Carolina Beach Events – Year Long Round Up

Carolina Beach is a beautiful place to visit just about any time of the year, especially with a variety of festivals and events. In the spring and summer you can check out live music on the beach and in the fall and winter, you can enjoy the boardwalk events. We’ve put together a year-long overview of Carolina Beach events to peruse while planning your next vacation or getaway to North Carolina.

Summer Events in Carolina Beach

North Carolina Treasures Weekend – June 6-7

Come celebrate the many treasures of Bald Head Island with music, activities, beer and wine tasting, and more!

Jolly Mon King Classic – June 11-14

The annual Jolly Mon King Classic is a family-friendly fishing tournament off Brunswick Islands. Tons of prizes and gift cards can be won if you participate in the tournament.

Wide Open Tech Spanish Mackerel Open – June 12-14

50 teams compete in off the coast of Cape Fear in the Spanish Mackerel Open.

Jr. Jolly Mon – Rock the Dock – June 13

The Junior Jolly Mon is open to those too young to participate in the Jolly Mon King Classic. Join these young fishermen and women off Brunswick Island for the fun.

Cape Fear Blues Festival – June 12-14

A highly anticipated annual blues music festival with multiple venues to visit. Admission into each event varies (some are free).

Carolina Beach Double Sprint Triathlon – June 13

An annual triathlon with an ocean swim, bike ride, and a 1.5-mile run.

Kure Beach Market – June 9-August 15

Come to the Kure Beach Market where you’ll find local artisans hand-made goods and locally grown produce.

Family Night at Carolina Beach Boardwalk – June through September

Tuesday nights are for families at Carolina Beach Boardwalk. Tickets for rides and games on the boardwalk are $1.50 each.

Independence Day Fireworks by the Sea – June 28-July 4

Join all the fun and festivities at Carolina Beach this 4th of July weekend. There will be vendors, family activities, fireworks, and more.

Cape Fear Independent Film Festival – July 30-August 1

Referred to as Hollywood in the South showcasing local, regional, and international films and filmmakers.

O’Neil/Sweetwater Pro-Am – August 21-23

Hundreds of amateur and professional surfers flock to Carolina Beach for the annual O’Neil/Sweetwater Pro-Am this summer.

Oak Island Art Guild Arts & Crafts Festival – September 5

Enjoy over 100 vendors of locally made arts, crafts, and other unique hand-made goods at this year’s Oak Island Art Guild Arts & Crafts Festival.

Fall Events in Carolina Beach

Farewell Summer Jazz Funeral – October 2

In NOLA fashion Kure Beach says goodbye to summer in with a jazz funeral. You can enjoy vendors, masks, beads, and of course live Jazz music.

Riverfest – October 2-4

The second biggest festival takes place in Wilmington with family activities, food, fireworks, live entertainment, and more.

North Carolina Oyster Festival – October 17-18

Ocean Isle Beach is where you will find the highly anticipated North Carolina Oyster festival of the year. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under.

Voracious Rare Beer Festival – October 23

Regional brewers come together to bring the Voracious Rare Beer Festival to Carolina Beach. Enjoy food, music, local brews, and brews from around the world.

Lighthouse Beer & Wine Festival – October 23-24

Sample hundreds of beer and wine at the Lighthouse Beer & Wine Festival. General admission is $49.99.

Wilmington Greek Festival – October 9-11

The annual Wilmington Greek Festival will include food, music, and activities. Admission is $3 for adults, children 12 and under are free.

Cape Fear Fair & Expo – October 30-November 8

The annual Cape Fear Fair & Expo takes place at the Wilmington Airport. Families can enjoy rides, festival food, entertainment, and more.

Pleasure Island Surf Fishing Challenge – October 16-18

Pleasure Island hosts its annual Surf Fishing Challenge in October. $60 per angler to enter.

Annual Cape Fear Kite Festival – November 7-8

The sky comes to life at the annual Cape Fear Kite Festival. Food trucks and other vendors will be out while patrons fly kites on the beach.

Winter Events in Carolina Beach

Kure Beach Holiday Market – November 21-28

Find unique and hand-crafted goods to give as gifts to your loved ones this holiday season.

Annual Christmas by the Sea at Carolina Beach Boardwalk – November

Santa Claus comes to the beach at the end of November for caroling, warm fires, family activities, and more right on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk.

Island of Lights Christmas Parade – December 4

Festive floats, Santa on the firetruck, and music come down the Federal Point Plaza.

Island of Lights Christmas Flotilla – December 5

The festivities continue on the water with the Island of Lights Christmas Flotilla. Boats get all decked out in holiday decorations in this aqua parade.

