Festivals & Special Events - 9 unique shops on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, right across from Jockey's Ridge with fun Outer Banks activities every day!

Festivals and Events at Jockey's Ridge Crossing

May • June • July • August • September •November

Saturday, May 14th–17th
38th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular - Jockey’s Ridge State Park & Jockey’s Ridge Crossing (mp 12.5), Nags Head.
The Hang Gliding Spectacular is the World’s longest running Hang Gliding Competition. Besides the competition, we’ll be running kid’s and adult hang gliding lessons and free stunt and power kite lessons at Jockey's ridge! At our Nags Head Store, we'll have free kite making and face painting, toy demos, and more. Everything at this event is free to all spectators--but competitors must register and pay a fee in order to compete in the Spectacular. Come see the 38th edition of Hang Gliding history in the making. Go to http://hangglidingspectacular.com for more information!

June 9th
Wil-Bear Wright’s Festival of Fun - Kitty Hawk Kites (mp 12.5), Nags Head.
Come visit Kitty Hawk Kites for a day filled with fun activities for the kids. Make and fly your own kite, try yo-yo stunts, get your face painted, demo all the new toys for 2009 and have lots of fun! This Wednesday family extravaganza kicks off our summer long Kid’s Day, held every Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. For more information call 1-877-FLY-THIS or 252-441-4124 or email events@kittyhawk.com.

June 12th, 10 am–June 13th, 4 pm
28th Annual Rogallo Kite Festival - Jockey's Ridge State Park (mp 12.5), Nags Head.
This kite festival celebrates the life and work of Francis Rogallo, inventor of the flexible wing. Without his invention, it may have taken decades more to discover hang gliding, kiteboarding, kites, stunt kites, power kites, parafoils, paragliders, and so much more. Come fly a kite in his honor, as this is the first year that Mr. Rogallo won’t be with us for this event. Kitty Hawk Kites will be offering FREE stunt and power kite lessons on the dunes as well as kite making at our Nags Head Store. Go to kittyhawk.com/community/rogallofestival.cfm for more information.

June 30th–July 2nd
Outer Banks Sandsculpture Festival - Kitty Hawk Sports at Jockey’s Ridge Crossing (mp 12.5), Nags Head.
A professional sandsculpture company will be on hand to sculpt a huge sand creation. Kitty Hawk Sports, Peace Frogs, Brew Thru, Panama Jack Suncreen, OBX, and Outer Banks Hospital are sponsors. There will be fun events, raffles, and entertainment throughout the event. This is a benefit for the prevention of skin cancer.

Thursday, August 12th, starting at 10 am
4th Annual Watermelon Festival - Join Kitty Hawk Kite, Jockey’s Ridge Crossing and the Wright Flight Foundation for the 4th Annual Watermelon Festival. On Thursday, August 12, come to the Kitty Hawk Kite store in Nags Head (mile post 12.5) for a big outdoor summer bash with a homegrown backyard feel.
The Watermelon Festival is so much more than fun. It is one of the most unique festivals on the Outer Banks! We'll have tons of fun activities for kids and parents like: the dunk tank, moon bounce, inflatable obstacle course, watermelon seed spitting distance contests, pie eating contests, t-shirt tye dying, face painting, kite making, and of course, tons of watermelon! Kitty Hawk Kites staff will be on site teaching kids how to use juggling sticks, balance boards, and letting them try out all of our top selling toys.

We'll also have live music, food vendors on site, and one of the best raffles on the beach! We'll give away over $2000 worth of prizes. Donations are accepted for participation in all activities. We'll also need several volunteers! Volunteers typically work half the day, and hang out and relax for the rest of the day. Shifts are only three hours.

Proceeds from the Watermelon Festival go directly to the Wright Flight Foundation--a local non-profit that rewards 5th graders, who achieve their academic goals, with flight! The foundation has helped improve performance in local school districts and has given children the opportunities to do things like hang gliding, tandem hang gliding, and plane rides, that they may have not been able to do before. Students are also educated about the history and basic principles of flight. For more information on the 4th Annual Watermelon Festival, please contact Nick Barrett, Events Coordinator, at nbarrett@kittyhawk.com.

Sept 16th–19th
Outer Banks Pirate's Festival - Kitty Hawk Kites at Jockey’s Ridge Crossing (mp 12.5), Nags Head.
Saturday, September 19th sponsored by Jockey’s Ridge Crossing
From 10 am to 2 pm, come walk the plank with pirates. Learn how to be a swashbuckler and a scallywag. Just bring your pirates to this fun and family friendly event. More details on this year’s pirate festival to come.

Friday, November 26th, 10 am to 2 pm and Saturday, November 27th, 1 pm to 7 pm
Hangin’ with Santa - Kitty Hawk Kites at Jockey’s Ridge Crossing (mp 12.5), Nags Head.
Santa is making his yearly visit to the Kitty Hawk Kites store in Nags Head (mile post 12.5)! He'll be at our store from 10 am to 2 pm on Friday, and 1 pm to 7 pm on Saturday! Come get your picture taken with Santa, and then go out on the dunes Saturday evening for Kites with Lights! We'll have tons of holiday specials going on inside the store, and FREE hot cidar and cookies on Saturday evening. Glow sticks, flashlights, headlamps, and other light toys can be borrowed to help light up the dunes for this unique and fun holiday event!