The Ocracoke community will celebrate the summer’s fig bounty with special guest chef Jamie Davis Aug. 6 to 8 in the Berkley Barn.
The free festival features live music day and night, traditional Ocracoke square dancing, children’s crafts, talks by local fig experts, and vendor booths offering fig preserves, fig cakes, fig art, fig trees, fig beer, local cookbooks, and other fig-tastic items.
Chef Jamie is the executive chef of The Hackney in Washington, Beaufort County, where his connections with local fishers and love of seafood have garnered him a stellar reputation and a James Beard Best Chef Southeast Finalist 2024.
Hailing from Jacksonville, he grew up moving around a lot with a dad in the Marines before resettling back in his home state.
He started working in his first restaurant at 16 years old as a dishwasher and worked his way up to manager by the time he was 18. He joined the Army and served in Iraq before attending culinary school in Savannah, Georgia.
The showpiece of the Fig Festival is the Fig Cake Bake-Off, where bakers are invited to submit entries in one or more of three categories: Traditional, Innovative Dessert and Savory. Young bakers are encouraged to enter the Youth category. Chef Jamie is excited to serve as a guest judge at the Bake-Off.
Chef Jamie will be the Fig Festival’s special guest at the annual Savory Fig Dinner on Thursday evening, Aug. 6. This popular fundraising event features savory fig dishes from local chefs and one special item made by Chef Jamie. Space is limited; tickets for this evening will go on sale on Wednesday, July 1.
During the weeks leading up to the Fig Festival and following, island eateries will offer fig-infused menu items both savory and sweet to celebrate peak fig season. Local fig preserves are available in several island shops.
Ocracoke Fig Festival will also continue to support the annual John Simpson Memorial Scholarship, funded by festival proceeds. The scholarship is awarded to an Ocracoke graduating senior each year. John is remembered as a Fig Festival vendor, award-winning Fig BBQ sauce creator, fig tree grower, artist, decoy carver and supporter of Ocracoke’s heritage events.
The Ocracoke Fig Festival is produced by Mended Wing Theatre Company, a grassroots, arts-based, charitable nonprofit with a home base on Ocracoke.
For more information, including details about the Bake-Off, donor information, vendor spaces, volunteer opportunities, and the Fig Festival schedule, visit ocracokefigfestival.com.
Church services: Ocracoke United Methodist Church, 11 am Ocracoke Life Saving Church, 11 am Stella Maris Chapel: Sunday Mass time at 4:30 pm but it is important to confirm because a priest may not be available to visit the island. Go to Masstimes.org and type in the zip code 27960, look for Our Lady of the Seas.
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Has fried chicken dinners, 11:30 am.
Storm induced flooding along Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke, in October 2025. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
From our news services
Residents of Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands are invited to share their perspectives as part of a new research project examining how local connections influence views on coastal adaptation strategies.
The survey, led by researchers at North Carolina State University, focuses on communities from Rodanthe to Ocracoke and aims to better understand how residents’ experiences and ties to the southern Outer Banks shape their preferences for addressing storm-related flooding. It is a follow-up survey to a survey islanders may have taken about a year and a half ago.
Researchers say the input will help provide a more complete picture of how communities view potential solutions, particularly as Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands continue to face challenges from erosion, overwash and coastal flooding.
The project is funded by the National Science Foundation and is intended for research purposes only, with no financial profit generated.
Community participation is considered a key component of the study, as responses will help inform ongoing discussions about resilience and long-term planning along the Outer Banks.
The survey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete and is open to residents and others with ties to the Outer Banks.
Robert Charles Garrish of Ocracoke died April 15, 2026, surrounded by family at Sentara Heart Hospital, Norfolk, Virginia.
Known as Bobby, he was the husband of Linda Garrish.
He was born on January 24, 1939, to Uriah Wahab Garrish and Maude Thomas Garrish on the midwife’s front porch overlooking Silver Lake.
Raised in a fishing family, Bobby was a private commercial fisherman for more than 50 years, taking a break only while serving in the Army during Vietnam.
He built his own boats and helped construct countless others for net fishing and crabbing. This legacy is carried on by his son-in-law Ernest Doshier and grandson Alan Doshier of Gecko Charters.
