28 fall festivals in the Wilmington area for 2022 as celebrations return in full force
It's been a rough few years for fall festivals — not to mention gatherings in general — in the Wilmington area.
Between hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability of area organizations to actually hold festivals has been inconsistent at best since 2015 or so. A number of festivals have folded, others have moved from fall to spring and some are scheduled to happen this year for for the first time since 2019.
Let's hope that 2022 is the year things regain a sense of normalcy, because a record slate (or something close to it) of fall festivals is on tap for New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties, celebrating everything from food and drink to arts and culture(s), the environment and more.
At any rate, COVID willing and the hurricanes don't blow, here's what's going down festival-wise between now and Thanksgiving, with at least four Oktoberfests, two Latino festivals and the first Wilmington Riverfest since 2019.
More: Wilmington breweries are teaming up with local artists and bands, with cool results
SEPTEMBER
Wilmington RockFest
Sept. 9-10: It's more of an end-of-summer thing, really, but it's after Labor Day so the first ever Wilmington RockFest is going in the fall batch. Ten bands will play over the course of two nights at the Lookout At Iron Front, which is once again hosting rock shows (and other events) and reclaiming the mantle of past clubs that put on shows in the Front Street space, legendary names like The Skylight and The Starlight.
Wilmington has a long history of churning out hard rock acts, and RockFest will feature such up-and-coming Port City headbangers as Hyperloops and Giant Robot Academy.
Doors open at 6 p.m. each night, details and tickets on EventBrite.com.
Carolina Beach Dragon Boat Regatta
Sept. 16-17: It'll technically be the last weekend of summer when this community event takes place. But we like to be inclusive with our fall festivals, and how could we not include this one-of-a-kind event that features costumed teams racing dragon-themed boats? Some live tunes will be on tap to keep spectators entertained, and attendance is free.
Kickoff party is 6 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Seawitch Cafe and Tiki Bar, with races starting 8:30 a.m. Sept. 17 in the waters of the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin. Finals will start around 3 p.m. Sept. 17, followed by a ceremony recognizing the first place teams in each division, the ones with the most spirit, best costumes and the best all-women team. CarolinaBeachDragonBoatRegetta.org
Native Plant Festival
Sept. 17: Learn about plants native to Southeastern North Carolina — aka the plants that are easiest to care for and thrive in our environment — and even purchase a few for your yard at this free-to-attend festival.
Educational events will be held 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the New Hanover County Arboretum, with hands-on activities from exhibitors and experts speaking about topics each hour in the education center, including a 1 p.m. keynote address from N.C. State professor Madalyn Baldwin on coastal landscape design. Plus, there will be a "seed swap" booth with free seeds and a food truck on site.
Plants won't be on sale at the arboretum but rather at five off-site locations: Blooms+Branches, Carolina Girl Nursery, The Garden Shop, Shelton Herb Farm and Wild Bird and Garden. Details at 910-798-7660 or Arboretum.nhcgov.com.
American Craft Walk Wilmington
Sept. 17: More than 100 artists and crafters will be set up on the streets of downtown Wilmington in what's probably the area's biggest outdoor art sale of the year. Artists will be set up on Front Street between Orange and Grace Streets and on Princess Street between Front and Second. For a full list of artists go to AmericanCraftWalk.com.
Cape Fear Latinos Festival
Sept. 18: It'll be the second event at the New Hanover County Arboretum in as many days when this festival, formerly the Hispanic Heritage Festival, returns to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with dancing, music, children’s activities, food and more.
The Cape Fear Latinos Festival runs from noon-7 p.m. and is free to attend. CapeFearLatinos.org
More: Come celebrate the Cape Fear Latino Festival at the Arboretum
Oktoberfest
Sept. 25: It's Oktoberfest in September at Hi-Wire Brewing on Princess Street from 1-5 p.m. They'll be serving up full liters of beer, along with some German-style tunes and games that are promised to be "hilarious," especially after a few of those liters. Be sure to pace yourself, because this is just the first of several Oktoberfests on this list. HiWireBrewing.com
OCTOBER
Art in the Arboretum
Sept. 30-Oct. 2: It's the 27th annual celebration of art in the beautiful environs of the New Hanover County Arboretum. This year, the festival will include both a juried show of up to 75 artists as well as a festival-style show with artists and artisans from around the region. A "sip and savor" event will be held 6-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, with the art show and sale 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 1-2. Admission is $5, free for children 12 and under. Details at ArtInTheArboretum.org.
