News Blog - June 2011

Come by Studio 12 to paint some pottery or take part in one of the summer art classes! Classes are offered in Glass Fusion Jewelry, Mosaic Stepping Stones, and Silver Jewelry with PMC throughout the summer.

Glass Fusion Jewelry Wed 5:30 pm. Make your own eye popping colorful jewelry, key chains or wine bottle stoppers. You will even learn how to fuse in a microwave at home!
Great for ages 12 and up. Pieces are kiln fired and ready for pick up on Friday
PRICE: $15 to register + materials ( $12 to $29 )

Mosaic Stepping Stones Thurs 3:00pm
Make your own stepping stone perfect for the garden or a walking path. Hundreds of colorful tiles to work with! Ready for pick up on Friday. Great for ages 9 and up. PRICE: $35 includes all materials. This class starts June 23rd.

Silver Jewelry with PMC Fri 10:30 am. PMC or precious metal clay turns to pure silver when fired. Learn how to form and mold this clay substance to make your own silver charms, and earrings! Silver jewelry can be taken home after class. Great for ages 12 and up. PRICE: $49 includes all materials.

Call to register - 252-995-7899. For more information visit http://www.studio12hatteras.com/newsletter.htm.

---

Art Under the Oaks is a free art and craft programs for kids 4-14 at the Blue Pelican Gallery in Hatteras village, every Wednesday afternoon, weather permitting, through August. Exact times will be determined by the number of children registered for each session. Registration will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis by calling the gallery at 252-986-2244 or e-mailing blue_pelican@mac.com. In case of bad weather, the gallery will contact everyone who has registered to reschedule for the next available sunny day.

There will be different projects each week, and they may include sand art, macrame and jewelry making, tie dye, shell candles, string pictures, drawing, painting, and working with different types of clay. Locals and visitors are welcome. Visitors to Hatteras Island will need to have one responsible adult stay with each group of children they bring. Local adults are also welcomed to stay and relax in the gallery's rocking chairs or swing with a glass of iced tea. There will be art supplies on hand (crayons, foam stickers, etc.) to entertain children younger than 4 who come with older siblings, family, or friends. All children younger than 4 must be watched at all times by a responsible adult.

The sessions are free, but if you would like to make a small donation to the Art Department at Cape Hatteras School, it would be appreciated.

---

Come by the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk on July 6 and 7 for a Arts Festival Craft Show! Many local artisans will be showing their wares, including Hatteras Island artists such as Brenda Buciorelli, Donald Gwinn, Stephanie Kiker and Nancy Costanza. The festival begins, both days, at 10 a.m. and runs through 5 p.m. Free admission!

The Hilton is located at milepost 1.5. For more information call Charlotte at (252) 441-1850. Hope to see you there!

---

Come join us and our vendors for the 2011 Market Season: Sweater Box Confections, Hollow Daze Surf Designs, Acre Angus Beef, Ariel's Dad, Coastal Farmers, Hatteras Cat, Kim Mosher, Outer Banks Epicurean, Out Back Kitchen, Somerset Farm, Rast Artist Guild and Brynn & Amie's Evil Nuts! Enjoy listening to music by Elijah Thompson, a local musician starting at 10:30. The market is located on Rt. 12 in Avon, just north of the Avon Post Office. Hope to see you all there!

Jennifer Rose Hyde will serve as the Market Manager for this year's Hatteras Island Farmers' Market. If you have any questions about the market, you can contact Jen at jen@coastalharvesters.org or you can find her at the Coastal Harvesters tent.

This will be the market's second season. Coastal Harvesters, dedicated to the availability of local foods on the Outer Banks, was pleased with the 2010 market but the group hopes to see even more participating vendors and customers this year.

---

There will be no fireworks again this year on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands, but there will be celebrations of the July 4 holiday. In past years, fireworks were a tradition in the villages of Hatteras, Ocracoke, and Avon. However, a tragic accident on Ocracoke two years ago has influenced the way the islands celebrate Independence Day.

