The Land of Beginnings Festival is an annual celebration of Outer Banks originals which defines who the OBX is as a community. Events planned at various sites throughout the week include a long list of exciting cultural, educational and entertainment activities. Participating sponsors include both nonprofits and businesses that subscribe to promoting the future of the Outer Banks by preserving its past.
The dates for the 2010 Land of Beginnings Festival are set for April 9-17. Festival events are geared toward diverse interests and ages and will be located throughout the Outer Banks from Kitty Hawk to Hatteras.
Several Festival events are already planned, the committee welcomes additional events that coordinate within the schedule. Events already planned by the Festival Committee include some of the following:
• Children’s Faire – April 9, daytime,
• Hatteras Storytelling – April 10, evening,
• Living Legend Community Luncheon – April 12, daytime,
• Storytelling – Roanoke Island Festival Park, April 13, evening,
• Storytelling – Black Pelican Restaurant, April 15, evening,
• and a Black-Tie Gala – April 17, evening.
To keep updated with Festival events as they are planned, visit www.thelostcolony.org/Outer_Banks_Festivals.htm . For more information on how you can plan a Festival event, and for a program proposal application, contact The Lost Colony office at 252-473-2127.
Three new events were just added to the Whalehead Club in Corolla, NC
Corolla Pedal-Foot-Paddle
April 7 – Wednesday from 8 am to 1 pm
Join us for a multi-athletic event beginning in Currituck Heritage Park. The “Pedal-Foot-Paddle” starts with a scenic cycle through Corolla followed by a run on the beach at low-tide, wrapping up with a kayak paddle on the Currituck Sound.
For the more leisurely-minded enjoy the fun event, “Land and Light”- climb the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, then stroll through the park ending at the front porch of the historic Whalehead Club. Contestants may participate individually or as a team. Entry fee includes registration reception on Tuesday evening, and award celebration – including best costume – on race day.
Whalehead Club “Arts in the Park”
September 1 & 2 – Wednesday from 10 am to 7 pm / Thursday from 9 am to 3 pm
Enjoy this outdoor art and gift show on the banks of the Currituck Sound. This festival features the talents of artists showcasing a variety of media and quality gifts. Plus musical entertainment, local food concessions, art auction, and children’s activities! Admission is free! $5 parking donation requested.
Currituck Heritage Day October 3 – Sunday from 12 pm to 4 pm
You are invited to a huge lawn party on the grounds of the Whalehead Club to experience the best of Currituck County’s cultural heritage with food and fun for all. Show off your talents on the main stage in “Currituck Idol!” Enjoy the award-winning CCHS Marching Knights, antique cars, kite flying demos, children’s activities, and local arts & crafts booths – call to reserve your booth space now!
This is a family friendly event. Dogs on leashes are welcome.
Kitty Hawk, NC – (February 8, 2010) – With a TV commercial highlighting vacation rentals having aired in Sunday’s big game, the demand for vacation rental homes on the Outer Banks has soared. Football fans are discovering why renting vacation homes, condos, villas and cabins is a favorite choice for many versus hotels. Beyond the experiences families and friends build by staying in a home-away-from-home on the Outer Banks, there are numerous benefits to choosing vacation rentals – sometimes in ways you’d least expect. Don’t miss out on your chance to enjoy an affordable vacation in an Outer Banks vacation rental.
Whether trying vacation rentals for the first time or if you’re one of the nearly nine in 10 travelers who plan to rent again, Seaside Vacations Marketing Director, Adam Norko, offers the following planning tips and insights as a post-game update for visiting the Outer Banks:
CONSIDER BOOKING EARLY: Vacation rental homes can fill up months in advance, especially during busy vacation seasons. Summer on the Outer Banks is very busy, and many reservations are made months, if not a year, in advance. If you have your heart set on a particular house, a particular area, or particular amenities, you may want to consider making your reservation early. Please call Seaside Vacations at 877.219.3794 to book an affordable vacation for this summer.