Bark in the Park
Oct. 1: It's the 28th year for this event at Wrightsville Beach Park, also known as the Skyhoundz Hyperflite Canine Disc Championships. Take a gander as canine athletes compete to build up points by catching human-tossed plastic discs, sometimes known as Frisbees, for a combination of distance and accuracy. Your dog doesn't have to be an athlete to compete, either, as there are prizes for best-dressed dog, best-dressed team and dog with the most personality. Festivities get underway at 11 a.m., and it's free to spectate. Details at TownOfWrightsvilleBeach.com.
Oktoberfest Under the Bridge
Oct. 1: It'll be the sixth annual Oktoberfest celebration at Waterline Brewing Co. on downtown's Surry Street beneath the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge from noon till 8 p.m., with music by Wilmington's venerable, polka-playing blaskapelle group The Harbour Towne Fest Band, food trucks with German grub, lots and lots of beer, games and more. Details at WaterlineBrewing.com.
Wilmington Riverfest
Oct. 7-9: The granddaddy of all Wilmington fall festivals, Riverfest has been around since 1979. Last held in 2019, tens of thousands of people come downtown for the food, arts and crafts vendors, live music and more, including a boat and car show. Plus, there's the well-attended "Kidz Zone" and fireworks on Saturday night. Details at WilmingtonRiverfest.com.
Pets in the Park
Oct. 8: The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce presents this second annual celebration of pets, their owners and pet-friendly businesses. Held at Carolina Beach Lake Park from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., activities include a pet blessing, adoptions, pet costume and trick contests, an "ask the vet" booth, vendors, a K9 demonstration, pet portraits, food trucks, beer and wine and more. Admission is $5, details at PleasureIslandNC.org.
Fire in the Pines
Oct. 8: Really cool (hot?), family-friendly festival at Wilmington's Halyburton Park put on by the Nature Conservancy from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Fire in the Pines aims to raise awareness about the benefits of doing controlled burns in the longleaf pine ecosystem (which includes protecting such species as the Venus' Flytrap and the red-cockaded woodpecker). The festival includes an art contest, hay rides, face painting, live music, food trucks and even an actual controlled burn. Free to attend, details at FireInThePines.org.
Autumn with Topsail
Oct. 14-16: Held since 1998, this Topsail Beach festival features a proven mix of arts and crafts vendors, live music, food, beer and wine and kids' activities. Parking is limited, so regular shuttles will run to the festival grounds. Details at AutumnWithTopsail.com.
N.C. Oyster Festival
Oct. 15-16: This long-running celebration of the delicious bivalve started back in 1978, and got popular quickly enough that by 1980 it had attracted NASCAR legend Richard Petty as a celebrity guest. In addition to lots of oysters to eat, vendors and the famous oyster-shucking contest, the Oyster Fest is known for its live music. This year has a number of great acts, including beach music acts The Embers featuring Craig Woolard, Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot and country singer Terry Douglas. Admission is $5, free for kids, and the festival runs 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 15 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 16. Details at NCOysterFestival.com.
Sneads Ferry Shrimp Festival
Oct. 21-22: Located just over the Pender County line in the little town of Sneads Ferry, this festival has been going on for more than 50 years and is a no-brainer day trip for all you seafood fans. In addition to all the plates of fresh shrimp and fried fish, there's a parade at 9 a.m. Oct. 22, live music, a Shrimp Festival Queen, vendors, kids' activities and more. It all comes to an end with fireworks on the festival's final evening. More info at SneadsFerryShrimpFestival.org.
Wilmington Oktoberfest
Oct. 22: Wilmington's longest-running Oktoberfest celebration returns to the Ogden Tap Room, with German food and beers, kids' activities, the Harbour Towne Fest Band and, the main event if we're being honest, the weiner dog races. Details to come on the Wilmington Oktoberfest Facebook event page.
Surf City Fall Festival
Oct. 22: Family-themed celebration 3-6 p.m. at Soundside Park includes a bunch of stuff for the kids to do, as well as food trucks and live music. Details at SurfCityNC.gov.
LakeFest
Oct. 22: Billed as a celebration of science, nature and wildlife, this environmental festival organized by Cape Fear River Watch and the city of Wilmington's department of Parks & Rec will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Greenfield Lake Boathouse. As you all know, Greenfield Lake is one of our area's gems, and it's a great place to take kids anytime, but especially during LakeFest. There will be educational games and activities, live animals on display, tours and paddle boat rides, and reps from many area environmental organizations.Details at CapeFearRiverwatch.org.