Kure Beach Fantasy Christmas Show – December 11-13

Join this family-friendly free event where favorite holiday characters come to life in the Kure Beach Fantasy Christmas Show.

Island of Lights New Year’s Eve Celebration – December 31

Ring the new year in style with the Island of Lights New Year’s Eve Celebration. Attendance is free for all to enjoy a live DJ, fireworks, and more!

Carolina Beach Hotels Near the Boardwalk

Seeking Carolina Beach hotels near the boardwalk? You’ve come to the right spot! Don’t miss a golden opportunity to book with Golden Sands Motel on your next Carolina Beach getaway. Located just minutes from the Carolina Beach Boardwalk, Golden Sands features spacious beachside accommodations perfect for families, couples, and all types of visitors.

Golden Sands Hotel Rooms

Golden Sands offers several oceanfront accommodations perfect for any beach getaway. Guests will enjoy the comforts of home with a beautiful oceanfront setting in the Double Efficiency, which includes a kitchen and two queen-sized beds. The King Room offers plenty of space with a large king bed and a sleeper sofa next to the private balcony. All the rooms at Golden Sands include a flat-screen television anda private balcony with an ocean view.

Visit our rooms page to select your beachside accommodations.

Golden Sands Amenities

The amenities at Golden Sands are second-to-none in Carolina Beach. Guests can splash in the sparkling waters of the indoor and outdoor pools or enjoy some leisure time and panoramic views of Carolina Beach along the on-site pier. Guest are also just steps away from the sand and the surf of Carolina Beach with quick and easy beach access from the hotel. 

Golden Sands also offers two on-site dining options that serve delicious beachfront delicacies and cold drinks. Ocean Grill is a multi-level restaurant that boasts live music during the summer and great seafood options for lunch and dinner. The Tiki Bar is located on the Golden Sands pier and is a perfect option for basking in the sun while enjoying drinks appetizers.

Check out all of Golden Sands’ amenities.

Carolina Beach Boardwalk Things to Do

  The Carolina Beach Boardwalk is a hub for family fun and entertainment in Carolina Beach. Boasting its very own amusement park, seasonal festivals and events, tons of dining, shopping, and attractions, you can’t go wrong with a day spent along the boardwalk! Check out some of the exciting things to do along the Carolina Beach Boardwalk:

Seaside Shopping

Find that perfect Carolina Beach memento at one of the Boardwalk’s many seaside boutiques, gift shops, and specialty stores. Grab a seafaring souvenir, custom jewelry, or some coastal decor for your home! Some of our favorite shopping spots along the Carolina Beach Boardwalk include:

The Mermaid Castle | 910-458-8181

Unique Boutique | 910-458-4360

Sumthin Beachie | 910-619-9044

Beachfront Attractions & Activities

There’s something for all ages at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park. Enjoy beautiful vistas of the beachfront atop the Ferris wheel, win fun prizes at the Carolina Beach Arcade, or ride the colorful carousel. The amusement park also boasts carnival games and food vendors. If you want to make the most of your beach time, head to Tony Silvagni Surf School for surfing lessons, kayak tours, and beach rentals. Or rent a surrey bike at Wheel Fun Rentals for a unique way to explore the area.

Seasonal Entertainment

Enjoy dazzling firework displays, live music, and some of the biggest festivals along the North Carolina coast. Don’t miss Fireworks by the Sea & Boardwalk Blast throughout the summer, which features live music and ends with a fireworks show. If you’re visiting during the off-season, the Carolina Beach Boardwalk also hosts seasonal events including Christmas by the Sea and the Island of Lights Festival.

Explore our available rooms and start planning your Carolina Beach vacation!

Hotels near Fort Fisher, NC: Golden Sands Motel

If you drive from the Golden Sands Motel in Carolina Beach toward the southern tip of Pleasure Island, you will notice that in a matter of minutes the white, sandy beaches turn rocky; the landscape, more wild and lush. A grove of windswept gnarly live oak trees, twisted and bent by centuries of sea breezes coming off the Atlantic Ocean, announces your arrival at Fort Fisher National Historic site. At first glance, it may appear that there isn’t much to see other than the stunning natural landscape. But look closer and you’re sure to be delighted.

Carolina Beach Hotels with Oceanfront Views

Visitors will find comfortable, oceanfront accommodations at Golden Sands Motel, which boasts five unique room types with amenities and bed types to suit the needs of all guests. Golden Sands Motel is just a short 8-minute drive from the Fort Fisher State Historic Site so guests are never too far from the fun and history of Fort Fisher.

