*Poulos Christmas Lights
When: Thursday, Nov 24, 2011 through Christmas
Click here for a map
DescriptionEnjoy one of the most famous homes in America for its Christmas and Holiday Lights display. Featured as a national winner of a Today Show lights contest, and on HGTV! A night viewing is optimal to get the full effect of the lights. The time and effort the Poulos family puts into this display every year is astounding…you’ll see little vignettes and decorum found absolutely nowhere else! Directions: The house is located in Kill Devil Hills near the Nags Head Woods entrance Heading South on Rt. 158 into Kill Devil Hills 1. Proceed to light at Ocean Acres Dr. (opposite McDonalds) 2. Turn right at Ocean Acres Dr. 3. The road will change from paved to gravel as you go up a hill. Just over the top of the hill you will find the Poulos home.

*Santa will be at Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum
When: November 25
Santa will be at Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum, located at NC 12 MP 39 ½ ocean side, Friday, November 25, the day after Thanksgiving. The Site itself will be open from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, but Santa will be there from 1:00 pm to 3:00pm. Santa will be in the main building inside the white picket fence, which is the 1911 Life-Saving Service Station. Children accompanied by adults may tour the station in an orderly manner. Admission is free with one non-perishable item per person for the Hatteras Island Food Bank. There will also be great sales in the Gift Shop! Bring your camera- there will be plenty of photo ops! To learn more about Chicamacomico, its exciting activities and offerings, visit www.chicamacomico.net, email at clss@embarqmail.com , call 252-987-1552.

*Ocrafolk Festival Fundraising Concert

When: November 25; 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ocracoke Community Center.
Join local musicians for an evening of entertainment as the community raises funds for the Ocrafolk Festival in June 2012.

*Hangin’ With Santa
When:Friday, Nov 25, 2011
Where: Kitty Hawk Kites (mp 12.5), Nags Head.
Children can have their free photo taken with Santa in a demonstration Hang Glider Friday and Saturday, set up at Kitty Hawk Kites in Nags Head. This event is free, so bring your cameras!! Friday 10am-2pm and Saturday 1pm-6pm. 1-877-FLY-THIS, 252-441-4124 or email events@kittyhawk.com

*Hatteras Island Arts and Craft Guild Holiday Show
When: Friday & Saturday Nov. 25-26; 10am – 4pm
Where:Cape Hatteras Secondary School on Route 12 in Buxton.
Free admission, food and a scholarship raffle. For more information call (252) 305-1606.

*First in Flight Holiday Lights
When: Nov 25 – January 1
Click here for a map
The Town of Kill Devil Hills, home of the First Flight, offers visitors and residents an opportunity to reflect on the many aspects of the holiday season with a beautiful lighted display on Frog Pond in Aviation Park. With a backdrop of dark trees, and against the reflection of the water, the display features a classic Christmas tree design more than 20′ tall. The tree will be lit from November 25th – January 1st.

*Kites with Lights

When: Sat, November 26, 3pm – 6pm
Where: Jockey’s Ridge State Park (mp 12.5), Nags Head.
Watch the night sky magically transform as kites with lights glow in the sky atop Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Join us for hot apple cider and cookies beginning 4pm across the street at the Kitty Hawk Kites store. Kites go up around 3pm and will be in the sky until 6pm. This is a very well attended event so get there early to get your parking spot! 1-877-FLY-THIS, 252-441-4124 or email events@kittyhawk.com

*Thanks Thursday, Black Friday, Redfish Saturday
When: Sat, November 26, 8am – 12pm
The new Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head will hold its first ever Redfish Saturday tournament on Nov. 26 from 8 a.m. until noon. The event has something to offer everyone in your family. Trophies will be awarded that day for the longest fish of these types: red drum, black drum, bluefish, speckled trout, gray trout, striped bass, croaker, flounder and others. Jennette’s Pier has partnered with Tanger Outlet Center also of Nags Head for the event. Everyone who registers for the tournament will receive a free Tanger Outlet coupon book, a $350 value. The pier’s educational staff will offer fee-based programs for children during the tournament. So, let the angler in your family go fishing and the shopper go shopping at the nearby outlets. Families must register, however, by Wednesday, Nov. 23 for the programs. For more information, call 252-255-1501, ext. 202.

*UNCG Old Time Ensemble Christmas Performance
When: Sat, November 26, 7pm – 8pm; November 27 at 2 p.m.
Where: Roanoke Island Festival Park, Indoor Theatre
The Old Time Ensemble from the School of Music at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro will present two Christmas concerts with some holiday sing-a-longs. Don’t miss this creative group of fiddle-playing, banjo-picking, accordion-squeezing, washboard-strumming musicians. The event is part of the RIFP Performance Series. Tickets are $10 adults and $5 for those 12 and under.

