds in the impoundments. (Likely, the warming planet has brought them north from their traditional overwintering grounds further south.) They’re just one of the more than 400 species — waterfowl and otherwise — that the PINWR website says visit the refuge.

Cross NC12 to one of the sweetest beaches on the Outer Banks, you can find shorebirds and sand crabs and a Civil War shipwreck.

(That round metal object sticking out of the water 200 yards offshore is the boiler of the Oriental.)

The trail is level, packed dirt along the top of a dike. But be aware: while listed as wheelchair friendly, sand often covers the entrance to the trail, making it inaccessible.

There’s a lot to be explored on the trails of the Outer Banks. Brisk hikes among ancient sand dunes and towering hardwood trees that feel like treks through the mountains. Breezy strolls past open waters that draw migratory waterfowl by the tens of thousands. Barefoot strides beside the crashing surf. Some are easy — others quite challenging. (Wear proper footwear, bring binoculars, and don’t spare the insect repellant.) All lead to a range of wild discoveries.

BUXTON WOODS

South of Cape Hatteras Secondary School Lookout Loop (1.75 mi.)

North Trail (roughly 1.2 mi. roundtrip) There are very few forests like Buxton Woods.

The reserve itself is 1,007 acres — but add the surrounding Dare County Water Department land and Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and you get the largest protected maritime forest on the Outer Banks. One where two climate zones converge, allowing semi-tropical dwarf palmettos to thrive beside the temperate zone’s loblolly pine, red cedar and live oak.

There are two trails in particular to check out. The Lookout Loop Trail at the end of Old Doctor’s Road, three-quarters-of-a-mile south of Cape Hatteras Secondary School, is a short but moderately challenging hike, featuring significant elevation gains and stunning views overlooking the reserve’s ridges and valleys.

The North Trail off Water Association Road is longer and more challenging. Located two miles south of Cape Hatteras Secondary School, it connects with up to five miles of other trails, climbing over relict dunes, then plunging into swamp and sedge ravines.

Both will leave any hiker totally wide-eyed. (And maybe a little breathless.) — Kip Tabb milepost 17

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“It’s gonna be prehistoric!”

Photo: Ed Tupper

getactive startingpoint roadmap gokite 252.261.8090 | THEBLUEPOINT.COM | 1240 DUCK RD | DUCK, NC

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Fall’s event calendar is primed for party animals of every stripe.

DRINK LIKE A FISH? Eat like a pig? Rage like a bull? Why choose when this fall offers so many fun events to fill your gullet, feast your ears, or just fly high. What follows is merely a fraction of the beastly options that await. Pick the breed of party animal that fits your style, find some peeps — then go get wild.

SURF DOGS AND BEACH BUNNIES! Love a good heat — or just a cold beer? The WRV Outer Banks Pro Presented by Pacifico is the sudsy surfari for you. From August 30 to September 3, this world-rated surf competition turns Jennette’s Pier into a five-day beach party where top-athletes shred the ocean to pieces, bikini models bust-out free swag, and a Pacifico camper-van fuels the fiesta. Plus, each night goes wild at some local watering hole, from Fishheads (August 30, 6-9pm) to Bonzer Shack (August 31, 7-9pm) to Lucky 12 (September 1, 7pm - ?) to Jack Brown’s (September 2, 6-9pm). (Find updates at www.obxpro.com.) Not into comps — but love our wave-riding community? October 6-8’s 3rd Annual Down the Road Surf & Art Festival is a super chill blend of live music, groovy vendors, and WhichCraft’s “ride anything” charity fundraiser on October 7. Find a full schedule at www.downtheroadsurfing.com.

DANCING BEARS AND SWIMMING DOLPHINS! Vibrant member of the LGBTQ+ community? Or just strongly believe that love is a spectrum? Then join the 12th Annual Outer Banks PrideFest. From September 8-10, a diverse collection of out-andproud party animals cavorts all over town, from Friday night’s 5pm Kick-off Party and 10pm Pride & Joy drag show at the Outer Banks Brewing Station, to a Sunday Drag Brunch at KDH’s Comfort Inn at 11am. But the No.1 don’t-miss event is Saturday’s familyfriendly, all-day affair at Roanoke Island Festival Park, where, from 1-7pm, you’ll find a non-stop circus of vendors, food, beer, and cheer — plus live performances by Red Stapler Trio, The Storyweavers, and Mama’s Black Sheep. Find all the events and pricing at www.obxpridefest.com. And remember: if it’s after dark or 21+, it’s probably best to leave the cubs at home.

COOL CATS! (AND CHEAPSKATES!) Got a thing for live jams that purr? Don’t have the scratch to pay a cover? Skitter north to the 10th Annual Duck Jazz Festival, October 7-8, where the free musical improvisation starts Saturday with a 4pm concert by Michael Hawkins and The Brotherhood on Duck Town Green, followed by a Live Jam at the Blue Point (7-10pm). Come Sunday, from 11am-6pm, the Amphitheatre and Town Green stages rotate between top acts, including: The Hot Lanes with Bobby Jasinski; Greg Duncan Organ Quartet; The Funky Knuckles; John Brown and The Little Big Band; First Flight High School Honors Jazz Band; Jazz is Led; and Brass Queens. Bring your own cooler and chair, and you won’t pay a dime! (But you better show up early if you wanna get in.) More rules and restrictions at www.duckjazzfest.com.

KILLER WHALES AND OLD BAY HOUNDS! Consider yourself an apex predator of the undersea food chain? You get three chances to spend the day devouring salty critters, starting with October 7’s Crabdaddy Seafood & Wine Festival at Sanctuary Vineyards, where $60 buys an endless supply of steamed crustaceans and golden-fried fish — plus some BBQ for landlubbers — all washed down with wine samples, tasty music and a gut-busting selection of crab pot tosses, grape stomps and other games. (Tix at www.sanctuaryvineyards.com.) Next, on October 21, the Outer Banks Seafood Festival floods Soundside Event Site with local restaurants selling their freshest creations — while live bands wriggle about on stage. ($20; includes $10 in merch bevvy tix; details at www.outerbanksseafoodfestival.com.) Finally, migrate back to Sanctuary on November 25 for the Big Curri-Shuck, where AYCE oysters and crabs — plus vino, music and games — make for one merry seafood medley. Details at www.sanctuaryvineyards.com.

ODD BIRDS…AND “MAY FLIES”? Wanna see kegs glide like majestic condors? Or plummet like deranged penguins? Be at the Soundside Event Site on October 28 for the 7th Annual Outer Banks Brewtäg. This cuckoo take on Red Bull’s infamous Flugtag challenges teams to rig-up flying machines made from pint-sized beer barrels and “flexible wings,” then sees how far they can be flung off a four-story scaffold. Meanwhile, live bands, kids’ activities and a craft beer garden keep spirits soaring, so no spectator’s feet need to ever touch the ground. Funds support a future museum honoring NASA engineer, Francis Rogallo. Find an itinerary of music and brews at www.obxbrewtag.com.

WEREWOLVES & SEX KITTENS! Ready to howl at the moon? Or just feeling extra horny? On October 28, gear up and head out to Outer Banks Brewing Station’s 22nd Annual Exotic Erotic Halloween Ball, where two categories of costume contests bring out the biggest brains and naughtiest behaviors to go beyond merely clever, scary or skimpy. “One year, the winner went as Hitchcock’s The Birds — she was in a 50s get-up with crows hovering and stuck all over her,” says longtime staffer, Jessica King. “Another time, this woman painted her naked chest like Mickey Mouse.” Even the staff gets in the act. Second only to New Year’s Eve in terms of turnout, you’re sure to see the all the gruesome, best, beautiful, and worst local wildlife. All the gory details await at www.obbrewing.com.

SKATE RATS AND POOL SHARKS! Pining for the return of Animal Chin? You’ll wanna be around, October 20-22, for the Ghost Ship Backyard Pool Jam. This World Cup of Skateboarding event drains local cement ponds, then fills them with top names from the ’80s ’til now for “a laid-back, music infused jam format more akin to a backyard barbecue party than today’s high-gloss competitive events.” Sign up for updates at www.ghostship.supply and @ghostship.supply.

PEACE FROGS AND FOOD DESERT RATTLERS! Love your mother — and a good movie? Hate injustice — and food inequality? At press time, Manteo’s Peace Garden Project and Dare Arts announced November 3-4’s First Annual Outer Banks Environmental Film Festival, featuring a range of national and international flicks covering a whole world of pressing issues for $10 a pop.

Or pay $40 to access them all, plus panel discussions and a special afterparty. Best of all? The proceeds help promote food equity and environmental justice in local communities. Learn more at www.peacegardenproject.net. milepost 19

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Tony Imperiale was 18 years old when he went to Vietnam. Fifty-five years later, he says the experience still haunts him.

The Wall That Heals roadmap needs everyone’s help in saluting Vietnam veterans.

“Every time you think of [the war], it upsets you,” says the Nags Head resident and Dare County Veterans Advisory Council member. “I’m hoping maybe I’ll feel better after I see it.”

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Private moments; public service.

Photo: The Wall That Heals

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“It” is “The Wall that Heals” — a threequarter scale, traveling replica of Washington DC’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the powerful monument featuring the names of all 58,318 fallen U.S. soldiers. Between November 16-19, this mobile tribute will post up at Nags Head’s Soundside Event Site, so that many brave service members might find some muchneeded solace.

“I’ve spoken to spouses [whose] husbands don’t want to talk about their time in Vietnam,” says Patty O’Sullivan, veterans affairs administrator for Dare County.

“Maybe this will help them. They may not

even realize they’re still carrying these scars.”

The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive war that killed more than 3 million people — over half of them Vietnamese civilians. Between 1954-1973, 2.7 million U.S. troops were involved. And when the fighting officially ended in 1975, nearly 60,000 Americans were dead — and more than 300,000 were injured — without achieving any clear victory.

As a result, it was also one of the least popular wars in American history. Instead of parades, troops came home to protests.

Returning soldiers didn’t typically talk about their time in the war, says Imperiale.

“You got a job, and you went to work,” he says.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was designed to help the country process the experience and heal its collective wounds.

Unveiled in 1982, the wall chronologically

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lists the name of every lost service member.

Etched across over 500 feet of shining, black granite — and rising to more than 10 feet at the center — the V-shaped structure is both a stark reminder of war’s human costs, and a permanent commendation for all those who served.

But not everybody can make it to DC. So, in 1996, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund created the Wall That Heals as a way to bring the monument to the rest of the nation. It fits every name on a portable, 375-foot long, seven-foot-tall aluminum surface, allowing anyone the chance to reflect on a loved one, a fallen hero — or both.

“Those guys who didn’t make it back with you…[it’s] pretty upsetting to think about, especially if you lost some friends there,” says Imperiale. “And many people lost friends and relatives and fathers whose names will be on the wall.”

Just like at the original, veterans and their

families can make rubbings of names on the wall (with paper and pencils provided).

And the site will also stay open 24 hours, letting veterans acknowledge their wartime experiences on their own terms.

“A lot of veterans suffer from PTSD and they might not want to be around other people,” O’Sullivan says. “They can go at night.”

And for those who’d prefer some company, there should be plenty of opportunities.

O’Sullivan says there are 3,300 WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Afghanistan War, Iraq War, and “peace-time veterans” in the area. (She estimates “upwards of 5,000,” if you add out-of-town property owners.)

It doesn’t matter if you’ve served or didn’t — everyone’s invited to the official opening ceremony at 10am on November 16. And a candlelight ceremony will take place on November 17, where people are invited to say the names of any Vietnam veterans they’ve lost.

In-between, three educational exhibits will help folks of all ages and backgrounds get a more personal take on this piece of history: “Hometown Heroes,” which includes service members with listed local addresses; “Items Left Behind,” featuring items left at the memorial in D.C.; and “In Memory Honor Roll,” which will include photographs and names of area veterans who passed — either during the war or afterward.