Oceanfront Amenities at Golden Sands Motel

All of our rooms are climate controlled, so after a long day exploring historic Fort Fisher, guests can rest easy knowing their room is set to the perfect temperature no matter the season. And there’s nothing like waking up to a beautiful ocean sunrise on your very own private balcony, available in all rooms. Other room amenities include a flat-screen television, a small refrigerator, microwave, and a coffeemaker.

Take a break from the salt and the sand and take a dip in one of Golden Sands Motel’s crystal clear pools available to all hotel guests. The outdoor pool is located on the outdoor pool deck and the indoor pool is open year-round. Other features include delectable onsite dining at Ocean Grill and refreshing drinks on the pier at Tiki Bar.

Oceanfront Rooms at Golden Sands Motel

Double Queen Rooms → Includes two queen-sized beds

Double Efficiency → Includes two queen-sized beds and a fully equipped kitchen

King Room → Includes one large king-sized bed and a sleeper sofa

Split Room → Features two separate bedrooms and a sleeper sofa

ADA Rooms → Includes accessible amenities like a folding shower bench and bathroom rails

History of Fort Fisher: Ghosts, Nature & Romance

The Fort Fisher State Historic Site and Recreation Area sits on the west side of U.S. Highway 421. This National Historic Landmark was the largest of the Confederacy’s earthwork fortifications during the Civil War. Unlike fortifications built of brick and mortar, Fort Fisher was made mostly of earth and sand, making it ideal for absorbing the shock of heavy explosives.

Indeed, Fort Fisher was known as the last trading stronghold of the South. Virtually impossible to defeat, the fort protected vital trading routes, allowing the port of Wilmington to remain open and blockade runners to bring supplies to Robert E Lee’s army. The fort finally fell in January of 1865 during a massive amphibious assault by Union forces, cutting off the last Confederate supply line from the sea. After Fort Fisher fell, the Civil War was soon over. During World War II, the fort was used again, this time as an important training site for anti-aircraft and coastal artillery defenses.

Although every Civil War buff lists Fort Fisher, NC as a “must-see”, families and vacationing sun-worshippers are also pleasantly surprised by this interesting educational visit that proves to be a nice diversion from days filled with sand and sun. Both parking and admission are free.

Stop by the recently renovated visitors’ center on your way into the site to pick up a Junior Ranger booklet for the kids. (When they complete it, each child receives a certificate and a patch.) Here, you can also register for a guided tour by one of the friendly, helpful staff members who are passionate about the fort’s history. Scheduled guided tours are given daily, and special costumed tours are conducted on occasion. While in the center, you’ll see three-dimensional models of the fort and an audiovisual program that presents its history. Other exhibits highlight soldiers’ clothing, weapons, and armaments as well as excavations and artifacts found on site. Then, follow the scenic trail to the remains of the fort’s land face where you’ll discover an impressive reconstruction of a seacoast gun which is still fired on special occasions.

Nature at Fort Fisher

The Recreation Area on the east side of U.S. 421 boasts nearly six miles of wide, unspoiled beach and a visitors’ center with a changing area, snack bar and restrooms. From the recreation area parking lot, an elevated boardwalk leads over the sand dunes to the beach, where visitors can walk along one of the few remaining undeveloped stretches of shoreline on our southern coast. A short trail even meanders through the marsh, allowing hikers a chance to experience the flora and fauna in the nearby sound. A unique and breath-taking location, this is the only wooded area that sits directly on the North Carolina coastline. You can also explore a patch of the natural rock outcropping (although much of it is hidden by the artificial seawall built to protect the historic site from erosion). Global Animal named The Fort Fisher State Recreation Area one of the “Top 10 Dog-Friendly Beaches for 2011?. Indeed, it is a fantastic spot where owners and their four-legged friends can enjoy the coastline together.

The Ghosts of Fort Fisher

Many people believe that Fort Fisher, like most Civil War battlefields, is haunted. Stories and reported sightings of ghosts are local legend. General WHC Whiting is Fort Fisher’s best-known ghost. He is said to roam the ruins of the fort he once commanded, sometimes standing on a parapet at dusk in his gray uniform, gazing toward the road. Does he feel responsible for the fall of the Confederate South since he was taken prisoner and forced to officially surrender Fort Fisher to the Union’s Major General Tenney?

Park employees, tourists, and paranormal investigators say they have seen a lone Confederate Sentinel standing guard in the pine grove north of the Fort. Others report hearing the sounds of footsteps on the wooden walkways. Still, others claim to have seen an apparition going from the ocean towards the fort. A few people have seen the ghost of Confederate spy, Rose O’Neal Greenhowe, walking along the shore near the spot where she drowned. Naturally, reports of ghosts seem to occur mainly in January, when the two major battles that led to the fall of Fort Fisher took place. No matter which time of year you visit Fort Fisher, be sure to keep an eye out for phantoms of the past!

