Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival

A few weeks ago, I announced an awesome new event on the Outer Banks for 2012 – the Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with one of the organizers of the event, and Mr. Cory Hemilright has graciously agreed to offer us a behind the scenes look at the Festival. I’m hoping to have a series of posts from Cory leading up to the event, but to start, let’s get Cory’s first-hand perspective of what led them to this brilliant idea.

As a reminder, the OBX Bluegrass Festival is set for October 5-6, 2012 at Roanoke Island, NC, and you can find more information about the event on their website: www.obxbluegrassfestival.com.

Let’s turn it over to Cory…

Larry Brown and I, Cory Hemilright, grew up here on the Outer Banks. Our family roots date back to the creation of Dare County. Bluegrass music has been around for quite some time as well, and is a staple memory from my childhood.

I have great memories of many gatherings that involved plenty of sweet tea, fried chicken and North Carolina-style barbeque. These gatherings attracted musicians from throughout the area who would come together to perform for the other locals and tell stories about the ‘early days’ of the Outer Banks. Days when the only means of transportation between the Barrier Islands was by boat; there were no expansive bridges connecting one island to the next. Days when the main population in Dare County was centralized in what is now forests and trails; Buffalo City, the Moonshine Capital.

Considering the fond memories and great music with such a deep history in North Carolina, Larry and I decided that we needed to unearth the dying traditions and styles by forming the Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival. We understood that because bluegrass is not a mainstream style of music that we had to find ways to cater to and attract fans of different varieties of music. With so many traditional bluegrass bands out there, we wanted our festival to include performers who offer a unique style of bluegrass, and within the bluegrass community, performers who are rated highly among their musical counterparts.

We searched through an array of resources to find our performers; from the suggestions of seasoned bluegrass fans to the up-and-coming-artists’ blogs on the Internet. Our headliner, for example, was a suggestion of my father. One of his favorite songs is “When Angels Sing” by Rhonda Vincent. He said to me, “You can’t have a bluegrass festival without Rhonda Vincent!” It was as simple as contacting her booking agent (Who happens to be her own husband!), and the deal was done! We had our headliner! Our other big draw band was discovered on a trip to Dollywood in September of 2011, at the Bluegrass and Barbeque Festival in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We got a chance to listen to the legendary Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. After hearing the group sing a-cappella, there was no question; we had to have them. They are, after all, one of the most renowned bluegrass bands of today.

From a little idea to a grand event, this has the makings of what we believe will be an event that will easily become an Outer Banks tradition for many people.

Thanks for the inside look at the event Cory! We’re hoping to have you back to discuss the progress of the event. Feel free to drop in whenever you have something to share.

And I agree, this has the makings of a great Outer Banks tradition – one that’s been long overdue. Hats off to your for making an awesome idea a reality.

Outer Banks Sounds

Earlier today I “tweeted” (if you’re a Twitter lover, we’re there too!) about a live acoustic music session with a local Outer Banks musician on a great OBX radio station, 99.1 – The Sound.

It’s always fun to hear great local music.

I let the smooth sounds soothe my soul and moved on. Then I noticed a post on Outer Banks This Week (side note: Outer Banks This Week is a good resource for some detailed info on local OBX happenings) discussing a fantastic idea: a local Outer Banks music showcase. And my brain synapses started to click.

The smooth acoustic sounds on 99.1 were part of a much bigger idea. An idea with the goal of shining a spotlight on the local Outer Banks music scene. Awesome idea, right? The Outer Banks has some awesome musicians, but how do we find out about them?

I love music, and I love to find great new music…especially when they are local. But I struggle to find these local acts. So I can definitely sympathize with guests visiting for only one week. How do we know who these local acts are?

Well, here’s the answer; Outer Banks Sounds.

The Dare County Arts Council and 99.1 The Sound have joined forces to present a performance series and compilation album of original, local OBX music.