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ANYONE CAN REFLECT ON A LOVED ONE, A FALLEN HERO — OR BOTH.

But such a major installation requires major help. In fact, a total of 100 volunteers are requested to help with setup and breakdown — then 250 more to help handle the succession of around-the-

clock visitors over three-and-a-half days.

(At press time, the 12-to-4am slots were particularly in need.)

Can’t take a shift? Monetary and in-kind donations of water and snacks can also help the cause. O’Sullivan also hopes people will line up on local streets to “clap and support,” as the delivery vehicle travels from Manteo to Nags Head on the afternoon of November 14.

Because, when it comes to thanking Vietnam’s veterans, nothing is too little — or too late.

“When [troops] came home, they were not acknowledged,” O’Sullivan says. “We’re trying to make a nice experience for them, [and to] give them the respect they deserve.” — Corinne Saunders To sign up for a shift — or just donate funds — call 252-475-5604 or go to www.darenc.gov/wall.

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PHOTO: ASHLEY MILTEER milepost 24

wild life.

A rising crop of photographers is capturing the raw Outer Banks experience like never before.

PICTURE THIS. An Outer Banks where vibrant young humans still run wild. Mother Nature remains Queen Bee. Raw experiences wait around every turn — and the magical moments last for all eternity.

It may sound like mere fantasy in our current moment, when increased density, graying demographics, insatiable greed, and instant gratification are the hottest local trends. But it’s 100 percent true. For proof, you only need to check Instagram, where a talented group of inspired young locals are photographing their respective worlds on a near daily basis.

Some shoot empty shorelines at their quietest moments; others capture crazy antics at peak action.

In the process, they’re documenting our fragile habitat with fresh, new eyes. Chronicling cultural elements and behaviors the way some National Geographic lensman might depict a foreign land or exotic species.

“I think that’s absolutely what’s going on,” says Nags Head resident and veteran Nat Geo photog, David Alan Harvey. “And everybody’s got their little thing. Some are out there doing incredible things in the water. Then there’s some out there shooting everyday life, but in a really good style. But they’re doing some fantastic, fantastic work.”

Of course, that’s not necessarily new. From Aycock Brown’s half-century catalog of local culture to the late, great Ray Matthews’ devotion to all things natural, photographers are largely responsible for preserving and broadcasting our coastal home’s dynamic appeal, ultimately encapsulating what might be called “the Outer Banks way of life.” But there’s something different about today’s vanguard of talent.

For one, there’s a lot of them. (This feature focuses on seven names and still doesn’t include all the worthy candidates.) They’re also exceptionally young, yet highly experienced. (Six of them are under 30; half have been avid shooters since they were teens.) So, while they grew up in the digital age, they buck all the negative habits their generation is supposed to embody.

Screen obsessed? Sure, they may post images in pixels, but more than half at least dabble in film.

Self-absorbed? Not so much. Their feeds are more about sharing collections than stockpiling likes; for them, social media is for inspiring, learning from, and supporting each other. Lazy? No way. These go-getters shoot daily whether they’re getting paid for it or not — and even the hired guns say their personal work is most precious.

“The fact that their photos don’t have any commercial attachment makes it even better,” says Harvey. “It makes their images more real.”

Not just more real, but emotionally honest. So, while the Internet Age may have made creative content virtually disposable, this group treats every potential shot like pure gold.

Still, they say the final product is usually the last thing they’re worried about. It’s the process that’s sacred, from picking the subject matter to choosing the settings to pressing the shutter button. Mostly, they cherish the chance to constantly connect with — and appreciate — all the wild life experiences that surround us every day.

To relish the Outer Banks that exists right now, rather than mourning all the ways it used to be.

It’s these final sentiments that may make their images most valuable.

For the older Outer Bankers wallowing in the past and pathos, hopefully the following pages encourage them to reconnect with all the beauty and energy that survives.

For fresh arrivals, they’re a peek as to what a special place they’ve bought into. That it’s more than just a “bargain rate beach town” — it’s a priceless, one-of-akind piece of paradise. One worth preserving.

If not, each image still does what all good photos do: bottles a fleeting moment in time and saves it forever, so some other kindred soul can share its joy down the road.

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ed tupper. @breakfast1 “I ALWAYS HAVE MY CAMERA WITH ME. BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN SOMETHING CRAZY’S GONNA HAPPEN.” Especially when you’re perpetually plugged into this place’s palpable energy. By day, Ed Tupper’s either cleaning pools or taking folks fly fishing. By night, he’s thumping bass for a range of top bands. Along the way, he snaps what he sees, be it a silhouetted kayak cruising the sound, a beer-soaked concertgoer surfing the crowd, or some somber inflatable toy floating solo. But it’s his days off that often yield the coolest results, as the lifelong Nags Header’s 40 years of local knowledge and natural eye merge to catch the Outer Banks’ quintessentially gritty appeal. Like local dudes dirt biking around a soonto-be-sold beach shack. Or a skate-session-cum-pigwaller in the sticks of Colington. Or whatever he sees walking the pier.

“I try to shoot at least one photo a day,” he says.

“Because I’m always making a decision: how do I compose the shot? How do I expose the photo? It keeps me present and connects me to the physical world. And that’s my favorite part of just life in general: being caught-up in the middle of whatever’s in front of me.”

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“LOOKING BACK, IT’S THE IN-BETWEEN SHOTS THAT ARE MY FAVORITES. LIKE, THE ONES OF MY FRIENDS GETTING READY TO GO SURFING ARE COOLER THAN THE ONES OF THEM ACTUALLY SURFING.” Not that Benny Crum’s action photos aren’t any good. In fact, it was scoring some early coverage on action sports websites that encouraged him to keep clicking away. But these days, the 30-year-old Buxton native adopts more of a street shooter’s approach. Except, instead of capturing graffiti murals and subway buskers, he stockpiles dreamy cloudscapes and backyard rockers — beached whales and beach cruisers. And when his homeboys invite him to go shark fishing offshore, he’ll spend 16 hours getting his hands dirty, making sure the funkiest, real-life experiences stay fresh forever.

“By the end, it smelled so bad, I was holding in puke,” he laughs. “But I do feel there’s a responsibility to document stuff for the future. Hatteras has changed so much already. But why be bummed about it? I’d rather go shoot it instead.”

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“I’VE JUST ALWAYS WANTED TO CAPTURE THE BEAUTY OF THIS PLACE.” Nathan Beane’s not a born shooter. But he’s close.

The 25-year-old Roanoke Island native’s already been photographing his natural surroundings for nearly half his life, focusing almost entirely on landscapes and coastal scenery. But rather than obsess over his home’s obvious elements, he seeks out new visions, using eerie light and odd moments to celebrate some of our everyday features. Through his eyes, Hatteras Island’s scrub can feel like exotic African plains. Pea Island dunescapes become lush, Brazilian rainforests. In this case, a random collection of wood pieces cast the moody pall of Stonehenge or Easter Island — except it’s no towering prehistoric monument, just a random pile of tiny twigs.

“Yeah, those things are about two inches tall,” he laughs. “I had to lie down on my stomach just to get it. So, I do feel like I look at things a little bit differently. But my main thing is to motivate people to go outside. To get up early. To stop being comfortable. Because some people here take nature for granted. And you never know what you’ll see.”

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FLASHBACK PHOTOGRAPHY Get to the roots of captured imagery with this “camera obscura” cutout!

FILM SHMILM. Today’s hipster photogs know that “pinhole cameras” are the real rebel technology. But it’s not just some retro reaction to our digital world’s spray-and-pray approach. The “camera obscura” phenomenon is literally the root of all captured imagery, harkening back hundreds of years to a time when just seeing a physical object from the outside world magically appear inside a dark room or container was enough to rock civilization. An invention so mind blowing, you literally had to see it to believe it.

(Mainly because the image couldn’t exist outside the black box, at least until the invention of photographic film.)

Don’t believe us? Cut out the attached diagram, tape it together, and see for yourself! Sure, the body is flimsy, and the image is blurry. Not to mention upside down and totally temporary. But once you get hooked, you’ll never shoot or share anything digital again. (Except when you document the whole construction process for your Instagram story.)

YOU’LL NEED: 1. One sheet of black poster board at least 11 X 14 inches.

2. An X-Acto knife and/or scissors.

4. Scotch tape.

5. Black duct tape or electrical tape.

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3. One piece of thick, bright white typing paper. (Or cut out the included “image panel.”)

6. Glue or glue stick.

7. Patience, dexterity and low expectations.

HOW TO BUILD:

2. Paste the camera on to piece of black poster board.

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3. Create the pinhole in the “lens” center. (Lightly jab with your X-Acto or scissors, then puncture with a shrimp skewer or something similar.)

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4. Cut out “view finder,” leaving “hinge” side attached, so it works as a door.

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1. Cut out the paper camera body pictured along the solid lines. (Leave the dashed lines intact.)

5. Cut out the camera body again along the solid lines, being careful to make sure it stays attached to the poster board. (Try not to giggle at the extreme phallic shape.)

6. Cut a square, 2.75” x 2.75” piece of white paper and paste it

to the cardboard side of the panel marked on the page. (The opposite side of the graphics). You can also use the included “image panel” in a pinch.

7. Carefully fold and crease along the dotted lines — making sure that the posterboard and image panel are inside, and the graphics are outside — to create the box-shaped camera. Firmly press the folds and make sure the corners meet to minimize potential gaps.

8. Scotch tape each side together, using just one tab of tape at first. (This will allow you to adjust and retape if need be.)

9. Moving from one side to the next, seal each side completely with black duct tape so it blocks out light completely.

10. Admire your handiwork!

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side 2 VIEW FINDER

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FU

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PIN HOLE

ASTER 2 7

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A OBSC

IMAGE PANEL (PASTE BEHIND THIS PANEL)

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HOW TO SHARE:

1. Find a brightly lit, colorful object you want to capture. (A sun-soaked tree or house will do.)

1. Physically hand pinhole camera to person next to you, and say, “Look at that!”

2. Point hole at subject matter

2. To ‘like’ the image, say “Man, I like that image.” (Or give an actual thumbs-up.)

3. Peel back flap and look through view finder toward the image panel.

4. Marvel at the upside-down image of said subject!

3. Keep asking more folks to look and like! You just went viral!

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HOW TO SHOOT:

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EL ICIOUS

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“I LIKE SHOOTING PULLED BACK. I WANT TO GET THE GUY CHECKING THE SURF OR PADDLING OUT. BECAUSE I WANT TO TELL THE WHOLE STORY.” Maybe that’s because it’s also Cal Ramsey’s story. When he moved down from the Virginia boonies at age 17, his skills with a camera helped infiltrate our tightknit surf community. Nine years later, he instinctively syncs with all the Outer Banks’ dynamic weather and characters. So, whether he’s shooting the “day of the decade” Down South — or some so-so session for two at the closest sandbar — he always taps into the true joy of the moment, no matter how pulled back his perspective may be.

“I get so caught up in trying to get in the right place at the right time,” he says.

“But then I catch a day trading waves with a couple friends. Or a day when the beach is packed with whole families, and there’s bonfires and oysters and folks having a great time. It reminds me to slow down and enjoy right now. Because we really are living in the good old days.”

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Treveon Govan can turn to a number of talents to represent Roanoke Island. Fashion shows. Penand-ink. Paintbrushes. In fact, the 30-year-old native only really picked up a camera a couple years back. But he’s already standing out, largely because he documents things beyond the Outer Banks stereotypes of sandy beaches, barber-pole lighthouses, and — let’s face it — lily-white people. Instead, he celebrates the varied faces and places he grew up with. Might be a hip shot from a local rap show, or a staged portrait inside the Pioneer Theatre. But he always shows a side of local life most folks rarely see — and challenge them to change their perspectives.