*23rd Annual Festival of Trees
When: Dec. 1 – 3
The Festival of Trees brings together residents and visitors to the OBX to celebrate the holiday season with twinkling lights, festive musical performances, punch and homemade cookies, craft activities for children, a visit with Santa complete with a souvenir photo, and shopping for one-of-a-kind gifts. The culmination of the Festival is an auction of donated, decorated Christmas Trees and Holiday Objects at a catered Gala Holiday Social. Festival of Trees is an annual fundraiser that benefits crisis intervention programs of the Outer Banks Hotline for victims of domestic and sexual abuse.
December 1 & 2 Location: 108 Budleigh Street in downtown Manteo. 108 Budleigh is a spacious special event and reception venue. There will be the very popular Holiday Bazaar where volunteers will display and sell a wide variety of gift items, decorations, and even holiday attire. These items will have been collected throughout the year from the best of the best of donations to Hotline’s fundraising thrift shops. Most items are gently used, new, collectible, vintage, and unique! Also a large silent auction fundraiser for vacation packages and other gifts. Photo opportunities with Santa’s Snow Princess plus live performances by local groups. Cookies and punch will be served.
December 3 Location: Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head. The events room in the new Jeanette’s Pier will provide a spacious venue for the Holiday Social and Benefit Auction of beautiful Christmas Trees donated and decorated by local businesses and artists. There will be approximately 12 to 15 full size Trees decorated around a specific theme. Each tree will also have gifts associated with it that add value and excitement to the bidding. Holiday Social — a ticketed event that begins at 6:30pm. The Master of Ceremonies and Auctioneer for the evening will be local personality, Bill Rea. The Benefit Auction will begin at 8pm after a Holiday Social that will offer heavy hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and champagne, and live entertainment. During the Holiday Social, approximately 6 items (including original paintings, stained glass, jewelry, etc.) will be offered in a Silent Auction to conclude at the beginning of the live auction. Visit for more details visit www.obhotline.org

*Holiday Small Works Show (Vault Gallery)
When: Friday, Dec 2, 2011
Over 500 works of art to fit every budget, including original paintings, pottery, glass, jewelry, fiber, metal, mixed media and wood. Perfect for your holiday shopping. Great stocking stuffer items available. Shop locally and support Dare County artists and craftspeople! Opening reception, Friday, December 2nd 6pm – 8pm. For more information, please call (252) 473-5558 or see Dare County Arts Council’s website at darearts.org

*Manteo Tree Lighting

When: Friday, Dec 2, 2011
Where: Queen Elizabeth St., Manteo, NC
Set in front of the historic old courthouse on Queen Elizabeth Street, is a musical dramatic celebration of that indefinable spirit of selfless joy that, for over 400 years, has touched the lives of Roanoke Island residents at Christmas and caused them to persevere against all odds in pursuance of their dreams. www.townofmanteo.com

*First Friday
When:Fri, December 2, 4pm – 8pm
Where: Manteo Waterfront.
Historic Inn Tour from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. (tour maps at Dare County Arts Council), Live music from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Blue grass to Jazz to Classic Rock ‘n Roll), Boutiques and Restaurants open late, Enjoy family friendly activities, Famous rock climbing wall, Historical interpreters in period costumes and more. townofmanteo.com

*Downtown Manteo Christmas Parade
When:Saturday, Dec 3, 2011
Where: Queen Elizabeth St., Manteo, NC
Winding through the streets of Manteo, the Christmas parade is a Manteo tradition. Local schools, charitable organizations, and business help spread the spirit of the season. townofmanteo.com

*Grand Illumination – The Elizabethan Gardens
When: Sat, December 3, 6pm – 9pm
Where: Elizabethan Gardens, Manteo, NC
Kick off 19 nights of lights, seasonal and floral displays at The Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo, North Carolina. This kick-off event will feature holiday foods and festive drink in the Embellished Hall and on the Great Lawn. Also featured are fire pits on the Great Lawn, where guests can enjoy the glow of the season. On this evening enjoy The Gardens’ Gift Shoppe and plant sales, offering 10% off all merchandise. Friends’ receive an additional 10% off. For the occasion, a special holiday promotion is planned featuring many gifts under $15.00 ~ pre-wrapped and ready to give for Christmas. Garden plant sales will feature winter annuals; ornamental vegetables; forced bulbs; rosemary Christmas Trees; and conifers with bows. Tickets for Illuminations for Non-Members are $14 for adults; $9 for youth (ages 6-17); $6 for children (5 and under). Tickets for Friends’ are $10 for adults; $7 for youth (ages 6-17); $4 for children (5 and under). Groups of 20 or more receive $1.00 off each ticket. www.elizabethangardens.org

*Hatteras Connection Seafood Dinner, Hatteras village
When: December 6; 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: Hatteras Village Civic Center, 56658 NC 12, Hatteras
Connect with local, sustainably harvested seafood prepared by local chefs. Benefits Hatteras Island’s Food Pantry and Hatteras Island Meals. Reserve dinner ticket at (252) 995-4131 or e-mail ridgeroad@earthlink.net

*Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Winter Climb
When: Saturday, December 10; 10am – 3pm
Where: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Buxton, NC
Free. All climbers are required to be at least 42 inches tall and must climb the steps on their own – they cannot be carried. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult (16 years of age or older). The climb is strenuous–the 248 steps to the top equal climbing a 12-story building. nps.gov/caha

*Holiday at the Museum
When: December 10
Where:The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, Hatteras. 12 – 4 p.m.
Enjoy the holiday village and laugh at the animatronic dog and bear, see vintage Santa Claus displays and twinkling lights and a variety of ornamented trees. Relax with free soup and holiday cookies. If you bring a donation for the food bank, you will receive a 5% discount in the Meekins Chandlery Gift Shop and each shopper will be given a special holiday bag. Caroling and children’s activities will be in the education wing. Open the doors to the Burrus Couch Midgett Gallery and learn Hatteras Island history by viewing: the “Flags Over Hatteras” Civil War exhibit with pieces assembled from collections around the nation; the “Pirates, Scalawags, and Brigands” display with actual artifacts from Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge shipwreck; recognize some familiar names and faces and learn about the cultural implications of shipwrecks in “Ship Ashore” ; and even view actual pieces from the dining room table of the U.S.S. Monitor. All events and exhibits are free and are appropriate for all ages. On December 11th, don’t miss the Museum Reindeer Explorer in the Hatteras Village Parade. For more information call (252) 986-2995.

*Free Holiday Tours | The Whalehead Club
When: Sat, December 10, 3pm – 6pm
Free holiday tours of the Whalehead Club displaying traditional 1920s holiday decorations, complimentary hot chocolate on the porch. Singing of Christmas Carols and the simultaneous lighting of the Currituck Beach Light and the giant Cedar tree inside Currituck Heritage Park.

*Hatteras Village Christmas Parade

When: Sun. December 11; 2:00pm-6:00pm
The parade will begin at Teach’s Lair Marina at 2 p.m. The parade route continues through the village and ends at the Hatterasman Drive-In. Everyone is invited to the Civic Center after the parade for home-baked cookies and hot chocolate and to hear the announcement of the winners.

*Dinner with Santa

When: Fri, December 16, 6pm – 9pm
Where: Elizabethan Gardens, Manteo, NC
Celebrate the beginning of the holidays with your child by dining with Santa in the magically decorated Embellished Hall at The Elizabethan Gardens. Culinary delights will be provided by Ortega’z, and Santa will be available throughout the evening. Attendees are encouraged to bring their cameras to capture wonderful family holiday photos. The Gardens will also have a professional photographer available to take photos which can then be purchased from the photographer’s website. Your ticket includes dinner, Santa and WinterLights. Dinner seating is at 6 pm, 7 pm, or 8 pm. Come experience holiday lights and music transforming The Elizabethan Gardens into an illuminated winter wonderland complete with peacocks, butterflies, deer and other garden creatures created with flowers, seeds, natural elements, as well as traditional holiday decorations. Enjoy the spirit of the season, dinner and Santa! Friends’ tickets: $35 for Adults; $20 for children. Non-members tickets: $40 for Adults; $25 for children. www.elizabethangardens.org

*108th Annual Celebration of the Wright Brothers First Flight
When: December 17
Where: Wright Brothers National Memorial. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Gather at the exact site at the exact time as the historic flight to remember, reflect and celebrate this milestone. The daylong anniversary tribute will be held at the site of Wright’s first flight. Visitors to the site experience a replica of the Wright Brothers’ 1903 encampment and majestic, 60-foot tall granite monument perched atop a 90-foot hill that serves a striking and lasting reminder of the important historical achievement that happened on this site a century ago. outerbanks.org

*WinterLights – Come See Santa

When: Friday, Dec 23, 2011
Where: Elizabethan Gardens, Manteo, NC
Kids come see Santa before the big day. Admission to WinterLights is required. www.elizabethangardens.org

*WinterLights
When:Fri, December 23, 6pm – 9pm
Where: Elizabethan Gardens, Manteo, NC
Come experience Holiday lights and music transforming The Elizabethan Gardens into an illuminated winter wonderland complete with peacocks, butterflies, deer and other garden creatures created with flowers, seeds, natural elements, as well as traditional holiday decorations. Stroll through The Gardens and enjoy the spirit of the season. Festive trees grace the Gatehouse, Reception Hall and great Lawn. WinterLights is 18 nights of lights and floral displays at The Gardens! Each evening enjoy The Gardens’ Gift Shoppe and plant sales, which offer 10% off all merchandise. Friends’ receive an additional 10% off. For the occasion, a special holiday promotion is planned featuring many gifts under $15.00 ~ pre-wrapped and ready to give for Christmas. Garden plant sales will feature winter annuals; ornamental vegetables; forced bulbs; rosemary Christmas Trees; and conifers with bows. Tickets for Friends’ and Non-members: $9 for Adults; $7 for youth (ages 6-17); $4 for children (5 and under). www.elizabethangardens.org