Registration for the 2026 State of the County event that will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills is sold out, but registration for the Chairman's State of the County presentation in Buxton is now open! 

Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard will deliver the State of the County presentation at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Cape Hatteras Secondary School, which is located at 48576 N.C. Highway 12 in Buxton.  

The Buxton presentation is not a different program than the presentation in Kill Devil Hills earlier in the week, but rather an additional opportunity for Hatteras Island residents and property owners to hear the same message without having to travel to the northern beaches. The presentation is themed, “Reviewing a Year of Progress in the Land of Beginnings.”

Doors will open for seating at Cape Hatteras Secondary School at 9:15 a.m., and the presentation will begin at 10 a.m.

There is no charge to attend the Buxton event, and it is open to the public; however, advanced registration is encouraged for planning purposes. For more information, and to register online for the 2026 State of the County presentation in Buxton, please visit DareNC.gov/SOC or click the button below.

The Dare County Board of Elections reminds voters that the 2026 Primary Election—which will be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026—is fast approaching! Those who didn’t take advantage of early voting must cast their ballots at their assigned precinct on Election Day. Polls throughout Dare County will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Click here to find your assigned Election Day polling location. 

Remember: To be eligible to vote, you must have lived in Dare County for at least 30 days prior to Election Day (Tuesday, March 3, 2026), and don’t forget that a photo ID is required.  

For more information—including candidate information, sample ballots and current North Carolina photo I.D. requirements—please visit DareNC.gov/Elections. Questions? Contact the Dare County Board of Elections office at 252-475-5630 or Elections@DareNC.gov.  

2026 Primary Election Results:

The polls for the 2026 Primary Election will close at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Unofficial 2026 Primary Election results can be found by visiting the North Carolina State Board of Elections’ Election Results Dashboard once the polls have closed. Unofficial precinct results are expected to be reported between 8:30 p.m. and midnight on Election Day, and the data will be updated by the North Carolina State Board of Elections approximately every 5-10 minutes. 

The Dare County Parks and Recreation Department will host three free and family friendly Easter egg hunt events for children throughout the Dare County community this month—one at each of its three divisions. 

29th Annual Eggstravaganza - Northern Beach Division (Kill Devil Hills)

Join the Dare County Parks and Recreation Department’s Northern Beach Division for the 29th Annual Eggstravaganza, which will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Family Recreation Park and the Dare County Youth Center, which are located at 602 Mustian Street in Kill Devil Hills. This free event is open to everyone and will feature a variety of games, as well as a series of egg dashes for children ages 0-10. For more information, click the button below to view the event flyer. Questions? Contact the Northern Beach Division at 252-475-5920 or RecPark@DareNC.gov.

The Dare County Library is pleased to introduce Sallie Hedrick Bowman, who began serving as the new children’s librarian for the Kill Devil Hills Library branch on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. She earned a Master of Library Science with a concentration in School Librarianship from East Carolina University (ECU) and also holds a Public Librarian Certification from the State of North Carolina, as well as a Professional Educator’s License from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. 

Bowman previously served as the communications manager for the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, and prior to taking on that particular role, she served as the school library media coordinator at Manteo Elementary School for the 2022-2023 academic year. As part of her graduate school studies while attending ECU, she also worked as a school library intern at Manteo High School, providing her with a wealth of knowledge and experience that will be utilized in her current position as children’s librarian for the Kill Devil Hills Library. 

“Sallie brings a variety of experiences and a distinctive skill set that make her a perfect fit for our Kill Devil Hills Library children’s librarian,” said Dare County Librarian Meaghan Leenarts Beasley. “She brings a background in performing arts coupled with professional experience in school libraries. She also has extensive knowledge of marketing and promotions, has worked with local nonprofit and community groups, and has even served as a summer camp programmer at the Elizabethan Gardens. Most importantly, Sallie brings a level of excitement and energy to our library which is magnetic—we cannot wait to see what she rolls out in the coming months!”