While employees of a company that contracts for fireworks shows were setting up for the annual fireworks near the North Carolina Center for Advanced Teaching (NCCAT) complex in Ocracoke, there was an explosion that killed four people and badly injured one. After that accident, the North Carolina General Assembly passed laws requiring more detailed and intense training for anyone working with fireworks - including local volunteers.

The stringent requirements for training have taken fireworks out of the picture for smaller venues, especially those that relied on volunteers. The training is simply not practical or affordable. In addition, finding sites for the fireworks displays have become more problematic in the small villages. Hatteras village and Ocracoke at one time had fireworks displays that were set off on seashore beaches, which is something that the Park Service is no longer interested in permitting.

The Ocracoke Civic and Business Association's July 4 Committee tried really hard to bring back the fireworks, but after several weeks of exploring different sites from which to launch the display, the members ran out of options. Fred Westervelt, who is on the committee, said that NCCAT declined the use of the traditional site near their building in order to protect their grasses. He said the committee had explored the possibility of using a barge out in Pamlico Sound as a launch site, but ultimately both the state and private businesses declined, citing liability concerns.

Within the village, there are no safe land sites for launching, and the National Park Service has forbidden the use of the beach, Westervelt said. Another possibility, using Big Foot Island, a spoil island, was declined by environmental agencies, he said. Nevertheless, the committee has scheduled a full day of July 4 activities on Ocracoke, including the popular Old Time Parade.

---

As a special experience for the visiting public and local communities, the National Park Service will be offering Full Moon Tours of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse the evening of Wednesday, June 15. Two tours will be given, one at 8:30 p.m. and a second at 9:30 p.m., each tour is limited to 30 people. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Full Moon Tour ticket sales will start on Monday, June 13. The lighthouse ticket booth is open from 8:15 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. daily. Full Moon Tour tickets are non-refundable.

As there are no lights inside the lighthouse, climbers will navigate the 257 stair staircase using handheld flashlights. During the climb, park rangers will provide stories of the arduous duties of the lighthouse keeper. From the watch room, visitors will be able to view the light up close and in motion and hear of the operation of the beacon, past and present. Outside on the lighthouse balcony (weather permitting) climbers will get a glimpse of what the lighthouse keepers of old were able to experience - seeing that beam of light reaching out to sea and the startling reflection of the newly risen moon on the ocean.

---

Looking for some great pottery and other art items while you are in Avon? Visit Kinnakeet Clay Works, open this spring! Featuring art from local artisans such as Antoinette Mattingly (who also throws pottery at the shop weekly if you'd like to see her in action), they have a wonderful and beautiful selection. They are located at the Dairy Queen shopping center. To see more about Kinnakeet Clay Works and other local galleries, visit www.artsaleobx.com, or watch their video on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XeubPpsvRg. Become a fan of KCW on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/kinnakeetclay.

---

The annual Crabbing and Fishing Rodeo will be held Saturday, June 11, from 9 a.m. to noon at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. This is the only day that North Pond, directly behind the Pea Island Visitor Center, is open to the public for crabbing and fishing. The event is sponsored annually by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society. Door prizes are graciously donated by many local businesses.

Billed as a family event, the rodeo attracts the young and young-at-heart trying their luck at netting, reeling in, capturing, or otherwise legally bringing home a seafood dinner. A random prize drawing will be held at noon for children 12 and under. Tickets for the drawing will be handed out at the gate. Children, along with their tickets, must be present to win a prize. Prizes will be awarded until they are gone.

Persons needing further information are invited to call the Visitor Services Specialist Cindy Heffley at 252-475-4180. "Although we can't guarantee a successful day of crabbing, we can guarantee a wonderful day of enjoying nature," Heffley noted. "The wildlife refuge offers spectacular trails for viewing birds and other wildlife generally found in the area. The miles of ocean-front also enable families to enjoy the solitude of a beautiful beach on the Outer Banks. Whether crabbing, fishing, or taking a walk, there's something for everyone here!"

Heffley also reminds participants of the importance of bringing insect repellent, sunscreen, food, and drink to insure a pleasant morning. State limit for crabs is 50 crabs per person. For those planning on reeling in some fish, a saltwater fishing license is required. Licenses are not available at the Pea Island Visitor Center, so participants will need to purchase their own before the event. Crabbing does not require a saltwater fishing license.