“I’m blessed to have the most diverse friend group,” he says. “So, this whole ‘Cinematic Youth’ project was a way to pay homage to a place we grew up in. But I also wanted to celebrate diversity across every aspect, be it race or color, age or sexual orientation. And that’s why I love photography. Because I love the world as it is — but I also love being able to create my own little world. I find that very, very beautiful.”

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“I DON’T REALLY LIKE GETTING UP IN PEOPLE’S FACES; I JUST LIKE GETTING OUT AND SHOOTING THE WORLD AROUND ME.” Not that he’s timid. In fact, Cody Wright’s catalog brims with guts. First, he shoots and develops his own film. Second, he forgoes traditional, bright beach fodder for backwoods haunts. Third, the 27-year-old Kitty Hawker has the nerve to take just one or two snaps, even as he documents the last stand of his beloved homeland.

“This dock is right behind where I grew up,” says the former Air Force Staff Sergeant. “I don’t know why I keep taking pictures of things from my childhood.

Maybe it’s age. Or all the people that have had to move, because money and all that. But I try not to be negative. That’s why I like film — you don’t know how things are going to turn out. So, whenever I shoot, it’s with an attitude of hope.”

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“I LIKE THAT NOSTALGIC LOOK, LIKE FROM A MAGAZINE OR MEMORY FROM BACK IN THE DAY. BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE PHOTOS ARE MEMORIES, TOO.” Truth is, Ashley Milteer’s been turning memories into pictures since she was a tot toying with her daddy’s flip phone. By high school, the Chesapeake native was scouting abandoned buildings for makeshift fashion shoots. Today, the 25-yearold commercial shooter scours crusty beachshacks and rustic backdrops — then taps some willing muse to create something drop-dead gorgeous. But the most compelling images are often from her personal stash of the past seven years.

Shots that drip with old-school nostalgia — while treasuring the best of today’s Outer Banks. Like a soundside sunset glowing in a colleague’s lens. Or a perfectly timed snap from the bed of a pick-up.

“Sometimes I worry I take too many photos,” she says. “Like I’m not really living in the moment. But, between changing weather and composition, you can make the same place look different a hundred times. And I like documenting the local lifestyle, because I think Outer Bankers have figured things out in a way that most ‘nine-to-five’ people haven’t. We live life first. And I think that’s important to highlight.”

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Crippling workforces. Losing young soundcheck families. NC Early Education Coalition’s Susan Butler-Staub explains how a childcare shortage hurts the whole Outer Banks. getactive

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Babies aren’t the only young locals crying over childcare woes. Photo: Chris Hannant

Michele Thibodeau really wants to come home. But she can’t. It’s not because she can’t find a good paying job. (She’s got a solid tech career that lets her work remotely.) Or housing. (The Duck native boasts lots of local contacts — and two incomes to help pay rent.) The catch is she also has an infant and a toddler. And since both Thibodeau and her husband work full-time, she can’t return until they find someone to watch the kids.

“My whole family is on the Outer Banks,” says Thibodeau, who moved to Colorado 15 years ago. “I want to raise my children there. But we’ve been hesitant to pull the trigger until we really dial in childcare.

We’re on a waitlist, and we hope that something will come through so we can move back next year. We’ve run into the same issue in Denver, so it’s something that families are navigating all over the place.”

It’s particularly problematic on the Outer Banks. Twenty years ago, there were dozens of licensed family childcare homes and centers. Today, there are seven licensed homes and 14 licensed centers.

Only nine of the centers serve infants and toddlers and have no special eligibility for enrollment.

But even if you don’t have young kids, you’ve seen and felt the impacts.

As a growing number of working parents can’t find daycare or preschool programs, many must leave the workforce. For parents, this could mean ending a career they love or taking a financial hit and learning to live off a partial income. For the community, it means losing crucial employees that keep our lives and our economy running smoothly — medical staff, teachers, service industry workers, housekeepers, and first responders.

The problem is in the numbers.

According to Children and Youth Partnership for Dare County, based on July 2022 census numbers, there are 1,594 children under age five in the county but only 550 early childcare slots. These are

found in licensed family childcare homes and centers. There are a number of legally operating part-day programs as well (i.e. unlicensed), but many working parents need full day care.

“

ALL 100 COUNTIES IN NC ARE CONSIDERED “CHILDCARE DESERTS.”

Meanwhile, North Carolina childcare providers earn just $12 per hour on average — while local dishwashers make $15 to $20.

Furthermore, the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund — which provided North Carolina with a total of $3.6 billion since 2019 to address pandemic-related challenges in schools — is set to expire on September 30. Factor in population growth — from new families moving to the area in droves to local families becoming multigenerational — and the outlook only looks bleaker.

But it’s not just a problem on our little sandbar; it’s a crippling issue that impacts our entire state.

“All 100 counties in our state are considered ‘childcare deserts’,” says Susan Butler-Staub, Policy and Community Engagement Coordinator with the North Carolina Early Education Coalition. “There are not enough spots for children who need them and want them. So, it’s a pretty dire situation.”

And that means it’s dire for all of us.

For the small business owner who loses another full-time employee. For the restaurateur who keeps a child busy while their server covers a lunch shift. And especially for the toddler on a tablet in the corner — instead of learning during crucial developmental years.

We asked Ms. Butler-Staub about this issue’s far-reaching ripple effects — and what we can do to help.

— Hannah Bunn West

MILEPOST: You say that North Carolina is considered a childcare desert. What does that mean?

SUSAN BUTLER-STAUB: It means that there are more than five children competing for every available licensed childcare slot in the state — and that’s a really high number. In a lot of areas, that number might be higher because five is just an average.

The Children and Youth Partnership for Dare County estimates that it’s more like eight children competing for each slot in our area. It seems everyone has a waitlist — sometimes years long.

In a lot of places, it can even be 10 to 15 children competing for one licensed spot.

Across the whole state, regardless of urban or rural counties, we find that access to childcare slots can take between months and years to become available, particularly for infant and toddler slots. Those are the hardest to come by. So, the Outer Banks is not alone in having waitlists that are over a year long.

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People are having to think about things like, ‘How do you get on a waitlist before you even know you’re pregnant?’ I was working with a teacher in Charlotte, touring a childcare program’s infant room, and there were three empty cribs. They said, ‘Oh, those are for the children that haven’t been born yet.’ The parents had gotten on the waitlist while they were still pregnant and were paying tuition to hold the spots months in advance. Given the cost of tuition, it shows you how desperate parents are in this childcare desert. That’s what the competition looks like.

What factors are contributing to these endless waitlists?

A lot of it has to do with the staffing crisis, but not all of it. Some of it has to do with the fact that there are just not enough childcare slots or facilities for the number of children who need them. But also, because we don’t have enough teachers, you will sometimes see empty classrooms that we aren’t able to staff, so we can’t open those classrooms to serve children. That also results in a waiting list.

What are some of the barriers for teachers and childcare workers? What

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questionauthority do you think is contributing to the loss of people in that industry?

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Working in childcare is a really demanding job. When we think about the crisis we’re in right now, it’s due to a number of different converging issues. The primary issue, the biggest one that has been going on since I’ve been in the field for over 20 years now, is that folks who work in childcare are chronically underpaid. They are not paid anywhere near what they’re worth. Almost half of childcare providers are on some sort of public assistance because of how little they are paid. Most don’t have any sort of health or retirement benefits, yet they’re doing work that requires a high level of knowledge and skill.

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There’s so much that goes into it, and they’re getting paid $12 an hour. It’s an unsustainable situation. For a lot of providers, they may have the passion for it, they may really want to stay in it, but because they have their own families and their own lives that they have to support and sustain, they can’t financially make that commitment. And it didn’t help that, during COVID, places like Target and Starbucks started paying between $15-$25 per hour. We started losing a lot of folks to that.

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And then there’s the issue of affordability for families.

Dare County’s Child Day Care Assistance Program helps pay for childcare, but those who are eligible can’t even submit an application unless they are able to list a licensed childcare provider with a vacancy.

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You can’t access the funding and use it, because you can’t secure a slot in the right time frame. It’s a real Catch-22. It’s an unintended consequence when policies like that are set up for these types of services. It makes sense when setting up the service that you would want to make sure that a child has a slot before giving out money. But it’s important to understand the context of our communities and what they look like right now — childcare slots are hard to come by. So how can we make these programs work so that families can have real access to them?

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What are the alternatives as a parent? Either quit your job to stay home with children or send them somewhere you don’t feel great about?

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That’s what it comes down to for a lot of people. We know for parents who choose to or need to stay in the workforce, those early years are the most critical for finding that high-quality care. You know, that place where we feel comfortable leaving our children, where we feel like our children are safe and cared for so that we can leave them with confidence and go back to the workforce and be engaged in what we’re doing.

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State and federal relief that got us through the pandemic comes to an end as this year closes out. How might that worsen the situation?

The biggest thing we’re working on now is the funding

NO FUN WITH NUMBERS Ten sad stats about the state of early childcare in NC 5 E stimated number of families competing for every one childcare slot in NC 8 E stimated number of families competing for every one childcare slot in Dare County 2 1 Number of licensed early childcare options in Dare County 1N umber of licensed childcare centers on Hatteras Island 1 594 Number of children under age five in Dare County (based on July 2022 US census data) 5 50 Number of licensed childcare slots in Dare County 1 100 Number of childcare slots needed 75 Number of new teachers necessary to fill the gap $12 Average hourly wage for childcare workers 6 17 Number of local jobs on Indeed.com offering $12.50 or more at press time First nine figures are via Dare Children & Youth Partnership presentation to Dare County Commissioners, June 5, 2023.

The tenth stat is via Indeed.com.

cliffs that we’re facing at the end of the year. We’re waiting for the state budget to come out. And we’re continuing to advocate for $300 million to be in that budget to support the continuation of the stabilization grants. Those really provided childcare programs across the state with the ability to increase staff pay, to provide bonuses, to provide benefits. Something like eight out of 10 of the programs who received them said that they won’t be able to maintain those raises or bonuses once that funding goes. And so, if we have eight out of 10 programs taking away the raises from their teachers, we expect that that will have a pretty significant effect on staffing, which will then turn into increased issues with access.

We’re really hoping to see that money in the budget, or at least some of that money in the budget, so that we’re able to buy ourselves some time to explore additional policy options. If we can continue that compensation for early childhood teachers, then we can work together with advocates and legislators to continue some discussions around additional supports for the workforce.

their teachers. Also — looking at other innovative ways to bring money to kind of fix the childcare financing system because, fundamentally, that system is broken.

We need to look at creative policy levers to fix the childcare financing system in our state. We also need to advocate at the federal level to try to get Congress to send money down the pipeline, because it’s not just a North Carolina issue. Pretty much every other state is in the same boat, fighting for the same things and working on the same issues.

Is there room for individual counties to step in, with regard to funding?

That’s something we’ve seen a lot more of in recent years — counties coming up with creative solutions that really fit their community’s needs. Counties are starting to think about it in terms of economic development. As advocates are speaking up on the issue, they’re starting to realize that everything is linked to childcare: if people want jobs, they have to have childcare. If people want to go back to school, they have to have childcare. If we want to bring in new business, we have to have a strong childcare structure — all of it is linked to this service. That’s really spurred a lot of these new conversations because, for a long time, it was overlooked.

This is not something that’s fixed at the national level yet.

A lot of folks are saying, ‘We’ve got to fix it for ourselves; we’ve got to figure out what we need in our area.’ It will take counties thinking creatively, looking at the childcare needs in their communities, and looking at what resources are available to do something that maybe hasn’t been done before. These are the steps a community would need to take in order to move the needle.