After retiring from the water, Bobby worked for the National Park Service briefly, then worked 21 years with the N.C. Ferry Division.
Bobby earned many nicknames in his lifetime. Known as Daddy, Poppy, and Big Bobby to his family, and his friends named him Bobcat and the Cuban due to an infamous wild streak and piracy adventures.
He was a 32nd Degree Master Mason. His hobbies included driving fast, sharing fishing stories with Alan, feeding squirrels, gardening, holding court under the house, mowing fig trees, calling his children 10 times a day, dodging dingbatters on his golf cart and sleeping with one eye open in case someone tried to steal his “gas tank.”
He was preceded in death by his sisters Maude Ellen Balance, Brittina “Tink” Helpenstill, Grace Gaskill, and Chloe O’Neil as well as many beloved pets.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children Christopher Styron, Darlene Styron (Ernest Doshier) of Ocracoke; Angel Garrish (Sara Rasberry) of Fayetteville, Charlene Scott (JR Scott) of Chesapeake, Virginia; a grandson, Alan Doshier of Ocracoke; and an island full of extended family.
Bobby shared his unwavering, unconditional love with family and friends his entire life. It was an honor to know and love him in return.
To read Bobby’s and his cousin’s reminicences about life “back in the day” on Ocracoke, click here.
While not required, in lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to: Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association, P.O. Box 1689, Ocracoke, NC 27960. www.ocracokewaterman.org Details of memorial will follow.
Ocracoke is an island where folks think they can find the purported treasure of Blackbeard, but island homes and businesses will unveil their own treasures for all to peruse and plunder as the Ocracoke Civic & Business Association hosts the spring Ocracoke Island-Wide Yard Sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 16.
The rain date is Sunday, May 17.
Maps showing participating yard sale locations will be available the week of May 11 at the Ocracoke Variety Store, the post office and online at www.ocracokeisland.net.
Charlie and Debra Ralston unload household items at a previous yard sale. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer
Citizen science volunteers monitor clouds such as this one over the Pamlico Sound in July 2025 for precipitation activity. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
From our news services
Have you ever wondered how much rain fell during a recent thunderstorm? How about snowfall during a winter storm? If so, an important volunteer weather observing program needs your help.
The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network, or CoCoRaHS, is looking for new volunteers across North Carolina. The grassroots effort is part of a growing national network of home-based and amateur weather spotters with a goal of providing a high-density precipitation network across the country.
“We are in need of new observers across the entire state,” said David Glenn, CoCoRaHS state co-coordinator and meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City. “We would like to emphasize rural and coastal locations, and areas of higher terrain across the mountains.”
CoCoRaHS came about as a result of a devastating flash flood that hit Fort Collins, Colorado, in July 1997. A local severe thunderstorm dumped over a foot of rain in several hours while other portions of the city had only modest rainfall. The ensuing flash flood caught many by surprise and caused $200 million in damage.
CoCoRaHS was born in 1998 with the intent of doing a better job of mapping and reporting intense storms. As more volunteers participated, rain, hail, and snow maps were produced for every storm showing fascinating local patterns that were of great interest to scientists and the public.
Recently, drought reporting has also become an important observation within the CoCoRaHS program across the nation. In fact, drought observations from CoCoRaHS are now being included in the National Integrated Drought Information System.
North Carolina became the 21st state to join the CoCoRaHS program in 2007, and by 2010, the CoCoRaHS network had reached all 50 states with nearly 10,000 daily observations. Through CoCoRaHS, thousands of volunteers of all ages document the size, intensity, duration and patterns of rain, hail and snow by taking simple measurements in their own backyards.
Volunteers may obtain an official rain gauge through the CoCoRaHS website (www.cocorahs.org) for about $42 plus shipping. Besides the need for an official 4-inch plastic rain gauge, volunteers are asked to review simple training modules online and submit their reports using the CoCoRaHS website or phone app.
The process takes only five minutes a day, but the impact to the community is tenfold: by providing high quality, accurate measurements, the observers are able to supplement existing networks and provide useful data to scientists, resource managers, decision makers and others.