KNOW YOUR DESTINATION: Whether you are a first-time traveler to the Outer Banks or not, it’s recommended that you become familiar with our special events, seasons and offerings. Here are some activities that guests find most enjoyable:
LOOK FOR SPECIAL VALUES: During certain seasons, vacation rental specials can provide even more value, some with homes starting at just $30 per person, per night, with all of the typical amenities of a resort and more. Visit www.OuterBanksVacations.com to become familiar with various vacation rental types, reservation rates as well as exclusive promotions.
AVOID AIRLINE BAGGAGE FEES: Most Outer Banks vacation rentals come equipped with washers and dryers. Travelers may choose to use these perks to pack less clothing, avoiding commercial airlines’ baggage fees and restrictions.
USE SPACE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE: Outer Banks vacation homes and condos can range from 1 to more than 14 bedrooms, often costing less than a single hotel room by sleeping up to 30 guests versus just a few.
SAVE ON DINING OUT: With full kitchens, dining rooms, breakfast bars and outdoor grills, Outer Banks vacation rental travelers often make and store meals and snacks for less, including football favorites like homemade nachos during post-season trips. Use our famous fresh-caught local seafood for more memorable mealtimes. This also provides healthy travel options, cutting the amount of calories typically consumed while on vacation.
ASK ABOUT AFTER-HOURS SERVICE: When looking into any vacation rental accommodations, check to see if there is an accessible customer service number for emergency needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and for after-hour requests.
ENTERTAIN FOR FREE: Most of Seaside Vacations’ homes and condos include amenities not found in hotels – including private pools, hot tubs, recreation rooms, fireplaces, DVD players, WiFi, and book and movie libraries. Many are also in communities with access to community pools, tennis, fitness centers, the beach, etc.
ASK ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS: A vacation should be more than just a house at the beach. It should be time with friends and family, a chance to relax and unwind and an opportunity to experience the local culture. Seaside Vacations is redefining the Outer Banks vacation experience by combining the best things about staying in a private vacation home with the best things about staying in a luxury resort. Welcome to the exclusive Club Seaside.
REMEMBER BIG EVENTS: Whether it’s for football championships or national Bowl games, concerts, baseball series’, basketball or other events, vacation rentals can save fans from the hassle of finding multiple hotel rooms during big events, and on the cost of multiple reservations.
Founded in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1990, Seaside Vacations is a full-service vacation rental management company representing homes from Corolla to Nags Head.
For more information on Seaside Vacations and their wide selection of vacation rentals, visit www.OuterBanksVacations.com or call a Vacation Specialist at 877.219.3794.
The Outer Banks is well-known for its gorgeous beach environment and pumping surf, arguably some of the best and most consistent surf the east coast has to offer (here’s a slide show to back up this point of view). However, for most people the beach and waves are generally enjoyed during warm, sunny days.
From a surfer’s perspective, gnarly conditions can be a welcomed sight. Storm surf is usually not conducive to surfing, but large storms generally throw some decent surf towards the OBX before and/or after the storm’s arrival. Gnarly conditions also tend to thin the surfing crowd; only the most dedicated are willing to brave the most brutal conditions. When it comes to winter on the Outer Banks, it’s difficult to create more brutal surfing conditions.
During the winter months, large storms combine with bone-chilling water temperatures (in the low 30’s right now) to make even the most weathered and dedicated OBX surfers think twice before wrestling the thick rubber wetsuit, boots, gloves, and hood around a shivering body and hustling towards the Atlantic. Even with the protective gear, the entrance into the icy liquid is mind-numbing and each duck dive brings the ice-cream headache rushing back. The body is cold from the rude entrance into the seemingly peaceful beach environment and stiff from the weeks without a paddle. Muscles needed to propel you through the crushing onslaught of waves seem to be thinking of the warm safety of the car. A paddle out into OBX surf is hard enough on an 80 degree day in boardshorts, but in the heart of the cold season, covered in thick rubber reducing all movement and vision, it seems nearly impossible. Luckily, the payoff is great.
When you make it outside and can sit to catch your breath and relax the burning muscles, you have the opportunity to look back at the beach and take it all in; the peace and tranquility returns in a flash; bright Carolina blue skies, empty beach, gorgeous waves, low flying sea birds, and silence…just the hum and crash of passing waves.
