Ocracoke Earth Day

04/12/2025

Here are the activities for today (Saturday, April 12) for Ocracoke Earth Day Weekend Celebration. See you out and about in Ocracoke Village!

8:00–9:00 AM
Bird Walk with Peter Vankevich
Location: NPS Campground Parking

9:00 AM–3:00 PM
Crafts and Family Activities
Location: Ocracoke Library

9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Ocracoke Waterfowl Festival (Silent Auction 9–3)
Location: Ocracoke School

9:30–10:15 AM
Summerbirds, Wings, and Things with Kathleen Fogarty
Location: Library

10:00–10:45 AM
Student Presentation: Ocracoke's Recycling
Location: School Elementary Commons

10:15–11:00 AM
All About Sea Turtles
Location: Library

11:00–11:45 AM
Navigating Climate Change in Coastal Communities with Bevin Hardy
Location: Deepwater Theater

11:30 AM–1:30 PM
Fish Fry
Location: Ocracoke School (at the Waterfowl Festival)

12:00–12:45 PM
Flying the Butterfly Highway with Sundae Horn
Location: Library

12:00–12:45 PM
Composting and Organic Farming with John Wilson
Location: Deepwater Theater

1:00–1:45 PM
Dark Skies Presentation with Joyce Harman
Location: Deepwater Theater

2:00–3:30 PM
Facing Climate Realities Together with Claudia Horwitz and Bevin Hardy
Location: Elementary Commons

4:00–5:15 PM
"Red Gold" Documentary by Filmmaker Ben Knight
Location: Deepwater Theater

7:00–7:45 PM
Fireflies with Clyde Sorenson
Location: Deepwater Theater

8:00–9:30 PM
Traditional Ocracoke Square Dance
Location: Community Center

9:30 PM
Stargazing and Celestial Navigation with Daniel Sockwell
Location: NPS Lifeguard Beach Ramp
Originally scheduled for Friday. Will reschedule for Sunday at 7:30 PM if weather doesn’t cooperate.
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The Ocracoke Earth Day Weekend Celebration is sponsored by Ocracoke Alive, with financial support from Ocracoke Occupancy Tax, NC Art Council, Pony Island Inn, and John & Sarah Saunders.

For more information about all of this weekend's activities, visit www.ocracokealive.org

04/11/2025

Ocracoke Earth Day weekend celebration is here!!!

Today's Activities:

Tune into WOVV / Ocracoke Community Radio for Peter Vankevich's show What's Happening on Ocracoke at a special time from 11am -1pm where he will interview PhD Candidate Bevin Hardy about Environmental Issues on Ocracoke. (sponsored by WOVV 90.1 FM/ Stream www.wovv.rocks

Visit day 1 of the 7th Annual Ocracoke Waterfowl Festival at the Ocracoke School. Activities from 4pm - 7pm. Sponsored by the Ocracoke Ocracoke Island Decoy Carvers Guild

4pm-5pm The official kick off of this year's Ocracoke Earth Day
Enjoy a Welcome and a Walk down historic Howard Street with Philip Howard. Meet at 4pm at Deepwater Theater- walk will head to the next event at the Ocracoke Seafood Company.

5:30pm-6:30pm Join some of our local working watermen at The Ocracoke Seafood Company for a talk and tour of the fish house. Gene Ballance will begin and talk about the commercial fishing industry and its challenges and joys and the Stevie Wilson will give a talk about Aquaculture and his oyster farm. Parking is extremely limited.

7:00pm-8:15pm Enjoy a free concert at Deepwater Theater featuring the Salem Select Student Choir visiting from Virginia Beach, VA.

For more information about all of this weekend's activities, visit www.ocracokealive.org

04/10/2025

The Earth Day Celebration is this weekend! Come join us for stargazing, choir performances, beach cleanup and square dancing.

The Ocracoke Earth Day Weekend Celebration is sponsored by Ocracoke Alive, with financial support from Ocracoke Occupancy Tax, NC Art Council, Pony Island Inn, and John & Sarah Saunders. Find more information and a detailed schedule at www.ocracokealive.org

04/10/2025

A great opportunity to enjoy fresh, local seafood and support a great cause!

This Saturday, April 12th from 11:30AM- 1:30PM the Ocracoke Seafood Company and the Ocracoke Working Watermen's Association will be hosting a Fish Fry Fundraiser. Come out and support our local working watermen and the ongoing needs of the island's last remaining fish house.

Location: The Ocracoke School, front circle. (Adjacent to the 7th Annual Ocracoke Waterfowl Festival)

Date: Saturday, April 12th

Time: 11:30AM - 1:30PM

Includes: Friend Local Fish, Hush Puppies, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Bread & Butter Pickles- $15 a plate

04/10/2025

Here’s the full schedule for a very full weekend!!

