The Outer Banks Seafood Festival is an event that is held to honor our fishing heritage. For years, the Outer Banks held ‘The Wanchese Seafood Festival’ which was a celebration of the industry and the village that was built on bringing in fresh seafood to market. In Hatteras each September, there’s ‘Day at the Docks’ on the waterfront in Hatteras Village. The event celebrates the working traditions of the waterfront with seafood cooking demonstrations, fishing boat and gear displays, fishing industry skills contests and competitions, local seafood cooking competitions, music, author readings, a chowder cook-off contest, activities for children and concludes with a Blessing of the Fleet. (For more info on this year’s event go to www.dayatthedocks.org.)
The Outer Banks Seafood Festival is the result of a renewed desire to bring that history and heritage back to life for visitors and locals alike.
The idea for a seafood festival has been percolating for the last few years with several organization, but it wasn’t until 2012 when four organizations, The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce, The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, Outer Banks Catch and The Outer Banks Restaurant Association sat down and really forged a partnership of their resources, talents and time that allowed the event to take shape. The response has been overwhelming. People with various areas of expertise and event experience have all generously offered to help. The Town of Nags Head has provided their help with the site and navigating all the requirements that must be met to have a major outdoor event.
The mission of the Outer Banks Seafood Festival is to provide a fun and educational experience promoting, honoring and celebrating our coastal seafood heritage and community.