Morehead City Festivals Events - 2026 Schedule

The North Carolina Seafood Festival is one of the largest and most celebrated annual events in North Carolina, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Morehead City waterfront each fall for a weekend dedicated to seafood, coastal culture, and family-friendly entertainment. Founded in 1987, the festival was created to promote North Carolina’s seafood industry, educate the public about the importance of commercial fishing, and celebrate the state’s rich maritime heritage. Over the decades, it has grown into a signature Crystal Coast tradition while remaining focused on honoring the fishermen, seafood producers, and coastal communities that help sustain the industry.

If you’re a southern seafood fan, then you’re going to love the annual Mullet Festival of Swansboro. This two-day affair features a wealth of ways to enjoy this local crystal coast staple, as well as plenty of games and activities that celebrate the food, flavor, and all around fun of the heart of Swansboro and the North Carolina coastline.

Wit breezy weather and warm temperatures, the fall is an ideal time to go fly a kite on the Crystal Coast, and this event is an ideal launching point for folks to celebrate their high-flying abilities. The Carolina Kite Festival, which is hosted by the local Kites Unlimited & Bird Stuff, has grown into a stellar and full-day event with hundreds of kites decorating the sky, and plenty of fun to go around.

Come explore a unique and picturesque corner of the Crystal Coast with this grand event that celebrates all the activities and fun of the fall season. The Town of Cape Carteret Fall Festival features a myriad of food, activities, and entertainment for visitors of all ages, and the free festival is a great opportunity to uncover this scenic town that’s located just a shell’s throw away from the Emerald Isle coastline.

Shucktoberfest is an annual fall food-and-drink celebration hosted by Beaufort Wine & Food that highlights the Crystal Coast’s rich seafood heritage, with a special focus on North Carolina oysters and coastal cuisine. Held in Beaufort during the autumn oyster season, the event brings together seafood lovers, local chefs, oyster growers, beverage vendors, and visitors for a weekend dedicated to great food, live entertainment, and coastal hospitality.

Come and get a big head start on your holiday shopping at this pre-Thanksgiving event that shines a spotlight on the many local vendors, artists, and craftspeople who call the Crystal Coast area home. The Mistletoe Magic Holiday Gift Show is renowned as one of the biggest local shopping events of the year, and it’s a great venue for folks to uncover all the talent and goodies that Eastern North Carolina has to offer.

The Beaufort Pirate Invasion is one of coastal North Carolina’s most popular history-themed festivals, transforming the waterfront town of Beaufort into a lively seaport filled with pirates, soldiers, merchants, and colonial-era characters. Held annually in downtown Beaufort, the event celebrates the town’s rich maritime heritage and commemorates the historic Spanish attack on Beaufort in 1747, as well as the region’s connections to the legendary pirate Blackbeard and other seafaring figures.

Held just after Halloween, the annual Dirt Nap Fest at Mill Whistle Brewing has become a favorite event for Beaufort locals and visitors alike, thanks to its spooky and surprising atmosphere, wholly unique car show, cool vendors, and plenty of delicious Mill Whistle beer to go around.

Take a break from the beach and head over to this unique event that is held just a few steps off the sand, but which features a lively and unique atmosphere that car lovers everywhere will adore. The Emerald Isle Car Show is a fun and family-friendly opportunity for Crystal Coast visitors to see decades of unique automobiles, and for car fans to show off their most amazing and favorite rides.

Swansboro by Candlelight is a cherished holiday tradition that transforms historic downtown Swansboro into a festive winter wonderland filled with twinkling lights, seasonal decorations, and small-town charm. Held annually in November, the event marks the unofficial start of the holiday season on the Crystal Coast, inviting residents and visitors to gather for an evening of shopping, entertainment, and community celebration in one of North Carolina’s most picturesque waterfront towns.

Celebrate the holidays Crystal Coast style with this annual event that entices locals and visitors alike to get into the holiday spirit. The Swansboro Christmas Flotilla is a time-honored tradition that combines Swansboro’s love of life on the water with a truly festive atmosphere, and the event is sure to become an annual celebration that Crystal Coast visitors will want to return to again and again.

Celebrating more than 20 years, the Emerald Isle Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting is a favorite wintertime event for visitors and locals alike that provides a fun and unforgettable way to ring in the season. Held in the heart of town, and featuring a line of floats that capture both the holiday and the coastal spirit, this annual parade and celebration will make everyone want to celebrate the holidays, Emerald Isle style.

The small community of Harkers Island comes to life at this annual event that puts this community’s rich heritage and history in the spotlight. The annual Core Sound Decoy Festival, which is held the first full weekend in December, is a unique celebration that combines exhibits, demonstrations, vendors, food, and much more, to the delight of local visitors and residents alike.

The Crystal Coast is renowned as a popular destination for seasonal visitors of all varieties, and that includes the thousands of waterfowl that flock to this region every year. This unique distinction is celebrated annually at the Core Sound Waterfowl Weekend, which is a fantastic opportunity for visitors to learn more about this stunning landscape, and the many feathered visitors who call it home for the winter season.

Come explore a winter wonderland of holiday sights, sounds, and smells at this festive event that is celebrating its 12th year in 2026. The annual Gingerbread Festival & Competition is a fun and all-encompassing celebration that has incredible gingerbread displays, fun crafts and activities for the kids, and lots of ways to celebrate the holidays in style while admiring some of the most unique and creative gingerbread creations that the Crystal Coast has to offer.

Visitors of all ages will have a ball at the Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Festival, which is an annual celebration that has become one of the most anticipated events of the springtime season. Going strong for more than 25 years, the Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Festival features a wealth of food, arts and craft vendors, rides, and activities for kids, which will all combine to get attendees into a festive holiday spirit.

The annual Wooden Boat Show is a tradition in the town of Beaufort, and its 51st celebration in 2027 promises to be bigger and more engaging than ever before. With a long roster of activities that are slated for the weekend-long event, visitors will be treated to a wealth of activities, displays, exhibits, and interactive ways to join in the fun.