The Pender County Tourism Development Authority announces that two local festivals earned Excellence Awards from the North Carolina Association of Festivals & Events. Ocean Fest , a Topsail Island-based festival featuring live music, vintage surf competitions and environmental programming, received the award for Best Event Poster in the Medium Category, which represents festivals with budgets...

The National Kickoff of America 250 and the 250th commemoration of the Battle at Moores Creek Bridge were a tremendous success. Thousands lined the battlefield for demonstrations, colonial music, dance, a play, book signings, and more. Special guest Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series, dazzled audiences with special events. Special thanks to the staff at Moores Creek National Battlefield...

As the NC First in Freedom Festival kicks off, history enthusiasts and craft beer lovers alike can toast the past with a beer inspired by America’s fight for independence. Flying Machine Brewing Company has partnered with the First in Freedom Festival to create the First in Freedom Battlefield Porter, a limited-edition beer brewed using research-based colonial techniques and timed to the festival’s launch...

CURRIE, N.C. — After several years of planning, the national kickoff of the 250th anniversary of the United States has arrived at Moores Creek National Battlefield. The weeklong commemoration will feature events across eight southeastern North Carolina counties from Feb. 21–28. The celebration will continue throughout 2026 as communities nationwide mark 250 years of American independence. “This is...

MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will close all Coastal and Joint fishing waters in North Carolina to both commercial and recreational Spotted Seatrout harvest at 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, due to widespread cold stun events. Cold stuns are natural events that occur when there is a sudden drop in water temperature or prolonged periods of cold weather...