The Hermit of Fort Fisher

Another famous Fort Fisher legend was “The Fort Fisher Hermit“. In 1955, at the age of 62, Robert Harrilldecided to become a “hermit” after a failed marriage and a string of unsuccessful and unsatisfying jobs. He hitchhiked to Fort Fisher and set up a humble home in an abandoned World War II-era bunker along a salt marsh near the Cape Fear River. He lived there for 17 years. Curiously, Harrill “The Hermit” became the second greatest tourist attraction in the state of North Carolina, trailing only the USS North Carolina Battleship in the number of visitors.

Visitors to Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Fort Fisher, and Southport would seek out the man living in the salt marshes, some out of curiosity, others because they were attracted to his words of wisdom. Journalists flocked to his bunker to report on his lifestyle and beliefs. In the New Hanover Sun in 1968, Harrill explained his popularity: “Everybody ought to be a hermit for a few minutes to an hour or so every 24 hours, to study, meditate, and commune with their creator…millions of people want to do just what I’m doing, but since it is much easier thought of than done, they subconsciously elect me to represent them, that’s why I’m successful…”

Unlike true hermits, who prefer a life of seclusion, Robert Harrill warmly greeted as many visitors as possible and agreed to pose with them in pictures for a small fee. He saw each visitor as an opportunity to spread his “common sense” philosophy, and to explain how, after a life of strife and diversity, he had finally achieved peace and happiness by living with nature. The Hermit kept a guest registry, a notebook held down by seashells, which recorded more than 100,000 visitors from all fifty states and at least 20 foreign countries. Visitors also provided the Fort Fisher Hermit with monetary donations that were placed in a frying pan he left out for just such a purpose.

The Fort Fisher Hermit died in June 1972, but his legacy lives on through the efforts of The Hermit Society, which has members in numerous states. Books have been written about The Hermit and his bunker, which is still standing. It can be reached from the Fort Fisher Hermit Trail at the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. An award-winning film, The Fort Fisher Hermit, also tells the story of Robert Harrill.

Romance in Fort Fisher

The romantic grove of wind-swept live oak trees has made Fort Fisher a favorite spot for outdoor weddings. Whether it’s a modern beach-themed wedding or the exchange of vows by Civil War re-enactors in period dress, chances are good that you’ll spot a bride and groom posing for photos under the shade of the centuries-old trees that make up the Maritime Forest of Fort Fisher. The nearby NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher is a popular reception venue for wedding guests, but it is also a favorite destination of both locals and tourists who spend time in Carolina Beach or Kure Beach.

The Marine Life of Fort Fisher

Just down the road from historic Fort Fisher, you’ll find the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. The state’s largest aquarium, it offers many dramatic exhibits including a huge shark tank and a half-acre freshwater conservatory. Renovated in 2002, the facility continues to add new exhibits, programs, and activities. There are daily live animal presentations, regular feedings, and Q&A sessions with divers in a large ocean tank. More than 2,500 animals are on display, including sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, moray eels, seahorses, sea turtles, and colorful reef creatures. The star attraction, however, is Luna, the rare albino alligator who lives a re-created natural environment complete with rock cliffs, trees, waterfalls, and fog. Kids will enjoy the touch pool where they can touch horseshoe crabs and even stingrays! Outdoor exhibits feature waterfowl, turtles, and birds.

The NC Aquarium sometimes conducts Behind the Scenes tours where you can accompany aquarium staff on a guided tour of animal quarantine, life support, food preparation, and special access areas. Pre-registration is required and closed-toe shoes are mandatory for this insiders’ tour.

The Ferry at Fort Fisher

After a visit to the NC Aquarium, you can drive right onto the Fort Fisher–Southport Ferry. This enjoyable 20-minute ferry ride carries cars and their passengers to and from the quaint fishing village of Southport, NC with a bustling historic Main Street that looks as if it emerged from a Norman Rockwell painting. The ferry costs just $5 each way and crosses the point where the Cape Fear River meets the Atlantic Ocean, providing some of the best views of the area’s waterways. Across the road from the ferry terminal, there is a public boat launch area, a popular spot for starting out on a windsurfing, parasailing, kiteboarding, kayaking or fishing adventure.

Whether you go to Fort Fisher for the history, the marine life, the breathtaking seascape, or just an afternoon of fun in the sun, we know you’ll come back for a relaxing evening at The Golden Sands Motel with a great new story to tell.