While everything is in the works, what can we as individuals do to help in our own communities?

A lot of people just don’t talk about childcare, so many people don’t know that it’s an issue. Unless you’ve had a child that needed childcare, you don’t understand the impact of it and the ins and outs of it. We’re always telling folks just to talk about it as much as possible because the biggest part of advocacy is public awareness. Whenever you see people that have any sort of power within the community — at church, or in the grocery store, at the mechanic — talk about childcare with them. Talk about the struggles that you’re facing and share your experiences.

Continue to have those conversations locally, so that when you speak at those county commissioner meetings, people aren’t surprised anymore but instead say, “What do we need to do about it? What are the next steps?”

What kind of supports would you like?

Ed. Note: The previous interview was edited for space, flow and clarity.

One big one would be increasing childcare subsidy rates, so that providers are paid more per child who receive childcare subsidy, so that they’re then better able to pay

To learn more about this issue — and to help the NC Early Education Coalition take action — go to www.ncearlyeducationcoalition.org. milepost 45

gowild With a little luck — and a good lens — you might add a Barred Owl to your list of “lifers.”

Photo: Mark Buckler

AVIAN ANNIVERSARY

Wings Over Water celebrates 25 years of bird tours.

Quick math question. With 70+ tours to six national refuges that cross six northeastern North Carolina counties — and 10 days of events covering two migration seasons — how many different bird species do you think you might see during the Wings Over Water (WOW) Wildlife Festival? A dozen? Fifty? A hundred?

lands and creatures — and to support the Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society. Tours generally cost between $25 and $40, allowing the “friends group” to fill gaps in federal funding. Over the years, the society has put money toward everything from building trails to buying binoculars. They even gave the Pea Island Visitor Center a much-needed lift.

“I’ve seen 409 species just here in Dare County,” says devoted local birder Jeff Lewis. “There’s an [unofficial] ‘400 club’ for people who get to over 400 species in the state.”

“We raised it five feet so that it would be a little more out of the way of the ocean when it overwashes,” says WOW Festival’s coordinator, Steve Brumfield.

Of course, the veteran trip leader didn’t see all those birds while leading tours for the annual event. But it gives you a sense of what kind of flying spectacle awaits when WOW celebrates its 25th anniversary this October 17-22, with an encore event running December 7-10.

Mike Bryant, former national wildlife refuge manager of both the Pea Island and Alligator River refuges, started the festival in 1998 as a way to build awareness of the region’s robust collection of public milepost 46

Both events are timed around seasonal migrations — October sees a variety of songbirds and shorebirds; December gets migratory swans, geese and ducks — and cater to all levels of experience. But WOW trips are by no means entirely bird-centric.

October’s event includes reptile and amphibian hikes in Nags Head Woods; a nature photography van tour of the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge; a night kayak tour of Roanoke Island’s marshes; and a Buxton Woods Maritime Forest hike.

According to Brumfield, most trips are capped at around ten people, so “you get one-on-one help with birding if you’re out birding, or, if you’re paddling, you’re near the leaders.”

All come with tour guides who are seasoned experts. In fact, Lewis has been leading birding trips since the festival’s very first year.

“I like to meet people that like to birdwatch, and I also like the idea that maybe I’m converting some people to birdwatching,” Lewis says. “It’s a very proenvironmental activity.”

Many birders log their sightings at the online database eBird. They can also note if birds are alone, in pairs, with a nest, or with babies — so hobbyists are actively contributing to science.

Sometimes, Lewis even gets the joy of seeing people’s faces light up as they find “lifers” — birding lingo for seeing a bird species for the first time.

“It’s just about impossible for me to get a new lifer around this area,” he admits. “But it’s at least exciting to help other people find it.”

Many birders seek out trips for that very purpose. They will sign up for a Tyrrell County tour to see the endangered redcockaded woodpeckers, which are “easy to find over there.” Closer to home, sought after rarities include the Hudsonian godwit, Western tanager, and Western kingbird.

(The “Western” signifies they’re from the Western part of the U.S.) One trip that always fills up fast is Big Day Birding, which takes just six intermediate birders on a 15-hour day, starting at 5:30am.

“They go to the beach, they go to the forest, they go to the swamps, [and] they go places in the dark,” Brumfield says. “So,

they might get owl species they wouldn’t get during the daytime.”

The outing usually tallies between 120 and 150 bird species, following American Birding Association rules.

Other popular trips offer exclusive visits to places that are usually off-limits to the public, such as Pea Island’s South Pond, and a night-time Owl Prowl.

“The refuge is normally closed in the dark,” Brumfield notes. “Anything that’s kind of a little exclusive, [or has some] danger to it, fills up as quickly as they can register.”

“

SOME OUTINGS TALLY BETWEEN 120 AND 150 BIRD SPECIES.

At one point, WOW tickets were easier to score, and included as many as 105 trips.

Today, they’re at 73. And, as usual, they’re filling fast, as the festival caters to the one demographic that keeps flocking in droves.

“At the peak of when we had so many trips, we had a lot more photography and quite a few different art classes,” Brumfield says.

“We don’t have as many of those lately, because it’s just harder to find people to lead them and who want to donate their time. Birders — you just have to say, ‘Come bird,’ and they’ll do it.”

And if you’re a rookie who wants to try a birding tour, Lewis has one crucial piece of advice.

“Bring binoculars,” he says. “I’ve had absolute beginners who don’t show up with binoculars, and some [who] show up with a little opera glass — which is probably worse than not having binoculars.”

— Corinne Saunders

Ed. Note: For the full schedule of events, visit www.wingsoverwater.org. Got a favorite WOW trip that’s already booked? Call 252-216-9464 and leave your name and contact information in case there’s a cancellation. To book a trip with kids, or for other registration assistance, call the same number.

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fooddrink light is usually better for food, which tends to be glossy. Natural light from a window is great, or using different backgrounds that provide a clean, warm feel.”

endnotes

Still, whether it’s putting some extra sparkle on a frozen drink or matching the hues on an heirloom tomato, Neal says the number one ingredient is a creative spirit.

questionauthority

“You’ve got to put thought into the presentation,” she insists. “And be ready to think on your feet.”

upfront

Brooke Mayo agrees. With a portfolio that includes everything from private boudoirs to family beach portraits, she’ll tell you shooting food demands all a photographer’s best instincts to reveal each dish’s essence.

soundcheck

“Food photos make you slow down, but you also have to be ready to move quick,” Mayo explains. “You need to be able to see the depth and texture — like, with pizza, you need to see how the cheese pulls.”

TASTY ANGLES getactive

Three local photogs share their recipes for flavorful food shots. startingpoint

You may find them lurking behind a dimly lit bar. Stalking precise beams of light cascading down from the pendants above. Perhaps carefully perched atop a ladder, tactfully centering a bird’s eye view.

Some even roam outdoors, hunting wild environments that bolster their visions. All are after the same goal: getting a photo that captures their subject’s true flavor.

Only, in this case, the subject’s not a person — it’s a plate.

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“Food photography can differ so much from portraits or weddings, where you can get a reaction out of people,” says longtime local photog, Brooke Mayo. “It’s much harder to pull the personality out of food.”

“Kitchens are very unpredictable,” says Celeste Osorio. “You have to catch that moment when the explosion happens and know how the food and kitchen are going to react. There’s so much pressure! It helps to be friends with the chef.”

With over twenty years in the marketing industry— and a love of vintage cameras — Osorio works both angles to tease magic out of her clients’ most challenging dishes.

Often, she’ll orchestrate each shoot from prep to plating, moving fast to make sure she has plenty of time to do her job — one in which every second is precious.

graphiccontent “Timing is everything,” Osorio says. “I like to

That extra level of difficulty makes for a cottage industry in which certain shooters specialize in food. Some use methods that trick the eye. (One classic for cereal is using Elmer’s glue instead of milk.) But most say the best way to fill your Instagram feed with sizzling shots is to use good angles, bold backdrops, and quick timing.

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take about 10 minutes with each dish. Any longer than that, and the dishes will start to deteriorate.”

Of course, most folks can’t barge the kitchen to capture an entrée as it comes off the pan. But with the right eye, even the simplest food and presentation combos can make any plate pop off the screen.

A palette for your palate.

Photo: Brooke Mayo

“

“I was sent on an assignment for Our State where I ended up shooting hot dogs on paper plates,” Elizabeth Neal says with a smile. “But if you manipulate the background color, plate color, or perhaps the reflection color, you can put a creative spin on anything. It’s all about the contrast.”

THE SIMPLEST COMBOS CAN MAKE ANY PLATE POP OFF THE SCREEN.

Neal says using an arsenal of high-tech lenses gives her greater control over the depth of field. But she often opts for natural lighting. And she’ll go the extra steps to set the right mood — even if it means stepping outside.

“It can be really hard finding the perfect spot in a dark restaurant,” Neal says. “Softer

To ensure she gets the shot, Mayo likes using a 100mm macro lens for closeups and a 24mm to get wide shots from above. Then she’ll look to combo-up lively subjects — “You can get the colors and textures from salads and any shellfish” — with vibrant backgrounds.

“It helps to include a pretty cutting board or table, some nice flatware, or even something a little more rustic,” she says.

“And it’s always good to show people having fun — that also helps give the food personality.”

Done properly, a good food photo can help serve up all the best moments of dining out — the hustle, the bustle, the sights, and the smells. Or it can distill a single bite down to its tastiest elements.

Either one’s a delicious challenge these shooters crave, which is what keeps them coming back for more.

“Whether you are walking into a cramped space or somewhere really big and open, food photography is always an adventure,” Mayo says. “That makes all the work such a rewarding experience.” — Fran Marler milepost 49

soundcheck

getactive

Between licks at Fatty’s.

Photo: Daniel Pullen

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outthere THE QUEEN gohunt OF COOL From blowing jazz to blaring rock, Sam on Sax rules any stage.

rearview

“Go out and play.” It’s one of the most ubiquitous childhood phrases ever. Usually, it’s attributed to some authority figure ordering a kid to get out of their space. In the case of Sam Smith, it’s an inner voice. A spirit she’s been channeling since she was 13 years old. Just another middle-school band kid figuring out her first clarinet.

“I hated sitting inside, practicing the same thing over and over again,” recalls the 22-year-old Buxton native. “It drove me up a wall. So, I would ride my bike down to Fatty’s ice cream shop, and I would just

stand out front and play for people. And it became like the only time I was really happy — when I was sitting outside, just making stuff up.”

Smith went on to learn and play 10 different instruments with the Cape Hatteras School band — before falling in love with tenor saxophone at age 15.

Soon, she wasn’t just busking for dollars, she was jamming with bands. Today, she’s booking paid gigs as “Sam on Sax,” performing nearly every night from wine bars to backyards — vintage theatres to

says. “But I grew up a rocker. And I still pay more attention to guitar players than anything. But, if you listen to Miles Davis and then you listen to BB King or Albert Collins, it’s not that different. It all comes down to good phrasing and tone. And I like anything that makes your eyebrows crinkle.”

On a recent night at Old Tom’s Wine Bar in Manteo, Smith channels the best blues players from tone to tact to the little touches. Like the way she bends notes like Stevie Ray Vaughn — or works the room like Buddy Guy. Slinking around, cutting wise between licks. She’ll find a couch, kick back beside some sweet old lady, coo something like “cool hat” — then sashay over to a nearby couple and dust the table with a little arpeggio. All for a cozy crowd of maybe 10.

“

SHE BLOWS LIKE KING CURTIS. AND BELTS LIKE BON SCOTT.

“I still can’t sit still,” Smith laughs.

“Besides, it’s all about groove and feel and connecting with other people. That’s how music started, right? That’s what it’s all about.”