“CoCoRaHS observers provided valuable data for both Hurricanes Florence and Helene,” said Sean Heuser, CoCoRaHS state co-coordinator and manager of the NC ECONet at the state Climate Office of NC. “For these high intensity events, whether they are tropical systems or afternoon thunderstorms, CoCoRaHS observers are able to fill in gaps and provide a clearer picture of where we see precipitation maximums. We also use CoCoRaHS Condition Monitoring reports to determine weekly drought conditions across the state and give recommendations to the U.S. Drought Monitor authors.”
“Monitoring weather and climate conditions in North Carolina is no easy feat,” said Heather Aldridge, CoCoRaHS state co-coordinator.” CoCoRaHS volunteers help by painting a better picture of precipitation patterns across North Carolina, filling in data gaps where there are no nearby stations. Reporting rain, hail, snow, and drought conditions is a fun activity for all ages!”
“An additional benefit of the program for the National Weather Service is the ability to receive timely reports of significant weather such as hail, intense rainfall, or localized flooding from CoCoRaHS observers that can assist meteorologists in issuing life-saving warnings for severe thunderstorms,” says David Glenn, CoCoRaHS state co-coordinator and meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City.
To become a CoCoRaHS observer, go to the CoCoRaHS website and click on the “Join CoCoRaHS” emblem on the upper right side of the website.
After registering, take the simple online training, order your 4-inch rain gauge and start reporting.
This cloud formation is known as an undular bore, seen at the north end of Ocracoke, April 21, 2024. These occur when two air masses of different temperatures collide. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer
Ocracoke’s familiar water tower, which is a landmark visible for miles across the sound and serves as the first glimpse of the island for those on the Pamlico Sound ferries, will be replaced by the end of this year.
Built in 1977, the water tower is located on Water Plant Road behind the Ocracoke Preservation Society museum and is situated on National Park Service property under a long-term lease agreement.
Construction has begun for the new water tower, which will be painted blue with OCRACOKE on it and is adjacent to the existing one.
Cutline: A new water tower for Ocracoke will be built alongside the old one.
It will have the same height, 128 feet, and hold the same amount of water, 150,000 gallons, said Earl Gaskins the plant systems manager of the Ocracoke Sanitary District (OSD). About 10 antennas will be at the top and may serve as perching sites for Peregrine Falcons and Great Horned Owls, two species that have been observed on the current tower.
The planning and design work was completed by the Garner engineering firm Municipal Engineering, who will provide onsite construction management and oversight. Phoenix Fabricators, an Avon, Indiana, firm that specializes in elevated water tanks, was awarded the construction contract.
Funding comes from a Water Tower Replacement Project Grant of $5.9 million approved by the State Water Infrastructure Authority managed by the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and derives from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), a federal economic stimulus bill passed under the Biden administration, said Scott Bradley, president of the OSD board of commissioners.
Bradley said the grant also includes replacing the 65 old fire hydrants and flushing hydrants on the island in partnership with the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department. That project has been completed. Most of the hydrants were more than 45 years old and, like the old water tower, suffered from prolonged exposure to salt air and water.
OSD also received a $150,000 Asset Inventory and Assessment grant.
This funding will allow the OSD to map and inventory all 16 miles of existing water mains, assess the condition of pipes, identify priority areas for maintenance or replacement, document neighborhoods that do not currently receive OSD water and develop conceptual options for future service.
By law, the ARPA money must be spent and the projects completed by December, Bradley said, noting he expects the tower to be done by September.
The OSD was formed in 1972 and began to place water lines in Ocracoke village in anticipation of a water tower.
Prior to that, the village relied on wells and cisterns that gathered rainwater.
Thanks to grant funding, back then property owners paid a hookup fee of $30. These days the cost to add a water line to a new structure is more than $5,000.
Because this replacement project derives from grant money, there will not be increases to the monthly water charges, Bradley said.
Ocracoke’s water plant gets water via “reverse osmosis,” in which brackish water is pushed through a membrane to remove the salt.
Three wells at the plant extract the raw water from the Castle Hayne Aquifer more than 600 feet underground. While the upper layers of this water lens contain fresh water, its lower depths contain brackish water from which the plant draws its water.
