Parades, fireworks and a square dance: Your guide to July 4th on the Outer Banks

Kari Pugh, The Virginian-Pilot
·5 min read

Five fireworks shows will light up the skies over the Outer Banks this Fourth of July, with plenty of parades and other patriotic fun through the holiday weekend.

Corolla at the Whalehead Club

The 29th annual Corolla Independence Day Celebration starts at 5 p.m. July 4 with live music, entertainment and food. Admission and parking are free with onsite parking available starting at 3 p.m. at Historic Corolla Park until the lots are full. The fireworks display, billed as the biggest on the Outer Banks, will begin at dusk. For more information, see visitcurrituck.com.

___

Duck

The annual Duck Fourth of July parade marches through town starting at 9 a.m. on July 4. The one-mile parade route begins at the crest of the hill on Scarborough Lane, travels east towards the ocean, turns left onto Ocean Way, and then continues onto Christopher Drive to end at Pamela Court.

A community celebration will be held immediately following the parade at the Duck Town Park featuring live music, cold refreshments and the awarding of the parade trophies.

See townofduck.com for more information.

___

Kill Devil Hills

The Town of Kill Devil Hills is hosting its annual fireworks show July 4 with assistance from an Outer Banks Visitors Bureau grant.

Fireworks begin at 9:15 p.m. at Avalon Pier, 2111 Virginia Dare Trail, at milepost 6. The fireworks will be visible from all areas of the Kill Devil Hills oceanfront. Rain date for the event is July 5.

If you can’t make it to the show in person, the town plans to livestream the fireworks on its YouTube channel and Facebook page.

___

Nags Head

The Town of Nags Head is hosting, in conjunction with the Nags Head Fishing Pier and the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, the annual Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular on July 4 at 9:25 p.m. on the ocean pier at milepost 11.5. A rain date has been set for July 5. The fireworks display will last approximately 25 minutes.

Parking at and near the fireworks display site will be directed by the Nags Head Police Department. Those attending the show are encouraged to park east of U.S. 158. Those choosing to park west of the bypass should use extreme caution while attempting to cross this heavily-traveled roadway.

The following public beach accesses are recommended for access to the beach for fireworks viewing:

  • South of Nags Head Fishing Pier

  • Curlew Street

  • Hollowell Street

  • Conch Street

  • North of Nags Head Fishing Pier

  • Bladen Street

  • Bittern Street

  • Bonnett Street

  • Barnes Street

  • Blackman Street

Jockey’s Ridge State Park is another great spot for viewing the fireworks. Other local fireworks may be seen, but distantly. The park will be open late July 4 to accommodate visitors. Call the park at 252-441-7132 for more information.

___

Manteo

The Town of Manteo is putting on annual Fourth of July festivities on the waterfront starting at 3 p.m. and running until dark, when the fireworks begin. Events include decorated bikes, apple pie and live music.

For more information, you can visit the Town of Manteo’s website at townofmanteo.com or call Town Hall at 252-473-2133.

___

Hatteras Island

The 10th annual Fourth of July golf cart parade benefitting the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation motors off at 6 p.m. in Hatteras Village starting at Teach’s Lair Marina. At Village Center, there will be a free community cookout from 5:30-7:30 p.m. serving hamburgers and hot dogs. Parade winners will also be announced.

Later in the evening, fireworks are scheduled at the Avon Fishing Pier starting at 9:15 p.m. The show is sponsored by the Avon Property Owners Association and funded in part by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. The event is also supported by donations from the Hatteras Island business community and its residents, property owners and guests.

The fireworks display, permitted by the National Park Service, lasts about 20 minutes. Fireworks are visible all along the Avon beach and parking is limited, so walk, bike or carpool.

___

Ocracoke

Ocracoke Island is celebrating Independence Day over a three-day period, starting Sunday, July 2, with fireworks that can be viewed from Silver Lake Harbor beginning at 9:15 p.m. There will be a pre-fireworks gathering with Ocracoke Island deejay Tommy Hutcherson spinning dance tunes and patriotic songs at the National Park Service docks.

On July 3, the celebration features an old-fashioned square dance in the Berkley Barn from 6:30-8:30 p.m. And on July 4, there will be a sand sculpture contest, rare viewing inside the Ocracoke Lighthouse and the annual Old Time Ocracoke Parade, which kicks off at 4 p.m. The theme of this year’s parade is the 200th anniversary of the Ocracoke Light Station.

From 7-10 p.m., there will be a community beach fire under the stars at the Ocracoke Day Use Area. Bring your own chairs, blankets, marshmallows and roasting sticks.

The village’s Independence Day events are sponsored by the Ocracoke Occupancy Tax Board, Hyde County and the Ocracoke Civic and Business Association.

For more information, see visitocracokenc.com.

___

Outer Banks fireworks etiquette

Officials on the Outer Banks remind anyone attending fireworks this Fourth of July not to use or block driveways. Vehicles blocking driveways or presenting a traffic hazard before, during, or immediately the shows will be towed. In Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head, the towns request those attending to use the public beach accesses as pathways to the oceanfront. Please stay off the environmentally sensitive dunes and do not use the private property of others, such as private gazebos or decks, to view the fireworks without the property owner’s permission.