This winter, like many, seems flat and cold. From a surfer’s perspective there are never enough waves. In reality, the chilly east coast winter has brought some great days…albeit few and far between and cold! Surfer Magazine recently had some great online coverage of the winter surf on the Outer Banks.
However, the big surf news from the OBX is Brett Barley.
Brett is a wave-hunting 20 year old surfer from Buxton that made a huge impression on the surfing world over the past couple weeks. Brett made his first appearance at the Volcom Pipeline Pro in January, and he made a name for himself early. Brett scored a 10 and 9.67 in his first heat and made it to the semi-finals. He arrived a relatively unknown from the remote Outer Banks and left as the “Cinderella Story” of one of the biggest surf competitions at one of the biggest surf spots of all time. The entire competition seemed to be buzzing about Brett. Another great example of the high-quality surf offered on the Outer Banks.
Rather than try to recap the amazing press that Brett has been receiving, here’s a quick list (with links) of some of it:
ESM – So Cool“Pruett… thats an odd way to start an article haha”
OB Can Nags Head is a community arts project that addressed the problem of littering on Nags Head’s beaches.
Artists are invited to apply to paint a new trash can, which will grace the beaches throughout Nags Head.
The Town is working with the Dare County Arts Council on this project.
Who Can Apply?Any artist residing in Dare County.
Selection Process
Artists need to fill out an application (link is below) and return it, along with 5 digital images of their work to the Town of Nags Head or the Dare County Arts Council.
Work samples must be in digital form on a CD, with the artist’s name and contact information printed on the disc.
The application materials will be reviewed by a panel of judges, and artists will be notified of their acceptance.
Contact the Dare County Arts Council at 252-473-5558 or info@darearts.org if you have any questions.
Calendar
March 9-11
Application and digital images of artwork must be turned into the Dare County Arts Council or Nags Head Town Hall.
March 15
Submissions will be judged. Artists will be notified of acceptance within 48 hours.
March 18 and 19
If you are chosen as an OB Can artist, you may pick up your trash can on these dates from Nags Head Town Hall
April 22 and 23
Drop off your finished trash can at Nags Head’s Town Hall
May 8 – Before being placed on the beach, trash cans will be unveiled at a Garbage Gala hosted by the Dare County Arts Council at Pamlico Jacks.
Design Criteria
We want variety! You are encouraged to show off your own personal style.
Be original! No reproductions of other pieces of artwork.
No 3D elements! Please limit this project to 2D materials. Remember, these will be functional trash cans.
The theme is open to your interpretation. Keep in mind, however, that these will be placed on public beaches, so create accordingly.
Ralph Buxton and John Harris started Kitty Hawk Kites in 1974, to offer hang-gliding lessons, equipment and more to visitors and locals of the Outer Banks.
Windsurfing became increasingly popular in the 1980s, so Ralph and John decided to open Kitty Hawk Sports, which was a store geared more towards the water sport aspect of the Outer Banks. By 1990, the partners split their business between them. Buxton hung onto Kitty Hawk Sports, and Harris hung onto Kitty Hawk Kites.
Buxton has considered selling Kitty Hawk Sports for a while, and recently he offered to sell his operation to his old partner. Harris jumped at the opportunity to reunite the business operations, and the deal is official as of last week.
The purchase of Kitty Hawk Sports helps further Harris’ plan to expand. Kitty Hawk Kites has eight stores on the Outer Banks and two in Florida, plus a Whalebone Water sports rental outlet and two Life Is Good shops selling that brand’s clothing and outdoor gear. Kitty Hawk Kites has about 50 year-round employees and added four from Kitty Hawk Sports. So when you are on the Outer Banks, be sure to check out the stores for all your beach equipment needs.
Here are the top 10 reasons an Outer Banks vacation rental home by Seaside Vacations outweighs hotels:
1. More for Your Money An oceanfront hotel room can cost as much as $299/night during the summer. The average cost per night, per person in an oceanfront Outer Banks vacation rental home? As low as $45 a night! And the hotel room can’t boast a private gourmet kitchen, expansive multi-level decks, private pools and hot tubs…
2. Limitless Options Which would you prefer? Spending your beach vacation in a hotel room that looks like every other hotel room in America? Or…relaxing in your own private Outer Banks vacation rental? The choice is yours…play some tennis next to your resort villa, listen to the waves break from the balcony of your 10-bedroom oceanfront estate, watch the radiant sunsets from the porch of your sound front home…or watch the final putt on the 18th hole from your golf course home. When you want to get away from it all, Seaside Vacations can make it happen.