Here are the guidelines for this rad project:

Local Outer Banks musicians and/or bands with original, unlicensed music. Select musicians will be asked to play one showcase that will be held every third Thursday from 7-9pm, October through April at Kelly’s Restaurant and Tavern in Nags Head.  Each musician selected will have one track included on the inaugural Outer Banks Sounds CD.

The Outer Banks Sounds live music showcases are held at Kelly’s in Nags Head every third Thursday of the month through April. Each night three different bands or musicians play, and the public is invited to come hear the music. Playing this Thursday night – i.e. tomorrow – are Sean Bedula, Ruth Wyand and Jug Tucker.

The CD containing a song from each of the 16 musicians will be released in May.

Apparently I’m a bit behind the curve – sorry about that. Here we are in January, so we’ve already missed a few shows, but we still have a few shows left at Kelly’s, and the great compilation CD, to look forward to.

So, if you’re on the hunt for some great local Outer Banks music, now you know. And as G.I. Joe used to say in the 80′s, “Knowing is half the battle.” Yo Joe!

Outer Banks Roller Derby

Last year, around this time, I announced the start of the OBX roller derby league. A proud moment for all lovers of the elegant (that’s sarcasm ) sport. Unfortunately, I hadn’t heard much since. I saw some ladies rolling around at the KDH park, but never heard of any games. Until today…

I just got word that a gnarly roller derby tournament is planned for early this spring; dubbed “Derby Spills in Kill Devil Hills.”  Great name, ladies.

Here are some details…
Derby Spills in Kill Devil Hills is an invitational roller derby tournament created to bring the leagues of North Carolina and Virginia together for a weekend of AWESOME derby bouts and education in the Outer Banks.

Tournament bouts will be played on Friday and Saturday with an optional training camp on Sunday.  The training camp is open to all skaters, even those not participating in the tournament.

The derby tourney will be the evening of Friday, April 27 and all day Saturday, April 28. It will be at Aviation Park in Kill Devil Hills (near high school, skate park, etc.) and tickets will be on sale soon at local businesses.

We’ll share more details as they are available.

The OBX derby ladies practice Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 6-7:30 at Aviation Park across from First Flight High School - come out anytime and they’ll give you the low down on derby!

Did you know Grave Diggers home (i.e. Digger’s Dungeon) is in Currituck, about 20 minutes north of the OBX?! Awesome, right?!

And here’s another Grave Digger tidbit, this is the 30th anniversary. Wow! 30 years?! I feel old. Grave Digger most certainly is a legend in the monster truck world.

A legend? Most certainly. But over-the-hill? Definitely not. Check out this article from MSN covering Grave Diggers recent win in front of a packed house in Tacoma Washington. The photo (below) is amazing, and the caption sums up Grave Digger perfectly…

Seeing a 12,000 pound truck powered by a 1,500 horsepower engine fly this high through the air is worth putting on your bucket list.  Grave Digger’s freestyle performance was the closing act at Monster Jam on Saturday, and it brought the house down.

Outer Banks' Monster Neighbor to the North

On your next trip to the Outer Banks, a stop at Digger’s Dungeon is definitely worthwhile. The truck is amazing – even if you don’t consider yourself a monster truck fan – then again, who isn’t? It’s a great stop for the entire family. You can get up close to the truck, the store offers a wide range of Digger gear, there’s a diner there, and they even offer monster truck rides! I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to leave there without a smile from ear to ear.

Address: 5650 Caratoke Hwy Poplar Branch, NC 27965

Directions: The Store is located on Highway 158 about 40 miles from the Virginia Line. Highway 158 runs along the coast. The dungeon is 15-20 miles north of Kill Devil Hills. For more information you can call the Dungeon at 252-453-4121.

Here’s a quick video of Grave Digger in action…awesome!

Outer Banks Bike Week

10th Annual Outer Banks Bike Week™ 
April 21-29, 2012

Wow, 10 years?! Already?! Even more of a reason to celebrate one of the best OBX events of the year – Outer Banks Bike Week!

The OBX Bike Week has gotten bigger and better every year, and this year promises more of the same. The full schedule of events has not been announced yet, but the dates are set, and some hints have been dropped about the fun to come.