Castle Hayne aquifer is the most productive freshwater aquifer in North Carolina, spanning 12,500 square miles in the eastern coastal plain. Composed primarily of limestone and sand, this highly permeable, shallow aquifer provides over 60 million gallons of water daily.
In addition to Ocracoke, it is the principal water supply for New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties.
In addition to Gaskins, OSD staffers are Janie Garrish, Robbie Lewis, Carson O’Neal and Marcus Lawson.
The elected sanitary board members who oversee the operation are Bradley, Bill Caswell, Flavia Burton, Regina O’Neal Boor and Bobby O’Neal.
Once the new water tower is up and functioning, the old tower will be demolished.
U.S. Representative Don Davis of District 1 talks with Ocracoke residents outside Books to be Red. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
Editor’s Note: The Ocracoke Observer will report on candidates who visit the island to meet its residents.
By Connie Leinbach and Peter Vankevich
U.S. Representative Don Davis of District 1 visited Ocracoke on April 7.
He is running for reelection in House District 1 and Ocracoke islanders, and the other voting residents of Hyde County will vote for him or his only opponent, Republican Laurie Buckhout, in the Nov. 3 election.
Last year, the state’s Republican-controlled General Assembly redrew the congressional map, moving all of Hyde County out of District 3 and into District 1.
The 2024 redistricting was intended to make the seat more favorable to Republicans, part of a broader national trend of partisan gerrymandering. It began when Texas redrew its districts to benefit Republicans. California followed and redrew its maps to favor Democrats. Virginia voters will decide on April 21 whether to adopt new maps viewed as more favorable to Democrats, and early voting in that election has been heavy.
Until the end of the year Ocracoke and all of Hyde County will remain in House District 3 but will vote for the District 1 candidates.
Rep. Greg Murphy (Greenville-R) currently represents Ocracoke in District 3 and is seeking reelection.
Davis was first elected to the House of Representatives in November 2022. In 2024, he was reelected, narrowly beating Buckhout.
During Davis’s visit, publicized on social media on short notice, he took a quick tour of the village and met with islanders on the grounds of Books to Be Red and later visited the Fish House.
This was a get-acquainted visit for Davis, his staff and islanders who met him for the first time.
Davis, of Snow Hill, is considered one of the most conservative Democrats in the House.
As he chatted withabout a dozen islanders, he didn’t seem fazed about the redistricting that was aimed at the northeast corner of the state.
He began his political career unseating the Snow Hill mayor followed by 12 years as a state Senator.
“It’s the same service, the same values, no matter where I’ve been, no matter where I go and, hear this. No matter how they draw the different districts, it doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “This is not my first rodeo in North Carolina with redistricting. I’ve served three terms now, or going towards the third term now in the House, and this will be the third different map.”
Davis recounted his childhood cropping tobacco and after high school, went on to the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Before moving into politics, he was an assistant professor of aerospace studies, teaching National Security Affairs, military history, leadership courses at ECU. According to Ballotpedia, he has a master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University, an M.A. in sociology from East Carolina University, and an Ed.D. in educational leadership from East Carolina University.
U. S. Rep. Don Davis, second from right, talks with Snow Hill visitors to Ocracoke. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
A pothole in the Snow Hill street prompted his pivot into politics.
He said he and his friends would ride bikes around their town and a certain pothole would impede them from doing wheelies.
“We had to go around this pothole that was in the road,” he said. “When I returned as an adult I was walking the street and noticed it was still there. Matter of fact, it expanded. I started thinking how many times someone has walked by it or driven over it over the years and it became part of our everyday life.
“For me, I felt that I needed to roll up my sleeves and try to do something about it.”
That can-do attitude led to his unseating the 10-year incumbent mayor with 64% of the vote.
Later, he said, the former mayor became one of his strongest supporters.
Davis said that no matter how the voting maps have been drawn, he visits communities and talks with the people.
“Because this is where the information is,” he said. “This is how I feel that I become a more effective representative, and the representation starts right here with these conversations that we’re having today.”
As a Democrat, he did not support H.R.1, signed into law on July 4, 2025, and is a major reconciliation package that cuts taxes, reduces federal spending on social programs like SNAP and Medicaid, increases the statutory debt limit by $5 trillion, and boosts defense and immigration enforcement funding.