---

The Outer Banks Preservation Association, a group that advocates for the right to beach access for everyone, will host a barbecue fundraiser on Thursday, June 9, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Frisco Rod and Gun, across from the access road to Ramp 49 and Billy Mitchell Airport in Frisco. A barbecue dinner plate with two sides and a roll is $8 -- to go only. The barbecue is by Jimmy Pitetti and there will also be a bake sale. All proceeds go to OBPA to defend beach access rights.

---

Kitty Hawk Kites is hosting Kid's Days on Hatteras Island each week through the summer - from June 14 through Aug. 30. The events are free and open to the public and include face painting, toy demos, kitemaking, and other activities.

Kid's Day at Kitty Hawk Kites in Waves is every Wednesday from 4 until 6 p.m. In Avon, the event is on Tuesday from 10 a.m. until noon, and the Hatteras village event at the Kitty Hawk Kites shop at Hatteras Landing is Tuesdays from 3 until 5 p.m. Hope to see you there!

---

A temporary lift on the plastic bag ban in Dare County has been passed for Food Lion because the company's warehouses in Dunn, NC were impacted by the tornado's this spring. The lift on the ban is temporary for Food Lion ONLY and is not in effect for other businesses within Dare, Currituck and Hyde counties. The ban will be suspended for Food Lion until it can replace their supplies.

Word comes from The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce that the General Assembly has voted to suspend the plastic bag ban on the Outer Banks until no later than June 30.
The legislation, passed in April, was requested on behalf of Food Lion, which lost its regional warehouse in Dunn, N.C. in a tornado.

Sen. Stan White said the legislation is a temporary suspension that will allow Food Lion time to replace the supplies - including paper bags - that were lost due to the storm, according to the Chamber. White said the legislation does not repeal the legislation enacted two years ago which prohibits stores on the Outer Banks of Dare, Currituck and Hyde counties from using plastic bags.

Another bill to repeal the ban has been introduced

http://outerbanksvoice.com/2011/04/20/storm-prompts-temporary-suspension-of-bag-ban/

---

The 36th annual Dare Day Festival will be held Saturday, June 4, on the Manteo Waterfront on Roanoke Island. The Dare Day Festival is a celebration of Dare County and its heritage and is the official kickoff for the summer season in the county.

The festival begins at 9 a.m. with "The Blessing of the Season" by a local pastor on The Courthouse Stage and music will follow throughout the day. Also on The Courthouse Stage will be the presentation of two Dare Day awards honoring outstanding citizens from both the Town of Manteo and Dare County, as well as the first annual Dare Day Hotdog Eating Contest and the First Annual Dare Day Ice Cream Eating Contest.

More than 100 craft vendors will open their booths on the Manteo Waterfront and surrounding areas with a variety of beautiful crafts offering something for everyone.

Children will be able to have their faces painted, ride a kiddie train, play games, and enjoy the inflatable slide and moon walk.

The smell of seafood, Polish sausages, hamburgers, hotdogs, funnel cakes, and kettle corn will fill the air. There will be ice cream, slushies, fresh-squeezed lemonade and all kinds of cold drinks to quench your thirst during the Dare Day Festival.

Dare Day is a fun filled family event for the whole family and it is a festival that you will not want to miss.

---

Triple-S Invitational, June 4th - 10th, 2011 at the REAL complex in Waves! The Triple- S Invitational is the international free ride "world championships" of kiteboarding. This event invites the world's best kiteboarders to Cape Hatteras to compete in the unique free ride format that pushes the sport further each year. Come by the REAL Complex this week to meet world-class kiters, enjoy live music, and more! We'd love to see you there.

Sponsors : REAL, Kona Brewing Company, John Wayne Cancer Foundation, Outer Beaches Realty, Watermen's Retreat, Ocean Atlantic Rentals, Best Kiteboarding, BWS, Liquid Force Kiteboarding, Slingshot, LTR, Red Bull, Oakley, Dakine, Kiteboarding Magazine, Rebootizer, MOJOs Sunset Cafe.

Spectator and Family Friendly : OPEN to the Public!

---