This weekend’s 2nd Annual Ocracoke EarthDay Weekend Celebration is going to be one not to miss! The activities and offerings this weekend are so amazing and diverse, our festival has been accepted to be a part of the UNC Morehead Planetarium Statewide NCSciFest Program. Scan the QR code on the poster to learn more.

And don’t forget, in addition to the Ocracoke EarthDay Weekend Celebration, the Ocracoke Decoy Carver’s Guild is also hosting the 7th Annual Waterfowl Festival at the Ocracoke School. So many wonderful ways to explore and engage with everyone’s favorite island this weekend! Here is the full schedule:

https://www.ocracokealive.org/earthday.html

04/10/2025

Looking for something fun to do on Ocracoke this weekend? Come help celebrate the beauty and culture that makes this little sandbar so special. Join us April 11-13 for the Second Annual Earth Day Weekend Celebration—three days of nature walks, talks, crafts, music, and hands-on activities that connect us to the island and to each other. The celebration is a proud participant in the statewide North Carolina Science Festival, led by the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Highlights include:

Stargazing and dark skies talk

Springer’s Point nature walk

Composting, green living, and invasive plant tips

Fireflies with Clyde Sorenson, NC State Professor of Entomology & Plant Pathology

Live music, storytelling, and performances by the Salem Select Choir

Beach clean-up and evening bonfire with s’mores

Traditional Ocracoke Square Dance

Fish house tour, Ben Knight Documentary "Red Gold" film screening, and more

Come be part of a weekend filled with community spirit, local knowledge, and island beauty.

Click on the link below for a complete schedule and more details.

https://www.ocracokealive.org/earthday.html?mc_cid=731d289ca4

04/09/2025

Ocracoke Library is getting in the spirit of Earth Day!

04/08/2025

Come see the newly renovated Ocracoke Seafood Company this Friday, April 11th from 5:30pm - 6:30pm. Ocracoke Alive will be hosting events all weekend as a part of the Earthday Weekend Celebration. Come here about our sustainable local fishing and aquaculture operations and meet some of our local Ocracoke Working Watermen.

No Parking Onsite- please plan ahead.

For more information about the weekend celebrations, visit https://www.ocracokealive.org/earthday.html

04/07/2025

04/07/2025

This week! We’re counting down the days!!

03/20/2025

Ocracoke Alive to Host Second Annual Ocracoke Earth Day Weekend Celebration!

Free, Family-Friendly Event Set for April 11-13, 2025, on Ocracoke Island, NC

Ocracoke Island, North Carolina – Ocracoke Alive is excited to present the Second Annual Ocracoke Earth Day Weekend Celebration from April 11-13, 2025. This free, family-friendly event offers a diverse lineup of indoor and outdoor activities designed to engage all ages in environmental awareness, sustainability, and appreciation of Ocracoke’s natural beauty.

Throughout the weekend, attendees can participate in nature walks, history talks, hands-on nature crafts, live music, stargazing, a beach litter clean-up, and discussions on sustainability and environmental solutions. The celebration will conclude with a community beach bonfire at Ocracoke’s lifeguard beach—complete with s’mores!

Festival Highlights Include:
All About Fireflies – Clyde Sorenson
Dark Skies Designation – Joyce Harman
Composting & Organic Farming – John Wilson
Salem Select Student Choir Performance
Trash Survey – Ocracoke Students
Bird Walk – Peter Vankevich
Community Beach Bonfire
Invasive Plants – Matt Janson
Ocracoke Stargazing – Daniel Sockwell
Music & Stories for Families – Kathleen Fogarty
Meet Your Local Fishermen Fish House Tour
Affordably Using Greener Products in Your Home – Desiree Adams
“Red Gold” Documentary Screening – Ben Knight
Traditional Ocracoke Square Dance
Navigating Climate Change in Coastal Communities – Bevin Hardy & Claudia Horwitz
Springer’s Point History & Nature Walk – Philip Howard & Matt Janson
…and much more!
Schedule & Details
Press Materials
Event Sponsors & Support
The Ocracoke Earth Day Weekend Celebration is proudly sponsored by Ocracoke Alive, with financial support from Ocracoke Occupancy Tax, NC Arts Council, Pony Island Inn, and John & Sarah Saunders.
For more information and a detailed event schedule, visit www.ocracokealive.org.

For more information on Ocracoke Island, NC visit www.visitocracokenc.com

About Ocracoke Alive
Ocracoke Alive is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the Ocracoke Island community through cultural, artistic, educational, and environmental activities. The organization sponsors and produces plays, musical performances, art exhibits, workshops, and festivals to celebrate and preserve Ocracoke’s rich traditions.