3. Privacy Please No more cramped hotel rooms, no more housekeepers knocking and no more noisy strangers on the other side of the wall. Just the comfort, privacy and freedom of a lovely home — all right beside the country’s most unforgettable beaches, golfing, fishing, water sports and more.
4. Your Own Mini-Resort From game rooms with pool tables to theater rooms with surround sound, the options for fun are limitless. Plus, with each Outer Banks vacation rental home boasting its own private kitchen, it’s easy to plan and host large family dinners without the hassle of traffic, reservations or hard to please taste buds.
5. Pools and Hot Tubs No pool or hot tub hours. No lifeguard. No sharing. When you stay in an Outer Banks vacation rental, the pools and hot tubs are for your own private use. And if you feel like a midnight swim, well, it’s all yours.
6. You Need (and Get) Your Space Feel like catching up on your beach read while you relax by the pool? Husband ready to grill out? Kids demanding to play foosball? With our wide selection of Outer Banks vacation homes, the entire family will have plenty of space to relax, unwind and truly stretch out.
7. Say “I Do” Outer Banks vacation rentals offer you a unique location, with extraordinary amenities, to host your Outer Banks wedding, reception and rehearsal dinner (as well as guest accommodations). Enjoy a romantic beachside ceremony and then a fabulous reception….right in your own home!
8. Even Dogs Need a Little “R&R” There’s no need to leave your dog in a cramped kennel for a week…many Outer Banks vacation rental homes are pet-friendly and allow your dog to vacation with you!
9. Well-Equipped We know the drive to get to your beach vacation can be a long one. That’s why our owners have done some of the work for you. From beach chairs and DVDs to baby equipment and games, many Outer Banks vacation rental homes are well-stocked…so you can leave those things at home and make more room for….FUN!
10. Wear Flip Flops to Work The wide variety of peaceful settings mixed with the unique blend of premier properties makes vacation rentals the perfect location for Outer Banks meetings and conferences. Imagine…hosting your next meeting in a crowded hotel conference room. Or….discussing ideas around a large table overlooking the beautiful blue Atlantic. Where would you be most creative?
Top 10 Reasons to Have a Destination Wedding on the Outer Banks of North Carolina
1.
As destination weddings go, a wedding on the Outer Banks is extremely budget friendly. Plus, the Outer Banks is within reasonable driving distance from most major cities in the eastern United States.
2.
From weddings alongside the breaking waves of the Atlantic to those nestled among the flowers at the Elizabethan Gardens, the options for fabulous settings are limitless.
3.
From the rehearsal dinner to the ceremony and reception to the honeymoon, we’re able to accommodate each and every wedding event.
4.
No need to block a set of hotel rooms. Your guests can enjoy spacious accommodations in one of our relaxing Outer Banks vacation rental homes.
5.
From a small and intimate gathering of close family and friends to a large and lavish, we’ll ensure your Outer Banks wedding is an affair to remember.
6.
It was time for family reunion anyway.
7.
Seaside Vacations has a full-time, on-site staff dedicated to your needs.
8.
Seaside Vacations properties provide a splendid backdrop to an eventful wedding weekend. Whether you and your guests choose to stay in an oceanfront home or a cozy villa, all of our accommodations are within close distance to Outer Banks activities, Outer Banks attractions, Outer Banks golf and the beach.
9.
Your guests will thank you for it.
10.
Long after the cake is gone and the guests have departed, you’re left enjoying a romantic, carefree honeymoon on the beautiful Outer Banks!
“Biggest Losers” Ed and Heba to Teach Healthy Cooking Techniques at The Outer Banks Taste of the Beach Weekend
Outer Banks, N.C. (February 2, 2010) – Professional chef Ed Brantley and his wife Heba Salama, weight loss winners from Season 6 of TV’s “The Biggest Loser,” will bring a combination of healthy bites and celebrity to the Annual Outer Banks Taste of the Beach Weekend, March 11-14, 2010.
