Plans are being finalized for the Dare A250 Faire, set for Saturday, April 18, 2026, in downtown Manteo and at Roanoke Island Festival Park. The Roanoke Island setting highlights the area’s rich history as the “Birthplace of America,” with the historic Elizabeth II serving as a meaningful backdrop to the festivities.

As Dare County’s signature event commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary, this milestone celebration will feature a variety of vendors, along with live music, historical reenactments and storytelling, art displays, educational programming, community exhibits, family-friendly activities and patriotic festivities that highlight Dare County, the “Land of Beginnings,” and our enduring spirit of innovation and discovery. 

Activities will take place throughout downtown Manteo from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., before transitioning to Roanoke Island Festival Park for the Star Spangled Spectacular—an evening celebration featuring headlining musical acts (to be announced soon) and a special performance highlighting Dare County’s rich history.

Additional details—including entertainment lineups, participating vendors and a full schedule of events—will be released in the coming weeks.

The Dare A250 Celebration is designed as a full-day experience and is offered free of charge. While the daytime festivities in downtown Manteo are open to all, free tickets will be required for the evening performance at Roanoke Island Festival Park due to venue capacity. Tickets are now available online.

The Dare A250 Faire was originally scheduled at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills but was relocated to Manteo and Roanoke Island Festival Park to allow all aspects of the planning committee’s vision to be included in the celebration.

Questions? Please contact Dorothy Hester, Dare County Public Information Director, at Dorothy@DareNC.gov or 252-475-5903. As specific details for the Dare A250 Faire are announced, all information will be available at DareA250.org/faire. 

Famous for being the tallest active dune on the East Coast, Jockey's Ridge State Park offers a unique outdoor experience for all to enjoy. The park's naturally formed dunes, extending back close to 4,000 years, have stood the test of time. Jockey's Ridge is the last remaining portion of an 80-mile dune system that once stretched from the Outer Banks to False Cape, Virginia. 

Before Jockey's Ridge was a state park, development threatened the loss of the dunes. Carolista Baum, Jockey's Ridge's legendary figure, led the way for raising awareness. With the help of local volunteers, elected officials, and support by associated agencies, the first parcels of land were purchased for protection. In 1975, Jockey's Ridge was officially established as a state park. Fifty years later, over 526 acres are being protected, including Run Hill State Natural Area.

Location:
Jockey's Ridge State Park is located at 300 W. Carolista Drive in Nags Head, NC. The Dare A250 Passport Program sign is located in a window next to the front entrance of the visitor center.

The Dare A250 Passport Program features 13 historic stops located throughout Dare County, each offering a meaningful introduction to local history through museums, cultural sites and natural landmarks. At each site, visitors can scan a QR code to collect a virtual stamp and submit their name and email through the digital form. As participants build their collection, they will become eligible to receive a certificate recognizing their engagement with Dare County’s historic landscape during the A250 celebration. The program is open through November 18, 2026.

This Month's Historic Highlight: 
Women’s Clubs: Patriotism at the Local Level

Since the Edenton Tea Party took place on October 25, 1774, in Edenton, North Carolina, representing an alliance of women who courageously organized in support of the cause against “taxation without representation” in the American rebellion against Great Britain, women have been organizing at the national, state, and local levels to impact social and political change and empower themselves to make a difference. Women’s organizing carried on throughout the nineteenth-century women’s suffrage movement, the Civil War-era abolitionist movement, and into twentieth-century women’s liberation movements. Creating women’s clubs was a way in which women of the twentieth century could organize and take action to effect change in their local communities and support the public good in their own backyards.

The Roanoke Island Woman's Club (renamed the Manteo Woman's Club in 1943) was chartered in 1927 and has since been involved in numerous community events and projects, including the organization of the Dare County Library, a youth recreation center, beautification efforts throughout Roanoke Island, election events, scholarship awards for local high school seniors, an education fund for the local school system, the Thanksgiving dinners for Dare County, and the Roanoke Island Woman's Club Cookbook.

The Outer Banks Woman's Club was organized in 1971 and became a chartered member of the North Carolina Federation of Women’s Clubs that same year. From its formation, the group considered conservation of natural resources to be one of its primary focuses, and early events included beach cleanups, environmental lectures, poster contests, and fundraisers in support of this goal. In the mid-1970s, the club played a major role in the People to Preserve Jockey's Ridge's campaign to convert the Jockey's Ridge sand dune system into a state park. Every clubwoman participated in the campaign, and the group logged over 2,400 volunteer hours in support of fundraising and public awareness activities. The Outer Banks Woman's Club has also organized projects to support the local elderly and youth populations, fundraising for disability advocacy organizations, college scholarships, and the Dare County school system with events such as fashion shows, variety shows, and Monte Carlo nights.

Dare County women continue to organize and show courage and determination in support of the local community through volunteering and engagement efforts. To honor these amazing women, we wish everyone a Happy Women’s History Month!

Image courtesy of Library of Congress.

The Dare A250 Committee invites all Dare County students to take part in an exciting opportunity to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary—and compete for a cash prize.

Through the Dare A250 Essay Award Contest, students are encouraged to explore Dare County’s unique role in the nation’s history and share their ideas through creative and thoughtful writing. Winning students will be recognized during the Dare A250 Faire in downtown Manteo on Saturday, April 18, 2026—and each award winner will receive a cash prize.

The contest challenges students to research, reflect, and creatively express their understanding of Dare County’s contributions to America’s story. Essays may explore themes such as freedom, community, innovation, and the diverse people, places, and events that have helped shape both our county and our country. It’s also a chance for students to connect their writing with local history by highlighting significant sites, historic moments, and influential figures from Dare County.

The contest is open to all Dare County students in grades 3 through 12. Students interested in participating can click the link below to access the submission form and learn more. All essays must be submitted by Monday, March 30, 2026.

Write your story, celebrate our history and compete for a cash prize as we mark America’s 250th anniversary right here in Dare County.

The Dare A250 Committee also invites Dare County students to showcase their creativity and compete for cash prizes in the A250 Student Art Exhibit, part of the Dare A250 Faire taking place on Saturday, April 18, 2026 in downtown Manteo. 

This exciting exhibit will celebrate the incredible talent of local students while giving the community a chance to view and support the next generation of artists. Selected artwork will be displayed during the Faire at Dare Arts in downtown Manteo.

A panel of professional artists from Dare Arts will formally judge the exhibit, and cash awards will be presented in multiple categories to recognize outstanding creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship. The exhibit provides students with a unique opportunity to have their artwork publicly displayed and professionally evaluated while competing for exciting cash prizes.

The contest is open to all Dare County students in grades 3 through 12. Students interested in participating can click the link below to access the submission form and learn more. All artwork submissions must be made by March 27, 2026.

Submit your artwork, share your creativity with the community, and compete for cash prizes as Dare County celebrates America’s 250th anniversary.

Organizations interested in adding their events or programs to the Dare A250 events calendar may submit them through our online form.

If your organization, group, or entity would like to submit an event to be published on the Dare A250 event calendar, this form must be completed. Event calendar submissions will be accepted until December 31, 2026. Please give at least two weeks notice to allow for the Dare A250 Committee to review your submission. If approved, your event will be published on the online event calendar.