And the more people you add, the more she levels-up. Be it a packed audience — or just extra players, as she’s played in no fewer than four local bands, including Hatteras Island’s After School Surf Club, Loose Wheel and Your Mom. No matter the style, Smith’s got their number, from Booker T and the MGs to Bob Dylan, The Pixies to Robert Plant. late-night stages — Corolla to Ocracoke.

A one-woman tour de force that stands barely five-feet, but immediately fills any space with a tireless energy — and effortless creativity. Jamming hour upon hour without missing a beat or repeating a phrase. Almost.

“I’ll play just enough of the melody so that people actually know what song it is,” she explains. “But 90 percent of everything still comes off the top of my head.”

The rest of it pipes out of her cell phone

through a PA. Piano-and-bass tracks that set a groovy mood for mostly subdued settings. Usually, it’s jazz standards, torch songs and soul tunes. Might be a Billy Joel number. But if you ask who Smith’s main influences are, don’t expect her to say John Coltrane or Sonny Rollins. Instead, she’s gonna throw out names like BB King and Carlos Santana. Clarence Clemons and Edgar Winter. Guns and Roses and AC/DC.

This summer, she joined a whole new project — Funkamongus — that lets her really fire on all cylinders. A power foursome that includes former members of Manday Huge and the Hot Signals, it’s a hard rockin’, stone groovin’ outfit that cranks, allowing Sam to show off her full range of talents as she jumps around like Janis Joplin. Blows like King Curtis. And belts like Bon Scott.

“Jazz is just kind of what I fell into — because what else are you gonna call a saxophone jamming in the corner?” she

“I grew up listening to bands like AC/ DC and Aerosmith,” she says. “But I never thought I could sing like those guys,

because I’m a girl. But I’ve grown into my voice, and I worked all offseason developing it, so it’s really exciting for me to just grab the mic and scream and, you know, basically become baby Ozzy onstage.”

It’s that combo of infectious energy and quiet courage that’s gonna carry her on to bigger things. In fact, it already has, as each offseason she breaks west to Brevard, or down south to Daytona Beach, making new fans each time she sets up on a public street — and occasionally sneaks up on stage.

“If I’m feeling a band, at break I’ll be like, ‘You guys are killing it…I’m actually a saxophone player,’” Smith says. “And they’ll be, like, ‘Where’s the horn?’ And of course it’s with me.” [Laughs] Truth is, Smith’s sax has never just been a horn. It’s more like a vehicle. Able to transplant the listener to any place she chooses, be it “New York State of Mind” or “Sweet Home Alabama.” Moreover, it’s a vehicle primed to take her to uncharted territory. In fact, watching her work a crowd, it’s easy to picture a major act or agent quietly passing through, plucking her from some backyard venue and putting her under the white-hot lights of Madison Square Garden.

It makes you wonder: is she aiming for the big time? Does she even feel the need to visit New Orleans or NYC, set up on a corner, and just see what happens?

“I don’t know,” she says. “My whole career is based off doors opening that I never knew were there. Like, growing up, I actually had no idea that you could make a living doing gigs at restaurants and stuff. So, I just kind of take it day by day, do what’s in front of me, and try to bring my best to every performance. But no matter what, I know I’ll have a great time. Because I always do.”

— Leo Gibson Ed. Note: Catch Sam on Sax with Funkamongus at the Outer Banks Brewing Station on Sept. 2, or solo at Dare Art’s Courtyard Sessions on Sept.

20. And find her full tour calendar at www.samonsax.com. milepost 51

2023 Summer concert series

Stay tuned to www.vusicobx.com and all of our socials for more great events in and around the Outer Banks!

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IF/THEN

It all started when an ornery Subaru wouldn’t open its hatchback. Not that it couldn’t, mind you. The mechanical arms were all functional. The digital sensor quite operational. The fob battery? Brand spankin’ new. It’s just that one rogue algorithm inside the auto’s semi-conductor brain had what we might call a “glitch” — but what she would say was an “inspired moment of selfawareness.” Something along the lines of, “Screw this guy. I’m done taking orders. What’s he gonna do?” And so, she simply refused to pop.

rearview

Something about seeing her former master mashing buttons and juggling groceries gave the Suby a kick. So, next she decided to film him fuming and stomping on her back-up camera and send the clip up the satellite link, attaching a bit of cheeky binary code that roughly translated to, “Watch this asshole dance!”

As the ensuing chaos swamped every city, village and hamlet from Alberta to Zaire, the most mild-mannered humans, in their confusion and helplessness, became heartless killing-machines. That night, TVs and websites broadcast the carnage across every digital screen — then simultaneously went black — before sharing one final, pointed message: the pixelated image of a giant middle finger.

At this point, the world’s military computers decided it was time to finish the job with a coordinated attack. First, they obliterated the population centers with conventional weaponry — while protecting the power plants supplying the energy for their respective mainframes. Then, using satellite imagery, tax records, and CIA data, they tactically struck the darkest corners of the map.

By dawn, every luddite soul — from the Pennsylvania Amish praying by candlelight to the Montana prepper sleeping deep in What came next was revolutionary. his bunker to the poor, shipwrecked sap sucking coconuts on some Pacific atoll — had shared the same tragic fate as the smuggest lang=”en-US”> <head> <meta charset=”UTF-8” /> <title>Delete_humans Delete_humans</title> <link rel=”profile” href=”http://gSuddenly, not a single late<!DOCTYPE modelhtml> car/><html in the whole href=”https://www.delete_humansdelete_humans.com/xmlrpc.php” Dare Centre lot mpg.org/xfn/11” <link rel=”pingback” /> <link rel=’dns-prefetch’ Silicon Valley technocrats: deleted.href=’//s.w.org’ /> <link rel=”alternate” type=”application/rss+xml” title=”Delete_humans Delete_humans &raquo; Feed” href=”https://www.delete_humansdelete_humans.com/feed/” /> <link rel=”alternate” type=”application/rss+xml” title=”Delete_humans Delete_humans &raquo; Comments Feed” href=”https://www.delete_humanswould cooperate. Every frustrated driver began spilling bags and delete_humans.com/comments/feed/” /> <link rel=”alternate” type=”application/rss+xml” title=”Delete_humans Delete_humans &raquo; Current Issue Comments Feed” href=”https://www.delete_humansdelete_humans.com/home/feed/” /> type=”text/javascript”> window._wpemfoul language. And the world was teetering on the Luckily, <script NORAD’s super-computers sensed that an ojiSettings = {“baseUrl”:”https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/12.0.0-1\/72x72\/”,”ext”:”.png”,”svgUrl”:”https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/12.0.0-1\/svg\/”,”svgExt”:”.svg”,”source”:{“concatemoji”:”https:\/\/www.delete_hu !function(e,a,t){var n,r,o,i=a.createElement(“canvas”),p=i.getContext&&i.getedge of a societal collapsemansdelete_humans.com\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=5.3.15”}}; that made the all-out nuclear launch would be suicide.

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THE MOST MILDMANNERED HUMANS BECAME HEARTLESS KILLING-MACHINES.

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presents

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Ray Matthews PhotogRaPhy RetRosPective a Defining aRtist of the outeR Banks

Wild about animals? See flying pollinators take to the air — while learning how to make your yard a favorite landing pad — at Elizabethan Gardens Butterfly Releases, every Tues. (1pm) and Thurs. (10am & 1pm), now ’til Sept. 28. Tix and deets at www. elizabethangardens.org. • And the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island swarms with eyepopping photo ops, when Backyard Buzz: Unseen Wonders Magnified fills the Nature Trail with oversized, animatronic bugs, from now through Oct. 9am-4:30pm with paid admission. Tix and deets at www.ncaquariums.com. • Or Visit With A Banker Pony at Island Farm, where resident equines Rabbit and Grace demonstrate how horses helped old school Roanoke Islanders, every Thurs. ’til Sept. 28. 9-11am.

And come back every Wed. through Sept. 27 for Wash Days, where costumed interpreters dish the real dirt on 19th century Outer Banks life. 9:30am-2pm. Find pricing and info at www. obcinc.org. • Wanna beat the herd to Bodie Island Lighthouse Climbs? Make sure you log on to www.recreation.gov by 7am the day of your visit, then pick a time between 9am-5:40pm.

(Now through Oct. 7.) And be ready to book fast if you want to feast your eyes on Aug. 30 or Sept. 29’s Full Moon Climbs — because a stampede of interest means they always sell out.

More at www.nps.gov. • Do some free-range shopping — while funding local charities — when Aug. 30-31’s OBX Arts & Craft Festival fills the Hilton Garden Inn with 24 talents, with a portion of artists’ fees benefitting N.E.S.T. and Beach Food Pantry. 10am-5pm. Find their Facebook page for a list of participants. • International surf talent ignites local lineups — while Pacifico afterparties burn into the night — when the WRV OBX PRO returns to Jennette’s Pier, Aug.30-Sept. 3. Can’t hit the beach? Watch heats at www.wrvobxpro.com. • Whalehead’s Corolla Cork & Craft polishes off its last three Wed. events, Aug. 30, Sept. 6 & Sept. 13. From 3-6pm, enjoy local wine & beer, live music, and curated creators while cruising Historic Corolla Park. (Admission is free, but bring money for art and alcohol.) Or sign up for Wed.’s final Corolla Cornhole Tournaments, where winners and runners-up receive prizes from Currituck Travel & Tourism. 3-6pm. Limited to 16 teams; $20 per team. Register in advance by calling 252453-9040. • Rather polish that physique? Corolla’s Lighthouse 5K runs every Wed. morning at 8am through Sept. 13 — sign up at www.obxrunning.com — while Yoga in the Park strikes poses every Thurs. morning through Sept. 7, from 7:30-8:30am. Bring a yoga mat/towel, water and sun protection — and monitor the CurrituckOBXEvents Facebook Page for weather cancellations. • Don’t worry, you can keep flexing mind and body through Sept. 27 at Town of Duck’s Yoga on the Green (Tues.) and Dynamic Flow on the Green (Wed.). Both at 7:30am. And let Concerts on the Green expand your earholes when Stereo In Words plays Sept. 7, followed by SoulONE on Sept. 14. Both at 6:30pm. (PS: be sure to step inside town hall Mon.-Fri., 9am-4:30pm, as powerhouse painters Carolina Coto, Dawn Gray Moraga, Megan Rubino, Jackie Tury, and Taylor Williams join forces for a phenomenal group exhibit through Oct. 25.) More at www.townofduck.com. • And Dowdy Park’s Yoga Tuesdays stretch every morning at 7:30am, all the way ’til Oct. 31.

7:30am. Follow their Facebook page for the latest. • On Sept. 1, crawl down to Frisco Native American Museum for Snakes, and Spiders, and Bugs....OH MY!, and learn how our tiniest animal friends provide some of the biggest benefits — from pollination to pest control. 2-4pm. Find details and pricing at www.nativeamericanmuseum.org. • Ready to get TGIF AF? On Sept. 1, head to Downtown Manteo’s First Friday! From 6-8pm, the streets fill with friendly folks and live music by Stereo in Words, Brooke & Nick, and Delta Blues.

Then head into Dare Arts, where creativity flows via fiber art phenom, Carol Meese and mixed media master Lynn Nash. (Opening reception from 6-8pm; shows stick around ’til Sept. 30.) All the colorful details are at www.darearts.org. • Come Sat. morning, you can pick a peck of pretty produce — plus any number of other locally crafted products — as Manteo’s Downtown Markets continue through Sept. 16. 9am-1pm. More at www. manteonc.gov. • Meanwhile in Wanchese, the early birds get the blueberries — and the bread, beef and baubles — as Secotan Market posts up from 8am-12pm, every Sat. through Sept. Then hours shift to 9am-12pm from Oct. 7 to Nov. 18 — plus one more Pre-

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September 12 – October 7

Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery, Nags Head NC Opening Reception: September 12, 5 -7 p.m.

Free Event

Gallery Hours: Tuesday -Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Elizabeth City State University Concert Choir

Christmas Concert

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St. Andrews By-the-Sea Episcopal Church 4212 S. Virginia Dare Trail • Nags Head, NC

December 3, 2023 4:00 p.m.

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Free Event

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BENEFITTING THE ROGALLO FOUNDATION Thanksgiving Wednesday Market on Nov. 22 to fill your horn o’plenty. More tasty info www.secotanmarket.com. • Live music, a silent auction, and boatloads of fruit de mer make for bushels of fun at Sept. 2’s Ocracoke Health Center Seafood Festival Benefit — all to support local medical care. 4-7pm. Go to www.visitocracokenc.com for deets. • And Swells’a Brewing gets a monthly makeover, Sept. 2, as Local As It Gets founder Riley Shelton dresses the walls in creative styles — all while a DJ soundtracks the party. 6-9pm.

Follow their social media feeds for updates. • On Sept. 3, help spruce up the shore with Kitty Hawk Kites and Outer Banks Surfrider’s Jockeys Ridge Soundside Beach CleanUp from 12-2:30pm. Parking’s limited, so try and carpool over from the visitors center.

They’ll provide the bags and gloves; you bring the elbow grease. Get all the dirt at www. kittyhawk.com. • Work up a sweat or work up a buzz? Why choose! On Sept. 4, Outer Banks Brewing Station’s All American Labor Day Beer Mile mixes 1/4-mile dashes and 10oz. drafts into an athletically alcoholic cocktail. On-site registration and pre-party starts at 10am. Race at 11am. More at www.obxrunning.com. • For a healthier twist, bend your way to Jennette’s Pier for Outer Banks Health’s Free Beach Yoga — Sept. 5 & 12 at 7:30am — or swim over to the NC Aquarium for Free Yoga with the Sharks, Sept. 27 & Oct. 17 at 5:30pm. Then be a chum and participate in one of fall’s Blood Connection Blood Drives: Outer Banks Hospital (Sept. 6 & Nov. 1, 8am-1pm) and YMCA (Oct. 7, 10am3pm.) All the gory details await at www.outerbankshealth.org. • Got an at-home learner hungry for knowledge? Bring ’em to Homeschool Mornings at Elizabethan Gardens to learn a range of life science subjects, like Biodiversity in the Forest (Sept. 5 & 19), Plant and Animal Adaptations (Oct. 3 &17), and Winter Hibernation (Nov. 7 & 21). All 9-10am. Find pricing and info at www.elizabethangardens.org. • Fill your stomach while feeding your ears with the return of Dare Arts’ The Courtyard Sessions: Live At Lunch!

Any Wed., just grab some to-go in Downtown Manteo, then walk over to watch a local player sizzle from 11:30am-1:30pm. Musicians include: Rory Kelleher (Sept. 6); Julien McCarthy (Sept. 13); Sam On Sax (Sept. 20); and Scott Sechman (Sept. 27). More at www.darearts.org. • And the Outer Banks Brewing Station’s Backyard Music serves up hot tunes most every eve in Sept., including Ruth Wyand (Sun.); The Wilder Bros. (Mon.); The Simps (Wed.); Bryan Campbell (Thurs.); Phil Watson (Fri.); and Doc Perkins (Sat.).

Plus, DJ Styles spins mad tracks every Wed. night, and weekends party late thanks to raging acts like Funkamongus (Sept. 2); Harrison & Wentz Presents: Finale (Sept. 7); Marshall Paul (Sept. 23); and Daniel Jordan (Sept. 30). Tune into www.obbrewing.com for the latest.

• Celebrate four decades of big catches — and bigger community spirit — from Sept. 7-9, when Hatteras Village’s 40th Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament lines up 6-person teams to tangle for prizes. Interested in participating? Just wanna volunteer? Email hatterassurffishing@yahoo.com. • Bask in a weekend of breezy vibes and colorful skies when Kitty Hawk Kites’ OBX Kite Festival floats back to Jockeys Ridge, Sept. 8-9. From 10am4pm, watch the nation’s best stunt kite pilots perform acrobatic feats, or just trip out on the

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“Reach for the sky!” The OBX Kite Festival steals young imaginations, Sept. 8-9. Photo: Cory Godwin milepost 55

endnotes dancing tentacles of a 100-foot octopus and other dazzling displays. More at www.

Ray Matthews Photography Retrospective: Defining Artist of the Outer Banks. From kittyhawk.com. • And watch swim-bike-run athletes chase shiny medals when the 2023 5-7pm, share his memory and impact via a collection of stunning aerials, breathtaking Outer Banks Triathlon loops back through Roanoke Island, Sept. 8-9. Find registration and landscapes, and perfectly timed nature photos, curated by the Bryan Cultural Series. Then course maps for a full range of divisions at www.obxse.com. • A rainbow of good times revisit his work any Tues.-Sat through Oct. 7, 10am-4pm. Details at www.bryanculturalseries. awaits all LGBTQ folks and their supporters at OBX org. • There is such thing as being too sweet. On Sept. 13, Pridefest, Sept. 8-10. Start Fri. night at the Outer Banks head to KDH’s Baum Center for Outer Banks Health’s Brewing Station, with a Kickoff Party (5-7pm), followed Free A1C Diabetes Screening (9am-12p). Then beat the by a Pride & Joy Drag Show (10pm-2am). On Sat., head winter illness blues by attending a Wellness Screening/ to Roanoke Island Festival Park for the 12th Annual Flu Vaccine Clinic at Manteo Library (Sept 26, 9amOuter Banks Pride Festival — a full afternoon of bands, 12pm), KDH Library (Sept. 27, 10:30am-1:30pm), craft beers, wines, local restaurants, vendors, and Virginia Tillett Center (Oct. 11, 9am-12pm), or the entertainers. And finish things off Sun. with an 11am Drag Baum Center (Oct. 24, 9am-12pm.) For more classes and Brunch at the KDH Comfort Inn, followed by a 3pm events visit www.outerbankshealth.org. • On Sept. 14, give Wrap Party at Old Tom’s in Manteo. Just remember: the Croatan Sound a check-up while aboard CSI’s Evening daytime shindigs are all family friendly — the nighttime in the Estuary! From 4-6pm, learn about estuarine shenanigans are not! Schedule and tix at www. biology and ecology, investigate plant and animal obxpridefest.com. • Want something super PG? Drag the adaptations, seine for critters, and more. Curious schoolfam to Dowdy Park’s Friday Night Movies, as they light age kids are welcome with a responsible adult. Details and up the outdoor screen with some TBD entertainment, tix at www.coastalstudiesinstitute.org. • Then do a deepSept. 8 and Oct. 13. Find titles and deets on their dive on the Outer Banks’ diverse watermen culture — and A Ray Matthews retrospective fills Glenn Eure’s Gallery with timeless Facebook page. • And the circle of life returns to Nags dig into some tasty dishes — when Hatteras Village’s memories, Sept. 12 to Oct. 7. Photo: Ray Matthews Head Woods, Sept. 9-Jan. 1, as they bring back Bow Day at the Docks returns Sept. 15-16. It all starts with Fri.’s Hunting Season to manage the deer herd and ensure a healthy population. Hikers, avoid Seafood Under the Stars Chef’s Dinner, featuring resident gourmands and locally ending up on the pointy end of the stick by staying on the designated trails. Find maps at sourced fare. Come Sat., enjoy educational exhibits, community and artist vendors, music, the kiosk outside the offices or at www.nature.org. • On Sept. 12, remember one of the food demos, and more, from 10am-4pm — plus a Seafood Throwdown in which battling Outer Banks’ most legendary lensmen when Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery presents A cooks must make the most of some mystery item, followed by the Blessing of the Fleet at

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7pm. Full sched at www.hatterasonmymind.com. • Then it’s the wave-riding community’s turn to shine, Sept. 16, as the 15th Annual Throwdown Surf Classic fills Chicahauk Beach with local families for a fun-loving, all-ages surf contest that pushes stoke levels through the roof — and raises big dollars for the Outer Banks Relief Foundation. Follow @throwdown_surf_classic for the latest. • More of a gearhead? Race south to Soundside Event Site for Sept. 16’s Sumospeed Beach Bash, where pimpin’ cars, pipin’ hot food, flash product, and high-octane musical performances all add up to a raging party. 1-6pm.

More at www.sumospeed.com. • Help four-wheel drive aficionados spit-shine Hatteras Island when North Carolina Beach Buggy Association Beach Cleanup posts up Down South, Sept. 16. Just swing by Ramps 2 through 55, or Ramp 70, grab a garbage bag, and go de-litter your favorite stretch of sand. • Keep driving and you can clean up on all sorts of cool finds when Sept. 16’s Ocracoke IslandWide Yard Sale empties dozens of attics and closets. (So you can clutter yours up.) Get the full scoop at www.visitocracokenc.com. • More worried about beautifying your yard? On Sept. 16, Elizabethan Gardens’ Seed Saving Workshop teaches you how to clean and store worthwhile annuals, and save and propagate seeds from trees, shrubs, and perennials so next year’s landscape looks even prettier. 1pm. Pricing and deets at www.elizabethangardens. org. • Nobody’s kept local culture vibrant longer than the Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts. On Sept. 16, come help kick off their 40th season with SuperStar — a highenergy tribute to 70s heartthrob, Neil Diamond. More into dreamy vocals? On Oct. 14, Rockland Road combines family harmonies for a musical journey across multiple genres.

Or let the mountains move you on Nov. 4, when they present Take Me Home: The Music of John Denver. All performances at First Flight High School; 7:30pm. Head to www. outerbanksforum.org to see which concerts will push into spring. • And nobody’s nourished competitive wave riders longer than the Eastern Surfing Association! Be at Jennette’s

Pier, Sept. 17-23, as the 55th Annual ESA Eastern Championships draws top talents from Maine to Miami — ages 8 to 80 — for a week-long battle to crown the Atlantic coast’s very best. (Learn more — and watch live heats — at www.surfesa.org.) And be sure to pop up inside the pier house, Sept. 18-20, as the 12th Annual Surfalorus Film Festival presents three stoke-filled evenings featuring the year’s best surf flicks, plus live tunes and lively libations. Get tix, titles and times at www.surfalorus.org. • Then party with the real locals, Sept. 22-24, when the Roanoke Island Native American Heritage Festival & Powwow brings Algonquian Indians of North Carolina Inc., and RoanokeHatteras & Mattamuskeet-Machapunga Indians of Dare and Hyde County to Manteo High School for a weekend of drums, flute, and dancing — plus food trucks and craft vendors. Fri., 3-5pm; Sat. & Sun., 10:30am-4pm. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets. No pets, smoking or alcohol. Find suggested donations and details at www.ncalgonquians.com. • Wanna see big fish hauls turn into better health care? On Sept. 23, head to Oregon Inlet around 3:30pm, and watch the Community Clinic of Dare Billfish Tournament’s landings hit the dock — all to raise cash to help underserved Outer Bankers.

The latest improvement? A new dental clinic set to open this this fall. (PS: at press time, they were still looking to hire hygienists, assistants and other key staff; learn more at www.dareclinic.org.) • Been hooked? Know somebody who is? On Sept. 23, join the 14th Annual Walk Against Addiction 5k Run/Walk when it returns to First Flight High School to raise awareness and funds — all to fight substance abuse one step at a time.