“But the reality of it is, if we want to talk about this and be honest about it, we’re adding so much to the national debt,” he said. “Not only are we adding to the national debt, but we’re truly just shortchanging rural health care. I’m really concerned about rural America, and how then do we come together as we’re engaged in conversations?”
He said two thirds of the growth in this state has occurred in two counties—Wake and Mecklenburg.
“We can’t leave the other 98 counties out and behind, and that’s my fight,” he said.
Among the listeners was Justin LeBlanc, executive director of Ocracoke Access Alliance, who talked about the critical needs of NC12 at the north end.
He said the alliance has an appropriation request into Davis’s office to fund moving he road at the sandbag area 30 feet to the west as an interim fix while the community works on a long-term solution to the erosion at the north end of Ocracoke.
“One of the things that we try to make sure folks are aware of is that we’re not making these investments in Highway 12, in the ferries, for 850 residents of Ocracoke,” LeBlanc said. “We’re doing it for the several hundred thousand visitors that come here every year, to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.”
Davis said he was looking at all of the challenges along NC12.
Vince O’Neal spoke for the commercial fishermen on the island.
“There’re not many of us left, but we’re getting squeezed out by federal regulations,” he said. “We really need to get some of these layers of regulation removed. Commercial fishing is a big part of tourism. People aren’t coming here to eat imported seafood.”
Davis touts his sincerity.
“I came back (to Snow Hill) not just to live,” he said. “I came back to make a difference. I went on as mayor to fill that pothole. But there’s so many potholes across eastern North Carolina, and it’s up to us if we’re going to do it. So, I’m ready to roll up the sleeves once again and fill potholes.”
According to the website Carolina Demography by UNC-Chapel Hill, the new map substantially alters the 1st Congressional District in northeastern North Carolina, a region of the state historically known as the Black Belt because of the relatively larger share of Black residents. It has been held by a Democrat since 1883.
With the approval of the new map, Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Dare, Hyde, and Pamlico Counties, and a section of Onslow County have been moved from District 3 to District 1. Greene, Lenoir, Wilson, and Wayne Counties have been moved from District 1 to District 3.
The Republican-controlled General Assembly believes these shifts will result in Buckhout winning the rematch and also that Murphy will be reelected.
The 1st District is currently rated a “toss-up” for 2026 by the Cook Political Report — North Carolina’s only competitive House seat.
This map shows the new Copngressional voting districts in North Carolina. The new District 1 is the purple section encompassing almost all of northeast North Carolina.
Riding the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
From our news services
Clarification: The Ocracoke Access Alliance asks for increased tolls on only the Cedar Island and Swan Quarter routes, not other routes in the system. This clarifies an earlier version of this story.
The Ocracoke Access Alliance today released a comprehensive proposal to modernize and stabilize funding for North Carolina’s ferry system anchored by a balanced tolling structure for the Hatteras–Ocracoke route that protects resident access to North Carolina’s maritime highway while ensuring long-term system sustainability.
“The North Carolina Ferry System in desperate need of sustained investment,” said Justin LeBlanc, Alliance executive director. “The reliability of maritime highway system is at stake.”
The proposal reflects months of engagement with state leaders, stakeholders, and ferry-dependent communities, and is designed to align operational funding, capital investment, and user-based revenue in a fair and predictable framework that will allow the ferry system to continue to support the state’s economy, jobs, and communities.
“At its core, this is about common sense and sustainability of a system the whole state depends on to grow its economy,” LeBlanc said. “We can protect access for Ocracoke residents and North Carolinians while ensuring the ferry system has the funding it needs to operate reliably and replace aging vessels.”
The Alliance emphasized that the proposal is designed to strike a careful balance: preserving the unique needs of Ocracoke residents, maintaining affordability for North Carolina travelers, and introducing reasonable user-based contributions to support long-term system viability.
“The ferry system is not just transportation—it is the lifeline of Ocracoke and a critical asset for the state,” said Bob Chestnut, an Alliance board member. “This proposal ensures that we treat the ferry system as the essential infrastructure that it is, with stable funding, smart policy and a fair approach to tolling.”
The Alliance sent the proposal to the members of the General Assembly, LeBlanc said, and will continue working with them, NCDOT, and the Governor’s office to advance these reforms during the current budget cycle.
