Week of November 25, 2024 - December 1, 2024

  • Friday, November 29th - Saturday, November 30th
Nags Head

Get a head start on the holiday season with this post-Thanksgiving event that offers a world of fun for visitors of all ages. Held at the flagship Kitty Hawk Kites store in Nags Head, this two-day event features amazing shopping, activities, demos and displays, and - of course - a visit by old St. Nick himself to allow kids to get a jump start on their Christmas lists.

 

  • Saturday, November 30th 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Nags Head

Ignite your holiday spirit with this special annual event that combines the natural beauty of the Outer Banks with twinkling Christmas lights for an unforgettable display and seasonal experience. The Kites With Lights event is hosted by the flagship Kitty Hawk Kites store that’s just across the street from Jockey’s Ridge State Park, and the beautiful landscape of twinkling kites with the iconic massive sand dunes of the park in the background will be a sight that spectators won’t soon forget.

  • Saturday, November 30th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Nags Head

The summertime farmer’s market at Dowdy Park in Nags Head makes a seasonal and holiday-themed return with this unique market that’s a perfect destination for folks to get a jump start on their Christmas shopping and preparations. The Dowdy Park Holiday Farmers Market is a fun and festive destination for folks of all tastes, thanks to an assortment of local goodies from the Outer Banks and beyond.

Week of December 2, 2024 - December 8, 2024

  • Thursday, December 5th 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
more dates....
Nags Head

The summertime farmer’s market at Dowdy Park in Nags Head makes a seasonal and holiday-themed return with this unique market that’s a perfect destination for folks to get a jump start on their Christmas shopping and preparations. The Dowdy Park Holiday Farmers Market is a fun and festive destination for folks of all tastes, thanks to an assortment of local goodies from the Outer Banks and beyond.

Week of December 9, 2024 - December 15, 2024

  • Saturday, December 14th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
more dates....
Nags Head

The summertime farmer’s market at Dowdy Park in Nags Head makes a seasonal and holiday-themed return with this unique market that’s a perfect destination for folks to get a jump start on their Christmas shopping and preparations. The Dowdy Park Holiday Farmers Market is a fun and festive destination for folks of all tastes, thanks to an assortment of local goodies from the Outer Banks and beyond.

Week of March 10, 2025 - March 16, 2025

  • Sunday, March 16th 1:00 PM
Nags Head

For an Outer Banks celebration that revolves around family fun, and encompasses the best of the Outer Banks' spirit, make plans to catch a good glimpse of the Outer Banks St. Patrick's Day Parade. With moderate temperatures and plenty of southern hospitality, this event can kick-off a fantastic week-long vacation or spring break on the Outer Banks.

Week of April 14, 2025 - April 20, 2025

  • Friday, April 18th - Saturday, April 19th
Nags Head

Come enjoy the spirit of the Easter holiday on the Outer Banks while taking advantage of National Kite Month at this fun and family-friendly event that joyfully combines these two celebrations. The Flying Into Spring And Easter EGGstravaganza festival is a great way to take in the fresh spring air along the coastline, while participating in a myriad of games, displays, and a little kite action at one of the best spots on the East Coast for high flying.

  • Friday, April 18th - Saturday, April 19th
Nags Head

Enjoy a thrilling scene along the towering sand dunes of Jockey’s Ridge State Park as giant kites and stunt kite pilots wow the crowd at the engaging and family-friendly Outer Banks Kite Festival. Hosted by Kitty Hawk Kites, this festival features both live demonstrations and interactive activities to ensure that everyone can have a ball enjoying the high flying lifestyle on the Outer Banks.

Week of June 9, 2025 - June 15, 2025

  • Wednesday, June 11th
Nags Head

Share a love of fishing with the youngest members in your vacationing party with this special fishing tournament that’s designed with youth anglers in mind. The Fritz Boyden Memorial Youth Tournament is an annual fishing tournament that takes place on the famous Jennette’s Pier, as well as Avalon pier, Outer Banks Fishing Pier, and Nags Head Fishing Pier. It is open to all anglers ages 16 and under. The age groups for competitors are 4-9 years old and 10-16 years old, and trophies as well as rod and reel combos are awarded to the largest fish caught by a girl and boy angler for the day. Participants in the “catch and release” tournament can enjoy a full morning of fishing before going to a celebratory and awards lunch close to the pier.

Week of July 14, 2025 - July 20, 2025

  • Thursday, July 17th - Saturday, July 19th
Nags Head

Surfing For Autism is an Autism Spectrum Disorder awareness event that uses the beauty of the Outer Banks to provide children with an amazing experience and an opportunity to ride the waves.

Week of September 15, 2025 - September 21, 2025

  • Friday, September 19th - Sunday, September 21st
Nags Head

Jeep lovers are welcome to attend this annual festival that takes advantage of the beautiful fall weather of the Outer Banks, as well as the off-roading opportunities that are abundant along the miles of coastal North Carolina shoreline. The OBX Jeep Invasion is a fun and adventure-filled event that gives Jeep lovers an opportunity to get together and have a blast at one of the East Coat’s favorite destinations for four-wheel-drive vehicles.

The Cotton Gin

For those traveling to the Outer Banks, The Cotton Gin is a beloved landmark with its large windmill and picturesque gardens. The Cotton Gin has stood in the same location since 1929, starting as a working cotton gin and growing to a gift store with 4 locations. Visitors are treated to a unique shopping experience in our main store in Jarvisburg, as well as our beach stores in Corolla, Duck, and Nags Head. Explore room after room filled with décor for your home and coastal fashions for both men and women. Discover the brands you really want, like, Vera Bradley, Vineyard Vines, La Mer Luex, Simply Southern, Lindsay Phillips, Scout, Pandora, Kameleon, Brighton, Spartina, Tommy Bahama, Southern Tide and Salt Life and Old Guys Rule - all under one roof!

 

Don’t forget the gourmet market, or shop our beautiful linens for your bedroom and bath. We also feature coastal books and fine art, or just a whimsical fun gift to bring home to family and friends. Stop by soon and don’t forget to try our estate grown wines in our stores or visit our vineyard and winery, Sanctuary Vineyards, located adjacent to the original Cotton Gin in Jarvisburg.

 

Most know The Cotton Gin as a must-stop shop for fine gifts, beachwear, souvenirs and so much more, but this retailer has a long-standing history within the Outer Banks. A local landmark that holds almost a century of memories, The Cotton Gin started from humble beginnings and continues to adapt to the times and tourists. Tommy Wright’s family has been in the Outer Banks for nearly 200 years. His great-great grandfather, Jacob Francis Wright, shipwrecked in Duck back in the early 1800s. Calling these barrier islands his new home, Wright and his family acclimated to their new environment.

 

Adaptation is a common theme for the Wright family. Tommy and his wife Candace, who continue to steer The Cotton Gin, have seen not only their business change with the times, but the Outer Banks as a vacation destination as well. A farm market in Jarvisburg eventually transformed and flourished into several retail locations dotting the Outer Banks.

 

“As the area changed and tourism took off in the 1960s, the family saw people coming for vacations, so they began to grow vegetables and things developed from there,” says Tommy Wright. The Wright family expanded upon the farm market and began to remodel a working cotton gin, later transforming the gin into The Cotton Gin general store in the late 1960s. While the additions to the farm store drew visitors, it was their encounters with the Wright family that kept people coming back year after year, which is something that remains true today.

(More Locations)
Island Smoothie Cafe