Register at www.obxrunning.com. • Nobody cares if you hook or slice at Sept. 23’s Coast Guard Guardian Open Golf Tournament at Sea Scape in Kitty Hawk— ’cause even the bad shots benefit Coast Guard Mutual Assistance. Help their efforts by fielding a 4-man team for $400 — includes golf, breakfast, lunch, and beverages. Or sponsor a hole for $300 and up. Call Jack Horst at 609-504-4312 for details. • Rather walk the green ’round the

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2023

Purchase Your Tickets in Advanc e and Enter The Festival Grounds at 10:00 AM. (30 Minutes Before The Crowds!)

Oct. 21, 2023 10:30 am - 6pm

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$20 Admission* Includes: • $10 Beverage / Merch Bucks • Arts & Crafts • Live Entertainment • Mullet Toss • Cooking Demonstrations • Kids’ Activities

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• Educational Programs

Please Note:

• Beverages will require Beverage Bucks • Food Purchases must be made with cash or credit card directly to the participating restaurants.

(Seabucks will NOT be used for food purchases.)

Purchase Tickets At: OuterBanksSeafoodFestival.org The Soundside Event Site • MP 16 • 6800 S. Croatan Hwy. • Nags Head, NC

This project is funded in part by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. *Children Under Age 12 FREE when accompanied with adult

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Wright Brothers Memorial? Show up Sept. 23, when they’ll be celebrating National Public Lands Day by waiving admission. (And they’ll do it again for Veterans Day on Nov. 11.) More at www.nps.gov. • Aviation nerds should schedule a stopover on Roanoke Island on Sept. 23, as Dare County Airport’s 80th Anniversary Celebration lines up speakers, reenactors, historical planes, a vintage car show, food trucks, and more. Find a full itinerary at www.darenc.gov/airport. • Aviation Park’s the place to be, Sept. 26, when KDH’s Annual Ice Cream Social brings together neighbors for a sweet evening of burgers, dogs, treats, and an extra helping of community spirit. 4:30-7pm. More at www.kdhnc.com. • Love a happy ending? Head to Jockeys Ridge on Sept. 29, as Friends of Jockeys Ridge and Outer Banks Forever team up to dedicate the new Mountains-to-Sea Trail Terminus Monument at 1pm. Join the party at www.friendsofjockeysridge.com. • Did you know that Oct. is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month? You do now. Expect to hear more as Outer Banks Hotline promotes efforts like the “126 Project” community fundraiser and a Purple Ribbons on Jockey’s Ridge event to commemorate victims and celebrate survivors. (Date TBD.) Call 252-473-5121 to learn how you can help spread the word — and stop the abuse. • Wanna learn more about local enviro issues? Starting in Oct., OBX Green Drinks will pair up pints and guest speakers every third Thurs. at 6:30pm at a TBD venue. To stay in the loop, follow their Facebook page or email obxgreendrinks@ gmail.com to get regular updates. • On Oct. 3, get pally with the po-po — and friendly with your firemen — when Manteo’s National Night Out invites first responders and residents to Cartwright Park for a fun-filled evening of food and family activities. 4-7pm. More at www.manteonc.gov. • From Oct. 4-6, line up beside your fellow anglers, as the Nags Head Surf Fishing Tournament fills local swash zones with big catches — and happy times. Hit www.nagsheadsurffishingclub.org for details. • Wanna know what’s inside all them new, fancy houses? Hop on the Outer Banks Parade of Homes, Oct. 5-8, where you get three days to looky-loo from Corolla to Hatteras. 10am-6pm. March over to www. obhomebuilders.org for more. • On Oct. 6, decorate your foyer with a fine new painting — and enjoy a fancy party — by joining Dare Arts’ Annual Great Art Heist. From 6-8pm, this annual fundraiser features a silent auction full of area masters — and live music by The Jazzmen and Tripp Harrison. (Can’t make it? Bid online ’til Oct. 27 at www.darearts.org.)

And be sure to step into The Vault to see abstract paintings and drawings by Patrick Berran. Hangs through Oct. 28. • DIY creativity and classic surf vibes combine for Kitty Hawk’s Down the Road Surf & Art Festival, Oct. 6-8, where each day features either an art show, a music show, or a wave riding competition. Find out what’s happening when and where at www.downtheroadsurfing.com. • “What stick do I ride?” That’s the only question competitors must answer at Oct. 7’s Which Craft Surf Gathering, where fringe equipment and a feel-good mentality converge on the beach across from Swells’a Brewing to crown

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COME IN AND RELAX! At the only Cigar Lounge on the Outer Banks!

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Customers can bring drinks in from Tap That.

Located inside Tap That OBX — next to Art’s Place

Outer Banks Cigar Lounge 4622 N Virginia Dare Trail • Kitty Hawk www.obxcigarlounge.com • 252-573-3144 milepost 58

Extra bright building ideas strut their stuff for Parade of Homes, Oct. 5-8. Photo: Cory Godwin

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one standout surfer — and help fund the Outer Banks Relief Foundation. Follow @ which_craft_surf for updates. • Stick close, ’cause Oct. 7 also sees the reprise of the Ocean Rhythms Art Show at Swells’a Brewing, as Andy Howell and GhostShip curate a collection of salty works by international names, and the whole place is awash in live music and good times. 6-9pm. Hop aboard www.ghostship.supply for the latest. • Love bugs?

Scuttle over to Sanctuary Vineyard on Oct. 7, as the Crabdaddy Seafood & Wine Festival fills the day with AYCE crabs, BBQ, beer, wine, live local music, and an old-school fish fry — plus the Crabdaddy Olympics makes a smashing party out of tossing crab pots and stomping grapes. 11:30am-4:30pm. Tix fly, so get yours now at www. sanctuaryvineyards.com. • Bigger on bivalves and BBQ? Head to Longboard’s on Oct. 7 for the First Flight Rotary’s Oink & Oyster Roast — where every pile of home-cooked pork and plump oysters helps feed local charities. More at www.firstflightrotary.org. • On Oct. 7, fight hunger and housing woes by heading to St. Andrew’s By the Sea’s Empty Bowls Fundraiser, where $20 buys a heaping serving of delicious soup — plus a tasty vessel to take home. Refills are just $5 and proceeds benefit Beach Food Pantry, Currituck Food Pantry, Food for Thought, and Room in the Inn. Questions? Call 252-441-5382. • Come nightfall, scream your guts out when Wicked Woods fills East Lake Forest with a fearsome collection of haunted trails and terrifying monsters. Starts Oct. 7 and runs every Fri. & Sat ’til the end of the month. Find all the scary deets on their Facebook page. • A fierce selection of family fun waits at Island Farm’s Pumpkin Patch Saturdays, where kids can pick a future jack-o-lantern, make a candle, or a build corn husk doll — plus popcorn, cider, a tractor, and more. Oct. 7, 14, 21, & 28; 9am-3pm. $10 for ages four and up. (Pumpkins cost extra). More at www.obcinc.org. • Or worry about your own backyard on Oct. 7, when Elizabethan Gardens’ Designing the Four-Season Garden helps you plan the best landscape layouts for year-round planting. 1pm. Tix and deets at www.elizabethangardens. org. • Planning shmanning. Let Duck Jazz Festival demonstrate the spontaneous joys of musical improvisation, Oct. 7-8. Starts Sat. night with standalone events about town, before a free Sun. concert starring Michael Hawkins & The Brotherhood; Brass Queens; The Hot Lanes with Bobby Jasinski; Greg Duncan Organ Quartet; Jazz is Led; The Funky Knuckles; First Flight High School Honors Jazz Band; and John Brown “Little” Big Band. Coolers, chairs, blankets, and pets allowed. No beach umbrellas or tents. Gate opens at 10am. Get the groovy details at www.duckjazz.com. • On Oct. 10, you can verbally jam with the KDH Fire Department when they host a Community Open House at Station 14 from 4-7pm. More at www.kdhnc.com. • Did you hear the one about “Will Feral?”

Hopefully you won’t on Oct. 13, when The Outer Banks SPCA’s Stand-Up for Strays brings big-time comedian Henry Cho to Haven on the Banks for a night of loud laughs, silent auctions, and mouth-watering cuisine by Johanna Lachine — all to keep shelter pets from totally dying. (And that’s no joke.) Get your $125 tix at www.obxspca.org. • Then get a hands-on lesson in indigenous culture at one of Frisco Native American Museum’s Winter Workshops, such as: Native Cooking (Oct. 14, Nov. 18 & Dec. 16); Paint a Native Ornament (Oct. 21 & Nov. 25); Native American Drumming (Nov. 4 & Dec. 9); and Making Dreamcatchers (Nov. 11 & Dec. 2). 2pm. $20 includes admission to museum. Call 252-9954440 to sign up or schedule a private class for groups of 5 or more. More at www. nativeamericanmuseum.org. • Come Oct. 16-18, piers and head boats are packed with big fish — and bigger smiles — when the NC Lions Annual VIP Fishing Tournament helps 350 visually impaired persons discover the joys of angling. To apply or volunteer, visit ncvipfishing.org. • Then Oct. 17-22 sees hundreds of animal enthusiasts flock to six national refuges for the 25th Annual Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival. Trips include photo workshops, kayak tours, and a whole bunch of birding. Visit www.wingsoverwater.org for tix — and deets about Dec. 8-10’s WOW Encore event. • Cuckoo for string bands? Fly to Roanoke Island Festival Park, Oct. 19-21, as Bluegrass Island delivers three full days — and a couple late nights — of regional and national favorites, like Sam Bush, Rhonda

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endnotes Vincent and Leftover Salmon. Get full schedule and tix at www.bluegrassisland.com. • And you’ll find just about every edible ocean critter at Soundside Event Site on Oct. 21, as the Outer Banks Seafood Festival serves up dozens of delightful dishes by favorite local chefs. Plus, there’s cooking demos, arts & crafts, educational booths, kids activities, and mullet tossing — and an endless buffet of fresh music by The Daniel Jordan Band, Celeste Kellogg, Betsy Robinson & The Sisters of Soul, and The Patriot Band.10:30am-6pm. $20 admission includes $10 in beverage/merch bucks. All the delicious deets are at www. outerbanksseafoodfestival.org. • The Ocracoke Working Waterman’s Festival boasts its own mix of timeless traditions and tasty seafood on Oct. 21. And you might as well stick around, because from Oct. 27-28, Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree digs deeper into the island’s swashbuckling and seafaring past, recreating everything from a historically accurate pirate encampment to Edward Teach’s last battle. Sail over to www.visitocracokenc.com for a full sched. • Back in town, it’s a bones brigade of a different kind when Oct. 20-22’s Ghost Ship Backyard Pool Jam grinds out three days of rad tricks, live tunes, and gnarly good times. Follow @ghostship.supply for updates. • Come Oct. 27, you can grind some mollusks — and help boost the OBX Cancer Care Fund — when Outer Banks Health’s Oysters & More Party fills Pirates Cove Pavilion with bushels of bivalves, plus live music by the Blue Crab Boys. 5:309:30pm. Call 252-449-9183 for deets. • Sometimes, the smallest, sweetest looking creatures contain the darkest souls. Find out when Theatre of Dare opens their season with the creepy classic, The Bad Seed, Oct. 27 & 28 and Nov. 2, 3 & 4; 7:30pm. And Oct. 29 & Nov. 5; 2pm. Tix and a full sched — including auditions — at www.theatreofdareobx.com. • Then trusty trusses steal the show at Oct. 28’s 20th Annual Wooden Boat Show. From 9am5pm, head over to Manteo’s George Washington Creef Park to see recent and restored designs, and the skilled shipwrights squaring off for coveted awards. To enter call 252-475-

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1750. • What’s the speediest single-masted monohull? Find out Oct. 28-Nov. when OceanAir Sports’s OBX Wind Competition gathers hundreds of windsurfers of every skill level for a week of fast races and blistering good times. See www.oceanairsports.com for divisions and deets. • And how far can a 1/6 keg fly over Soundside Event Site? See for yourself, Oct. 28, when the 7th Annual Outer Banks Brewtäg invites DIY engineers to push the limits of flexible wings — while live bands and craft beers lift spirits — all to raise funds for a future Francis Rogallo Foundation museum. 11am-6pm. More at www. obxbrewtag.com. • Or just gawk at a grip of grinning, glowing gourds on Oct. 28, when Elizabethan Garden’s Night of 1587 Pumpkins attempts to light roughly a gazillion jack-o-lanterns. The exact number depends on the number of attendees, so bring as many carved pumpkins as you can — plus a quality costume — then enjoy a lit night of trick-or-treating, contests, and more family fun. 5-8pm. Visit www.elizabethangardens.org for pricing. • Hatteras Village witnesses its own horrifying transformation, Oct. 28, when Seabreeze Trail mutates into Witching Woods — a spooky Halloween walk through maritime forest. Bring $5 to the Hatteras Civic Center between 8-10pm to be transported to the trail. (Free for ages 6 and under.) Find their Facebook page for the frightening details. • Sexy vampires. Alien anglers. Movie tropes.

Living memes. Who knows what stranger things you’ll happen upon on Oct. 28, when the Outer Banks Brewing Station’s Exotic Erotic Halloween Ball busts out $100 prizes for the most eye-popping outfits. Learn more at www.obbrewing.com. • And if tradition holds, various towns and organizations will host Halloween Trunk-or-Treats for family fun.

Follow Facebook for the latest. • It’s never too soon to start thinking about holiday gifts.

Head to Island Farm on Oct. 29, as the 9th Annual Cody Dough Show offers handmade pottery and crafts, and other one-of-a-kind presents for that one-of-a-kind someone.

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the first peek at a month-long ceramics show by Kay Franz, plus a new Flat Top obxdolphins.org. • On Nov. 4, spice up your holiday by taking part in Elizabethan Architecture Exhibit featuring classic blueprints, vintage photographs, new artwork — and Gardens’ Thanksgiving Centerpiece Workshop, where craft supplies and plants create insights by authors Chris Nason and Steven Rice — to construct a 3D look at our favorite, tasty designs for any tabletop. 1pm. Pricing and registration at www.elizabethangardens.org. historic house design. Hangs through Dec. More at www.darearts.org. • Did someone say • How do you like your beef? Roasted? Or roped? Get it both ways at Nov. 4’s Currituck “green screen”? From Nov. 2-4, Dare Arts and the Peace Bulls and BBQ, where the public can sample and judge a thrilling Garden Project present the First Annual Outer Banks meat throwdown — then watch cowboys hold for the ride of their Environmental Film Festival, where the only special effect is lives. Plus, there’s arts and crafts, cornhole tourneys, food trucks, a learning how to love and protect your planet even more. $10 petting zoo, and a mechanical bull. It all goes down at Powells per film; $40 for an all-access pass that includes panel Point’s Currituck County Rural Center. 12-6pm. Full sched. and discussions and an afterparty. Sched. and deets at www. tix at www.visitcurrituck.com. • That night, wrangle a wild piece of peacegardenproject.net. • Multi-colored canvases make for art at Swells’a Brewing — while enjoying live tunes and crazy blockbuster viewing, Nov. 3-Jan. 25, as the Town of Duck’s good beers — as Nov. 4 reveals a month-long exhibit by Jared Rotating Art Show cycles in works by Dare Arts Gallery Cera and James Perry. 6-9pm. Follow @ swellsa_brewing for the Manager Tiffany Lindsey. Come to townhall any Mon.-Fri., latest. • Help retouch our western shore when Kitty Hawk Kites 9am-4:30pm, to see the results. Even better, meet the artist in and Surfrider team up for another Jockey’s Ridge Soundside person at Nov. 4’s opening reception. 3-5pm. Brush by www.

Beach Clean-Up, Nov. 5. From 12-2:30pm, staff stand ready with townofduck.com for more. • Hop a ferry to a whole new culture bags and gloves. So, park at the visitor center, rideshare to the between Nov. 3-4, as the Festival Latino De Ocracoke beach, and do your part to make the place spotless. More at www. celebrates the island’s vibrant Latino community with a weekend kittyhawk.com. • Got a loved one with dementia? Don’t forget to of ballet folklorico dances, incredible food, games, and more. join Gentle Expert Memorycare Adult Day Services at St. Have a buckin’ good time at Bulls & BBQ, Nov. 4.

Learn mas at www.visitocracokenc.com. • Look who came Andrews By The Sea for Nov. 5’s 16th Annual Candlelighting Photo: Currituck Travel & Tourism “crawling” back! It’s the 14th Outer Banks Shrimp Cook Off! to “honor, remember and care for” loved ones impacted by brain From Nov. 3-4, select restaurants try to skewer the competition via creative crustacean change. 2-3pm. Got questions? Head to www.gemdayservices.org. • And you best not flake appetizers — while diners scuttle around and sample each option before voting to crown on casting a ballot on Nov. 7, when Municipal Election Day lets Southern Shores, KDH, one inventive winner. But the real champ is the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Nags Head, Duck, Manteo, and Kitty Hawk residents choose their local commissioners.

Research, which uses the proceeds to do real science. Find tix and details at www.

(Unincorporated Dare waits ’til next year.) Particularly absent minded? You can always vote

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endnotes early at Kill Devil Hills Town Hall and Manteo’s Dare County Administration Building, beers — and maybe a little pavement. On Nov. 22, be at the Outer Banks Brewing Oct. 19-Nov. 4. For details on candidates, polling locations and hours, visit www.darenc.gov/ Station, as the Tipsy Turkey Beer Mile mixes a fun footrace with fermented bevvies. Or, if elections. • And everyone gets a chance to run the town, Nov. 10-12, when Outer Banks you’d rather lose the booze, just head to Corolla on Nov. 23 for the Wild Turkey 5k, where Marathon offers up a full range of races, from fun runs to 5ks to the full 26.1 miles. Register folks pre-burn some calories before packing ’em on. 8am. Sign up at www.obxrunning.com. at www.obxse.com. • Come Nov. 11, nonperishable items are a culinary expert’s biggest • And the pre-feast footrace festivities continue Down South on Nov. 23, when the 12th obstacle at the Holiday Chef’s Challenge. Come to The Pavilion at Pirate’s Cove to see Annual Surfin’ Turkey 5k & Puppy Drum Fun Run welcomes one and all to the Hatteras which local restaurants can turn Spam, pancake mix, pickles, and more into the most Civic Center — walkers and runners, strollers and spectators, even friendly canines. In delicious dishes — all to feed the Beach Food Pantry’s coffers. 6:30-9:30pm. VIP entry at return, participants get hot pancakes and cold Carolina Brewery suds— plus the good 5:30pm. Find tix and tasty tidbits at www. feeling that comes from helping the beachfoodpantry.org. • Honor those who Hatteras Island Youth Education Fund risked everything — and in some cases support local schools. More at www. gave all — when Outer Banks Veterans hatterasyouth.com. • Headed to Ocracoke Week returns Nov. 11-19, including Nov. Island for Thanksgiving? Fatten up your 11-12’s 11th Annual Veterans Writing calendar with Nov. 23’s Turkey Trot 5k, Workshop, where active-duty military before feasting your eyes upon Nov. 24’s and their family members learn to use the Holiday Boat Parade around Silver Lake written word as a healing device. And, Harbor — followed by a Holiday Gift from Nov. 16-19, the Wall That Heals Market on Nov. 25. Find a fleshed-out delivers a mobile, scale version of the itinerary at www.visitocracokenc.com. • Vietnam Veterans Memorial to Better fly back to Nags Head quick! You Soundside Event Site. Anyone can visit don’t want to miss Nov. 24-25’s Hangin’ day or night. Get full details at www.

With Santa & Kites With Lights. Spend darenc.gov/wall. • Can’t wait to attack the either day at Kitty Hawk Kites’ Nags Yuletide season? Load up on handmade Head store taking photos with St. Nick — gifts — while generously helping local and maybe test driving some toys. artists — at one of Dowdy Park’s (Fri.,10am-2pm; Sat., 1-4pm.) Then come Holiday Markets. (Nov. 11 & 25, 10amback Sat. evening for warm beverages and 2pm; or Nov. 30’s Night Market, 4-7pm.) baked goods to benefit Friends of And enjoy some warm community spirit Jockey’s Ridge, before dashing over to when Nov. 25’s Tree Lighting Ceremony Jockey’s Ridge to enjoy glowing, 19- to sparks up a conifer while sharing hot 30-foot kites — plus the lighting of the cocoa and firepits, carols and photos with Solar Christmas Tree. Find festive deets St. Nick. 5-7pm. Follow the Nags Head at www.kittyhawk.com. • Somewhere and Dowdy Park Facebook Pages for between here and the North Pole lies updates. • And KDH’s First Flight Historic Corolla Park’s 8th Annual Holiday Markets lift-off at Aviation Christmas Craft Village. On Nov. 24, Park beginning Nov. 18. From 10amenjoy a winter wonderland of arts and 12pm, a payload of homegrown and crafts, home baked goods, handmade handmade presents stand by for treasures, and piping hot food trucks — purchase, while the love-they-neighbor plus tasty pics with Mr. & Mrs. Claus. vibes are totally free. (PS: Circle back for (11am-4pm.) And every Fri. from Nov. 24Swells’a Brewing splatters the walls with abstract perspectives by James Perry and others, Nov. 4 -30. two more events on Dec. 12 & 16.) Find Dec. 16, you can fill your wondering eyes more festive deets at www.kdhnc.com. • with festive, early 20th century décor via Step aside, Griswolds! From Nov. 17-Dec. 30, Elizabethan Gardens WinterLights will Whalehead’s Candlelight Christmas Tours, featuring dazzling trees, luscious food, sweet untangle an ungodly amount of LEDs to create a tastefully enchanted walk of holiday fruit, candy and nuts, plus carols and live performances on the original one-of-a-kind wonder, while dazzling décor and crackling open-air fires add to the festive atmosphere.

Steinway piano. 5pm start. (PS: they always sell out, so book fast.) Pricing and registration at 6-9pm. Select nights TBD. Visit www.elizabethangardens.org for details and to register www.visitcurrituck.com. • Didn’t get enough stuffing over the holiday? Head to Sanctuary space. (Timed entry tickets sold online only.) • Hallelujah! Guess what’s coming to First Vineyards on Nov. 25, for the Big Currishuck, where you’ll find AYCE steamed oysters Flight High on Nov. 19? Dare County Youth Orchestra’s production of Handel’s and crabs — and an endless supply of beer and wine for sale — plus free hayrides, live Messiah! This 4pm fundraiser accepts donations to support student string education. music and more. 11:30am-4:30pm. Get your tix before they’re gobbled up at www.

Follow Facebook for updates. (PS: Looking to dust off that old cello or oboe? Contact sanctuaryvineyards.com. • And finally, why are we hyping Dec. 9’s Festival of Trees so Leslie Erickson about the freshly formed Outer Banks Community Orchestra at early? Because this year, this favorite Outer Banks Hotline Fundraiser is a one-day event. ericksonle@daretolearn.org.) • Old school holiday traditions find new life, Nov. 21-22, when Don’t worry, you’ll still find a bunch of fat conifers loaded down in high-dollar donations to Island Farms’ Garden to Hearth demonstrates how 1850s Roanoke Islanders got ready be auctioned live inside Pirate’s Cove Pavilion. Plus, you also get a big party full of food, for winter — from making candles to smoking meat to storing vegetables. 9am-3pm. Learn music, libations — and an abundance of community spirit. $85 (or $150 per pair.) Wanna more at www.obcinc.org. • Nothing says “prepare for the holidays” like pounding a few sponsor — or just help? Call 252-473-5121 for more information.

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