We’ll be sure to keep you updated as we get more information, and you can find additional information at the Outer Banks Harley-Davidson website.

Here’s some of the fun you can expect from the 9 day bike extravaganza:

• Win a $1000.00 Shopping Spree
• Georgia Satellites Concert
• 100 Miles of Scenic Barrier Islands
• Live Bands & Bikini Contests
• Bike Shows & Poker Runs
• Guided Tours & Pin Runs
• Tattoo Contest & Beer Belly Contest
• H-D 2011 Factory DEMO Rides
• Historic Lighthouses
• Wright Brothers Memorial
• Pirate lore and history

Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival

How about a bluegrass festival at the beach?! Yeehaw! Awesome. It’s about time we had some serious twanging mixed with great Southern cooking on the OBX.

The Outer Banks and the whole Northeast region of North Carolina has waited a long time for this bluegrass music festival. And the wait is over.

The first annual Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival is coming to Roanoke Island Festival Park in October 2012…and they are taking the park by storm!

There are some serious bluegrass acts set for this two day festival, and rumor has it the food will be some southern down-home goodness. Fantastic scenery, full bellies, good friends, and that sweet bluegrass twang. Count me in!

The festival takes place October 5-6, 2012 at Roanoke Island, NC.

Artists scheduled to perform include Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Dixie Ridge, Stoney Creek Band, Nu-Blu, Drymill Road, The Whiskey Rebellion, Stacy Grubb, The Hillbilly Gypsies, Cumberland River and more.

Workshops, jamming and more are just part of the excitement of this innaugural festival. Tickets and additional information is available at www.obxbluegrassfestival.com

Santa Duck

Duck, NC – The Town of Duck, in cooperation with our local business community, announces the First Annual “Duck Yuletide Celebration” – a Town-wide celebration of Yuletide Cheer.

• Friday and Saturday, December 2 and 3, 2011

Duck merchants will keep their doors open late for shoppers to find the perfect gift. Visitors will enjoy Holiday sales, refreshments, and even some Holiday entertainment as they make their way through the Town of Duck.

The entire Village Commercial District will be decked out for the holiday season with festive decorations and lights.

To complement your shopping experience, Duck eateries are hosting one of their famous Duck Tapas Crawls on Friday, December 2, 2011 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Participating restaurants will be serving up a plate of tapas and a cup of Holiday cheer for one special price that is sure to be pleasing to every palate.

Check out the Duck website for some more info.

Love holiday shopping? Love tapas? Love Duck? Will you be going to the Yuletide Celebration? Please let us know all about it in our comments section. Have fun!

Starting in Kitty Hawk, runners made their way through the Wright Brothers Memorial trail, down in the Nags Head Woode Nature Preserve, around Jockey’s Ridge State Park, crossing the Manteo bridge and finishing up in beautiful downtown Manteo.

It was amazing to see people from all over the country conquering what some considered a “check off the bucket list”. Its really inspiring actually, and seeing their family and children yelling for them on the side lines will really bring a smile to your face.

Here are the top 10 finishers for the male and female categories.

 Male Finishers:

1. Tim Surface        2:38:40   Raleigh NC

2. Bruce Berger     2:48.08   Richmond VA

3. Alan Pietruszkiewicz    2:49:18    Glen Allen VA

4. Michael Dwomoh     2:49:35    Raleigh NC

5. Shiels Duncan   2:50:15   Glen Allen VA

6. William Kuper   2:50:27   Fairfax VA

7. Talentino Angelosante   2:50:33   Albuquerque NM

8. Merrick Lincoln  2:50:39   Milford MI

9. Mark Dewyea   2:52:23   Standardsville VA

10. Bret Mower   2:56:05   Waynesboro PA

Female Finishers:

1. Megan Hovis   2:54:38   Charlotte NC

2. Heather Magill  3:03:04  Wilmington NC

3. Viviana Chalco-Caiza-dinan  3:05:11  High Point NC

4. Amy Kearns   3:10:21  Wintervill NC

5. Mary Tuttle   3:16:59    Winston Salem NC

6. Jennifer Curtin  3:17:31  Raleigh NC

7. Kayla Campisino   3:18:36  Raleigh NC

8. Abigail Jeck  3:18:56  Chapel Hill NC

9. Chelsea Holt  3:22:21  Durham NC

10. Carolyn Yang  3:22:27 Cincinnati OH

For complete results click here.