The Alliance proposes the following key reforms:
Establish a practical toll for the Hatteras–Ocracoke Route: The Alliance recommends a $10 per-trip toll for the Hatteras route, indexed to inflation, maintaining affordability while achieving revenue goals. Alternatively, the state could adopt a $20 one-way toll departing Hatteras with a no-toll return trip—simplifying administration while preserving access.
New tolls for mainland routes serving Ocracoke: Mainland ferry routes (only the Cedar Island and Swan Quarter routes) should adopt a standardized toll of $20 each way, also indexed to inflation over time. This represents an affordable alternative to higher toll levels proposed in the Senate budget that still generates necessary revenue.
Toll waiver for verified permanent residents: To protect essential access and recognize Ocracoke residents’ existing contributions to state highway funds, the Alliance proposes codifying a toll waiver for full-time Ocracoke residents, limited to one per registered vehicle and driver’s license with matching Ocracoke addresses.
Streamline reservations and operations: The Alliance recommends maintaining reservations for longer mainland routes, while preserving the Hatteras–Ocracoke route as a first-come, first-served system. Implementation of EZ-Pass or Toll-by-License-Plate technology would minimize administrative overhead and improve throughput.
Fully fund ferry operations (O&M): The Alliance calls for full funding of the Ferry Division’s recurring operations and maintenance budget—$85.5 million for FY 2025–26 and the amount requested by the Ferry Division for FY 2026–27—while accounting for upward pressure from rising costs, including fuel prices.
Eliminate deferred maintenance within two years: With total backlogged and deferred maintenance estimated at $69.3 millionA, the Alliance supports continued non-recurring appropriations to eliminate this backlog within two fiscal years. Current House and Senate proposals would leave roughly $22.8–$24.8 million remaining for FY 2026–27, which should be fully addressed.
Dedicate capital funding for ferry infrastructure: The proposal supports setting aside $10 million annually from the Highway Trust Fund into the Ferry Capital Fund for at least five years, ensuring a stable pipeline for vessel replacement and infrastructure upgrades. The existing ferry fleet has an average age of 26 years, with one vessel already 55 years old. This aging fleet risks deeper disruptions to reliability.
Reform the STI process for vessel replacement: Ferry vessel replacement should be removed from the State Transportation Improvement (STI) process, where it currently competes poorly against highway projects as evidenced by the fact that North Carolina has not awarded a ferry contract to modernize its ageing ferry fleet in the last 8 years. A simple legislative fix—adding “and ferry vessel” alongside existing bridge replacement exemptions—would provide a durable solution.
Reinvest proceeds from vessel sales: Revenue generated from the sale of retired vessels should be directed into a dedicated Ferry Vessel Replacement Fund, creating a self-reinforcing capital cycle.
Modernize the “commuter pass”: The current commuter pass should be renamed an “annual pass” as no one commutes to/from Ocracoke. It is available to all North Carolina residents.
Island carver Spencer Gaskins. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer
The 8th Annual Ocracoke Island Waterfowl Festival is scheduled for Friday, April 17, from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will be held in the Ocracoke School gym on School Road.
The festival, hosted by the Ocracoke Island Decoy Carvers Guild, celebrates the traditional craft of hand-carved waterfowl decoys. This art form is a significant part of the island’s hunting and maritime heritage.
Festival goers can look forward to a range of activities. These include exhibits and sales of handcrafted decoys and wildlife art, live carving demonstrations by skilled artisans, and an opportunity to chat with master carvers, wildlife artists and writers. There will also be educational exhibits about waterfowl hunting and coastal traditions, a silent auction and raffles. On Saturday, attendees can enjoy a fish fry and bake sale.
“The Waterfowl Festival is more than an art show—it’s a celebration of Ocracoke’s living history. We’re proud to share this unique tradition with both residents and visitors,” said the festival organizers.
This year’s featured carver is local artisan Eddie O’Neal. His hand-carved Canada goose decoy will be raffled during the event.
Canada Goose featured carving by Eddie O’Neal
Shuttle service will be available from the NPS parking lot to the school.
Nathan Spencer, former featured carver will be back. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer
