Events in Carolina & Kure Beach

Season finale on Friday, September 4 features Too Much Sylvia (CBMA Group of the Year) at the Boardwalk Gazebo Stage, starting around 6:00–6:30 PM, followed by the final fireworks show over the ocean at 9 PM.

Bring blankets and beach chairs to Carolina Beach Lake Park for free family-friendly movies on a giant inflatable screen. Films begin at dusk every Sunday through Labor Day. Snacks and drinks available for purchase, or bring your own.

Carolina Beach Dragon Boat Regatta & Festival features colorful 45-foot dragon boat races in the Yacht Basin, plus a lively festival with local vendors, food, live music, and family-friendly activities. It's a charity fundraiser hosted by The Island Men benefiting Ocean Cure and other local c...

Oktoberfest on the Beach returns to Carolina Beach Pier for a family- and dog-friendly celebration featuring an oompah band, seaside pumpkin patch, a stein-holding contest, and German-inspired food and drinks. 

Carolina Beach Farmers' Market takes place every Saturday from May through October, 8am–1pm, around the scenic shores of Carolina Beach Lake Park. Shoppers will find fresh local produce, seafood, meats, dairy, baked goods, and handmade artisan crafts, all while enjoying live music. The mark...

Cape Fear Kite Festival draws professional kite flyers to Fort Fisher for a free weekend of giant sky art, live music, food trucks, and craft beverages, plus a Friday-night "Aglow" beachfront celebration with lighted displays and a neon dance party.

Kure Beach Holiday Market is an oceanfront craft market held select Saturdays each November, featuring handcrafted goods, jewelry, art, and wood crafts from local artisans, plus food trucks and a DJ. Free and family-friendly, it's steps from the Atlantic Ocean.

Cape Fear Habitat Turkey Trot is a Thanksgiving morning 5K and 1-mile run/walk in Downtown Wilmington, supporting Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity. Runners and pets dress in turkey costumes for a costume contest along the Cape Fear River, with proceeds funding local home-building e...

Island of Lights: Lighting at the Lake kicks off Carolina Beach's month-long holiday festival with an opening ceremony, live music, and the official illumination of festive displays around Carolina Beach Lake. Visitors can then stroll the one-mile trail to enjoy the lighted scenery. Free and fami...

The NC Holiday Flotilla is an annual coastal holiday celebration in Wrightsville Beach featuring a Friday tree-lighting, Saturday's Festival in the Park with 100+ vendors and an antique car show, and an evening lighted boat parade through Banks Channel followed by fireworks. Free for spectators....

Guided bird walk through Carolina Beach State Park along Snow's Cut Trail, led by park staff. Starting at the Marina, the easy two-mile hike lasts about two hours over flat terrain. Bring sunscreen, binoculars, water, and insect repellent. Suitable for all skill levels.

Carolina Beach Christmas Parade kicks off the holiday season with festive floats, marching bands, classic cars, and Santa Claus riding a fire truck. This free, family-friendly evening event draws thousands to Lake Park Boulevard, marking the traditional start of Pleasure Island's...

Carolina Beach Holiday Market brings dozens of local artisans, crafters, and small businesses to the lakefront for a festive day of holiday shopping. Shoppers find handmade goods, jewelry, home décor, specialty foods, and unique coastal gifts in a relaxed, family-friendly seaside setting.&...

Island of Lights Christmas Flotilla is an annual holiday tradition on Pleasure Island, featuring fishing boats and pleasure craft decorated with thousands of lights cruising the Intracoastal Waterway from Snow's Cut to the Carolina Beach Boat Basin and back, with prizes and a People's Choice vote...

Wrightsville Beach Farmers' Market is a weekly Monday-morning market running May through December, featuring over 40 local vendors selling fresh produce, seafood, baked goods, flowers, and handmade crafts in a family-friendly, community-focused setting on the town's municipal grounds.

The Island of Lights Holiday Tour of Homes is a self-guided tour through some of Pleasure Island's most beautifully decorated holiday homes in Carolina Beach and Kure Beach, offering visitors a festive glimpse of southern coastal hospitality and seasonal charm along North Carolina's coast.

Kure Beach Holiday Whoobie Whatty is a free, Grinch-themed family holiday event held annually at Kure Beach's oceanfront pavilion. Guests enjoy a screening of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," cookie decorating, arts and crafts, face painting, and photos with the Grinch.

Ring in the New Year at the beach with this free, family-friendly celebration featuring a DJ, dancing, refreshments, and party favors. Watch the giant lighted beach ball drop at midnight, followed by a spectacular fireworks display over the Atlantic. A cherished Pleasure Island tradition.