Truley amazing guys!! Pretty cool to see a lot of North Carolinians placing in the top 10 as well. Congratulations to everyone who ran, you all rock! Here are some clips from the race. Try to ignore the dirty windshield.

The Roanoke Island Aquarium in Manteo is holding the annual “Trick or Treat Under the Sea” event Thursday October 27th from 6:00-8:30 pm. This year’s event will feature a scream contest, individual and family costume contests, vendors from our community with lots of treats and much more. Make sure you get tickets before the event because they will not have any available at the door.

Nags Head Church will be hosting their annual “Trunk or Treat” event from 6-8 pm on October 31st.

Spook House in the OBX Vacations building opposite the Harley Davidson store in Point Harbor on 158. Event will be a fundraiser for Relay for Life. Advertised in the Coastland Times.

The Island Farm in Manteo will be hosting a Victorian Funeral, an opportunity to visit the graves and ghosts of the graveyard and explore Victorian death rituals. Spooky! Scheduled for October 28th 7 & 8:15 pm.

Whalebone Surf Shop will be holding a Halloween Costume contest and huge sale on the 31st including a $100 gift card prize for best costume. Starts at 6pm.

The 10th annual Exotic, Erotic Ball will be held at Outer Banks Brewing Station Halloween night. Sounds risque hug? Well it has been voted the best Halloween party on the beach! Come in costume for a cash prizes.

Port O Call will be hosting the Burlesque Balle Saturday night with a costume contest with cash prizes!

Looks like there are going to be a ton of great events for adults and kids on Halloween night and even some starting tomorrow! Hope everyone has a great Halloween and stay safe. If you have any other events you know of let us know and we will add to the list! Stay spooky OBX.

Time for some Monster Mash!

Of course the millions of Outer Banks visitors come here every year to enjoy the beautiful beaches and attractions but I couldn’t agree more with Wings Over Water, that the ultimate attraction in our area is the wildlife, natural history and scenic views. As a chance to get out an enjoy the over quarter of a million acres of wildlife and wetlands, Wings Over Water is presenting the 15th annual Wildlife Festival from November 8-13th.

Here are just a few of the many great adventures planned for you and your family to experience!

• Venturing into areas with combined bird lists of nearly 400 species.
• Learning from experts how to shoot photographs that capture the unique beauty of the region.
• Traveling to historic landmarks like the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station.
• Visiting North Pond on Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on Hatteras Island, the hottest spot for fall birding in North Carolina – or even visit South Pond which is usually closed to visitors.
• Taking a ferry to the pirate Blackbeard’s hang-out on Ocracoke Island to enjoy the quaint fishing village and check out the birds.
• Paddling the backwaters of the area or four-wheeling the area north of Corolla.
• Visiting the ancient maritime forest of Kitty Hawk Woods for a look at this rare ecosystem.
• Venturing into Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge at night in search of bear and other wildlife.
• Absorbing the waterways’ natural beauty during a sunrise or sunset kayak tour.
• Wading in search of Clapper Rails, marsh sparrows and wrens at Oregon Inlet.
• Exploring a Ghost Town on Portsmouth Island.
• Experiencing a Red Wolf Howling where the nearly extinct animal is now fighting its way back.
• And many other wild experiences……

Just another great activity for any fall OBX’ers. Don’t say we didn’t tell you that fall is the best time to be at the beach. For more information on the festival or to view a complete schedule and descriptions of all the events, click here.  Here’s a quick peak at some of the beauty to be discovered here in the Outer Banks.

Sunset and Wildlife on the Outer Banks from Seaside Vacations on Vimeo.