Ed and Heba will host the “Kickin’ It Up A Notch Kick Off” on Thursday, March 11th at the Outer Banks Brewing Station, hold two Healthy Eating / Healthy Living Cooking Demonstrations, presented by Dominion Power, and co-sponsored by Village Realty, Roanoke Island Designs and Kelly’s Hospitality Group, March 11th & March 14th, make special guest appearances at various events throughout the weekend, and act as celebrity judges at the Grand Finale Taste of The Beach Expo on Sunday, March 14th at Pamlico Jack’s Pirate Hideaway, where over 20 restaurants will compete for the 1st ever TOBY Awards. Awards include “Best Booth Presentation,” “Best In Show” and “Peoples Choice.” Ed and Heba will also participate in the 21st Annual Kelly’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Running of The Leprechauns 8k race.
A graduate of the prestigious Johnson and Wales College of Culinary Arts in Charleston, South Carolina, Ed worked under well-known chef Donald Barickman at Magnolia’s in Charleston’s historic district. He currently teaches European Cuisine at the Arts Institute of Raleigh, North Carolina.
In addition to his experience as a chef, Ed and Heba are working on a cookbook of healthy recipes for release later this year. The couple will hold cooking demonstrations featuring recipes from the book at the Annual Outer Banks Taste of the Beach.
“It’s an honor to be included in the Annual Outer Banks Taste of the Beach and the event’s culinary traditions. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to share some of our favorite recipes from the cookbook we’re working on at an event that combines good food and an appreciation for healthy living in our home state,” said Ed.
“We’re very excited to have Ed and Heba as special guests for this year’s Annual Outer Banks Taste Of The Beach Weekend. Between Ed’s experience as a chef, the couple’s upcoming cookbook and their North Carolina roots, they’re a perfect fit for this event,” said Outer Banks Restaurant Association President Ben Sproul.
Hosted by the Outer Banks Restaurant Association and sponsored by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, the Annual Outer Banks Taste of The Beach Weekend is an opportunity for anyone from casual chefs to foodie fanatics to sample a wide range of foods through events. You’re invited to The Outer Banks of North Carolina for one of the Top 10 Wine & Seafood Festivals in the US, according to Coastal Living magazine. The Outer Banks Taste of The Beach Weekend is a fantastic way to sample the fare of several fine restaurants on the Outer Banks in one fun-filled, foodie-fanatic weekend! With over 50 individual events to choose from, you can pick your events and purchase your tickets all in one location. Events begin on Thursday, March 11th and end on Sunday, March 14th. You can indulge in a fancy wine dinner one night and mix with the masses in a tapas crawl the next. Tickets are limited and events sell out fast so get yours today.
Tickets are sold by the event. To buy your tickets, see a complete list of events and to begin planning your culinary weekend on The Outer Banks of North Carolina, visit http://www.obxtasteofthebeach.com.
About Ed & Heba Ed and Heba shot to fame as weight loss winners on TV’s “The Biggest Loser” by losing a combined total of 277 pounds. On the show, Heba became the first woman to win the “at home” prize of $100,000 for the highest percentage of weight lost overall. Her husband, Ed, finished the season in second place. Since then, the couple has been busy writing a cookbook of healthy recipes, working with non-profit organizations to prevent childhood obesity and promote fitness, as well as appearing regularly as guest speakers. Their cookbook will be available in the spring of 2010.
About The Annual Outer Banks Taste of The Beach Weekend The Outer Banks Restaurant Association began holding the Taste of The Beach over 20 years ago. Since then, the event has evolved into a four day foodie-fanatic weekend, exposing visitors to dozens of the Outer Banks’ finest restaurants and brewers through wine tastings, cooking classes, special menu presentations, guest chef appearances, tapas crawls and the Grand Finale Taste of The Beach Expo, where restaurants compete for “best in show” honors.
Find out the estimated value of your antiques from professional appraisers. Shop for collectibles from local dealers. Learn some tricks to keeping your treasures beautiful at the educational workshops. Silent auction and refreshments too!
Admission is free. Appraisal fee: $10 per item or 3 items for $25.