In addition to holding a Master of Library Science and having extensive experience working with children and teens in local libraries, Bowman also enjoyed a 30-year career as a professional actress in theatre, film and television, and as a teaching artist—roles that provided her with several unique skills she intends to utilize in her new position. 

“I’m very excited to use this skill set for creating and leading storytimes and enrichment activities. I also have had several leadership roles in marketing and public relations, and I’m looking forward to using these skills for connecting children’s programs at the library with families and the Dare County community,” said Bowman. “I think it’s important to offer families and children opportunities, materials and fun enrichment experiences that promote early literacy and encourage and cultivate an interest in reading. Ultimately, I hope to help children develop a love of reading and strong interpersonal and literacy skills so that they can be lifelong learners who are successful, contributing citizens to Dare County and the wider world.”

For more information about the assortment of programs, resources and services offered by the Dare County Library, please visit DareNC.gov/Library or click the button below.

Kelly's St. Patrick's Day Parade to Kick Off A250 Celebrations

The Kelly’s 35th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade that will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, 2026 in Nags Head will serve as the kickoff event for Dare County’s A250 celebrations, honoring America’s Semiquincentennial in 2026. The 2026 Kelly’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will feature an A250 theme, and many parade participants have incorporated patriotic and historical elements into their floats and performances. Dare County’s A250 float will be themed, “Liberty, Legacy and Liftoff in the Land of Beginnings.”

The parade typically features more than 100 entrants and attracts more than 10,000 spectators, making it one of the largest St. Patrick’s celebrations in eastern North Carolina. This year’s A250-themed event will take place rain or shine on Sunday, March 15, 2026 along the traditional one-mile route in Nags Head from Bladen Street (Milepost 11.5) north to Driftwood Street on Virginia Dare Trail (the “Beach Road”).

For more information about Dare County’s A250 initiative, visit DareA250.org/Events.

Daylight Saving Time officially begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 8, 2026—don’t forget to “spring forward” by setting your clocks one hour ahead. This annual time change—which brings lighter evenings, later sunsets and the welcome feeling of longer days as we get closer to the official start of spring—also serves as a seasonal reminder to take care of important home safety tasks. 

The Dare County Fire Marshal’s office encourages all residents and property owners to check and replace the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors—and to test these devices to ensure they’re working properly. Detectors should be tested monthly and have their batteries replaced at least twice a year, with Daylight Saving Time being the perfect time to remember to do so. A few simple steps now can help keep your household safe throughout the spring months and summer months ahead!

Dare County, in collaboration with Current TV, has released a new video providing details about the three-day household hazardous waste collection event that will be hosted by the Dare County Public Works Department in May. The 2026 collection will take place in three separate locations—Kitty Hawk, Buxton and Manteo—from Thursday, May 14, 2026 through Saturday, May 16, 2026.

During this free event, Dare County residents and property owners have the opportunity to drop off a variety of hazardous materials—including motor oil in spill-proof containers, along with paints, polishes, varnishes, fluorescent lightbulbs, household cleaners, pesticides and insecticides, small batteries, automotive fluids, pool chemicals and more—for safe and convenient disposal at any of the three locations in Dare County on the designated dates and times.

To learn more about the 2026 household hazardous waste collection event, click the button below to view the video on Dare County’s YouTube channel. Questions? Contact Dare County Public Works at 252-475-5843 or visit DareNC.gov/PublicWorks.

Meet Sunshine, our Outer Banks SPCA Pet of the Week! This sweet 4-year-old girl was brought into the care of the Outer Banks SPCA from another shelter who unfortunately could not keep her any longer. This is a new, fresh start for her, and we are excited to see her find her forever home! Sunshine is housetrained, walks great on a leash and adores people! 

Are you ready to meet Sunshine and see if she's the perfect furry fit for your family? Click here to watch a video produced by Current TV, or stop by the Outer Banks SPCA, (which is located within the Dare County Animal Shelter at 378 Airport Road in Manteo) anytime during the hours listed below for a meet and greet!

Outer Banks SPCA Adoption Hours:

Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for naptime)