Voracious & Rare Beer Festival
Oct. 28: Lighthouse Beer & Wine's annual pre-party of sorts to its bigger Carousel Center Beer & Wine Festival holds sway 6-9 p.m. at Live Oak Bank Pavilion. It's a smaller, more select event, and tickets will for sure sell out. With music from Wilmington band The Midatlantic and beers that will appeal to the true hops-head. Details and tickets at LighthouseBeerAndWine.com.
Carousel Center Beer & Wine Festival
Oct. 29: This massive festival from Lighthouse Beer and Wine features libations from dozens of breweries and wineries, and runs from noon-5 p.m. at Live Oak Bank Pavilion on Wilmington's Northside. The live music is always a highlight, with bands TBA,
Proceeds benefit the Carousel Center, which supports abused children in the Wilmington area. Details and tickets at LighthouseBeerAndWine.com.
Oktoberfest at CB Boardwalk
Oct. 29-30: If you missed out on the half-dozen-or-so other Oktoberfests in the Wilmington area, this one's your last chance to celebrate all things German. The fest runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and features German food, beer and wine, vendors and more. Tickets are $10, and $5 for kids. Details on their Facebook event page.
Cape Fear Fair & Expo
Dates TBA: Dates have not yet been announced for Wilmington's biggest annual celebration of rides, fried food, livestock exhibits and performances of various types, but we'll let you know when they are. In the meantime, check for more at CapeFearFair.com.
NOVEMBER
St. Stanislaus Polish Festival
Nov. 5: This wonderful festival at the St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Castle Hayne is the only one of its kind in the area. Thousands of folks turn out for the Polish food and desserts, live tunes and kids' activities. More at StStanislausCatholic.org.
Taste of Wrightsville Beach
Nov. 5: This big ol' festival (and contest) of food and drink features three dozen tasting booths of various kinds, with judges and attendees awarding Best in Show, Best Savory and Sweet dishes, Best Beer, Best Wine and Best in Show. The event, which will also have live music, runs 5-8 p.m. outside of Bluewater Grill, and tickets are $25-$75. Proceeds benefit the Weekend Meals on Wheels program. Details and tickets at WeekendMealsOnWheels.org.
N.C. Spot Festival
Nov. 5-6: This Hampstead festival of fried fish (the spot is a local delicacy, for all you many newcomers out there), live music, pageant queens and more is aiming for its first celebration since 2019. There'll be vendors, beer and wine and an area for the kids to play as well, but the main attraction here will be the plates of fried spot loaded up with hushpuppies and cole slaw, a meal that's been eaten in Southeastern North Carolina going back decades now. Details at TheNCSpotFestival.com.
Festival Latino
Nov. 5-6: Billed as the largest Latino event in North Carolina, this festival started at Wilmington's Long Leaf Park in the late '90s and has happened most every year since, growing along with the area's Latino community. It returns to Ogden Park this year for the first time since the pandemic. Founder Lucy Vasquez was given a StarNews Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. Highlights include a range of food from countries around Latin America, Latino music and dancing, and plenty of fun for the kiddos. Details on the festival's Facebook event page.
More: Lucy Vasquez's life's work has ensured Wilmington-area Latinos have a friend
Cape Fear Kite Festival
Nov. 5-6: This high-flying festival brings in dozens of kiters from all over to celebrate the end of the kite-flying season at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. To see the air filled with all those colorful kites, many in the shape of animals, is really quite a sight. Of special note this year is the new mural on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk commemorating the festival, one of the many Pleasure Island murals that are part of the Carolina Beach Mural Project. Details at CapeFearKiteFestival.org.
Cucalorus Film Festival
Nov. 16-20: Wilmington's coolest festival of film and the arts returns for the 28th year. With Wilmington's film industry in a major upswing at the moment, it should be a heady year for Cucalorus, which features dozens of feature-length and short films (narratives and documentaries) from around the world, as well as from right here in Wilmington. It's five days of fun, beauty, insight and parties, and includes live music, discussion panels and of course the festival's signature, genre-mashing Dance-a-Lorus, which pairs dancers and choreographers with filmmakers for an evening of creativity like none other. Schedule will be announced soon, pass sales and details at Cucalorus.org.
More: As Wilmington's film industry surges, the independent film scene rises along with it
Contact John Staton at 910-343-2343 or John.Staton@StarNewsOnline.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: 28 fall festivals celebrating in the Wilmington NC area in 2022
