Events

Pottery 4 Kids (Ages 5-8)

In this fun and creative ceramics class, young artists will explore the exciting world of clay through hands-on projects inspired by nature, animals, stories, food, and imagination. Students will learn basic handbuilding techniques such as pinch pots, coil building, and slab construction while creating both sculptural and functional pieces.

Date/Time:

Tuesdays, September 29th – October 20th, 4-5:30pm

Skill Level:

Youth: All Levels

Admission:

CAM Member $96 / Not-yet-member $120

Instructor:

Anne McCombie-Abbate

Supplies:

$15.75 supply fee payable to the studio for clay and firing costs.

Dreaming of pumpkins, candy, and hayrides? 🎃 Gather your family and friends for the annual family-friendly celebration, Fall Fest! This free event is back to bring you an evening with activities, games, and music perfect for sweater weather season.

📅 Date & Time: Friday, Oct. 9. 5 - 8 p.m.
📍 Location: Davis Center at Maides Park. 1101 Manly Avenue, Wilmington, NC 28405. The event will be held rain or shine.
🎉 Hayrides, live music, bounce houses, games, piñatas, and activities hosted by 50+ community vendors!

Interested in being one of 50+ vendors who make the festive magic happen? Fill out the vendor registration form - link in bio! 🔗

The Fire in the Pines festival focuses on environmental education and highlights the importance of fire on our native, longleaf pine forests. This free to attend event is open the public and has something for everyone!

Kids activities including crafts, games, and educational opportunities

Fire equipment, including multiple fire trucks, a bulldozer, a marshmaster and more!

Hay-rides throughout the park

Fire, nature, and other conservation related tables and displays

Live music by Folkstone Stringband

Food trucks

Entertainment including jugglers and honey sampling!

And for the finale, a live fire demonstration!

Parking is located at LifePoint Church (on College and 17th St) and a free trolley is available for a ride to the park.

Wilmington, we know you’ve been making something.
Now you know where we’ll be watching.

📍 Eagle’s Dare
📅 October 15th, 2026

A night of short films, music videos, and unexpected creations made right here in Wilmington.

🎬 Short Films
🎵 Music Videos
🌀 Unexpected Creations

If it was shot and made in Wilmington, we want to see it.

Bring us the weird. The stuff you made because you just had to make it.

SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN NOW.
DEADLINE: 10.5.2026

Hosted by Honey Head Films

potatoes on Friday, Oct 16 from 6–9pm.

Join Ponysaurus Brewing Co. for a fall Oyster Roast in the beer garden on Friday October 16th! From 6–9pm (or until the oysters are gone), enjoy all-you-can-eat oysters, locally sourced by Three Little Spats, served with corn on the cob and red potatoes.

🍺 Our beloved Oyster Saison is returning for the occasion, brewed with actual oyster shells!

Tickets include unlimited food are available now through October 13 or until they sell out! This is a casual, outdoor event perfect for seafood lovers and fall evenings in downtown Wilmington.

🦪🍻The 𝐅𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐩 𝐎𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐛 𝐂𝐨. 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤! Mark your calendars for 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕𝐭𝐡 from 𝟏-𝟓 𝐩𝐦 for an afternoon of fresh local oysters, crisp craft beers, live music, and good times in the Pumpkin Patch.

✨𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 on the Seaview website—𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐨!

🌊𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐏𝐞𝐜𝐤 (around 25)— $𝟐𝟓
🌊𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐏𝐞𝐜𝐤 (around 50)— $𝟒𝟎

𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐲-𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 $𝟑𝟓 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 / $𝟓𝟎 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥

A portion of oyster sales will benefit the 𝐍𝐂 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, helping support the health and future of our coast! 💙

•𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞: 𝐑𝐚𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐫 🍺
•𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐰𝐤𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐-𝟓 𝐩𝐦 🎶

⚠️𝐏𝐑𝐄-𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄⚠️ When checking out on Seaview’s website, it says “Midtown Market In-store Pickup.” 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭. You DO NOT need to pick up your pre-sale orders. 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭! 🦪🍻🎃

The Cellar, Sea & Shore Event (Use Code CHECKWHATSGOOD at checkout for 20% off)

Fri, Oct 23 at 6-9 PM

Think specialty craft beers, full wine bars, champagne, oysters and other delectable delights from your favorite eats in town! This is an event for the true aficionado of life; come try some new things. Tickets are extremely limited.

Tickets: https://www.universe.com/events/the-cellar-sea-shore-tickets-KLS7TW?unii-trigger-open=KLS7TW&unii-discount-code=CHECKWHATSGOOD

Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival (Use Code CHECKWHATSGOOD at checkout for $10 off)

Sat, Oct 24 at 12:00-5:00 PM

The largest beer and wine festival in the southeast! The widest variety of beers from more breweries than you can ever taste, jammin' live music, food and more!

Tickets: https://www.universe.com/events/lighthouse-beer-and-wine-festival-tickets-SDX3BT?unii-trigger-open=SDX3BT&unii-discount-code=CHECKWHATSGOOD

The Cause

The Carousel Child Advocacy Center, a non-profit organization committed to assisting victims of child abuse, and providing critical care services to children from throughout southeastern North Carolina. The Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival has grown to be an integral part of the Carousel Center’s yearly budget. This festival helps the Carousel Center so they can continue to help those in need in our surrounding counties and cities.

Use Code CHECKWHATSGOOD for $10 off

https://www.universe.com/events/lighthouse-beer-and-wine-festival-tickets-SDX3BT?unii-trigger-open=SDX3BT&unii-discount-code=CHECKWHATSGOOD

The Beer & Wine Festival

Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival, benefiting the Carousel Child Advocacy Center, downtown Wilmington North Carolina!

Join us October 24, 2026 from 12:00PM-5:00PM

Lighthouse Beer and Wine puts on this fantastic event once a year, always in the wonderful month of October. Mark your calendars for October 24, 2026 for the Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival, benefitting the Carousel Child Advocacy Center. This is the beer and wine event of the year– more breweries, wineries, and delights than you can possibly sample in a day. Don’t forget to try some delta drinks, chill with some live music and delicious food, all in one amazing venue. Upon entry, you will receive your tasting cup to responsibly taste and find your favorites! No tokens, just unlimited responsible samples! VIP grants you access earlier and allows you to experience the delights with a limited number of fellow lucky VIP ticket holders.

In just the last 5 years, the Carousel Center has seen an average of 450 children a year between the ages of birth and 17 from New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties. Most of these children have been referred to them by local law enforcement or the County’s Department of Social Services. Since their doors opened in January of 2000 they have provided Certified Medical Exams to well over 10,000 children and have facilitated over 15,000 child trauma therapy sessions.

🍁 FALL FEST @ THE BREWERY! Bring the family for a day full of fun! 🍁

Fall Fest is taking over the entire Cargo District for one big Sunday of music, makers + fall fun.

Wander throughout the district for local artisans, live music, food + drinks, carnival games, face painting, line dancing, painting pumpkins, + shop specials happening all afternoon.

Bring the kids. Bring your friends. Come hungry + stay awhile!

CARGO DISTRICT FALL FEST
Sunday, October 25th | 12-4 PM
Cargo District • Wilmington, NC
Family friendly + free to attend

Join the City of Wilmington in celebrating our downtown! Following the adoption of the Greater Downtown Plan, the City is kicking off its implementation phase with planning for the future.

From 5 to 6:30 p.m., explore City project displays, meet staff, share your ideas, and learn more about downtown initiatives. Enjoy food trucks, Halloween treats, lawn games, music, tree giveaways from Alliance for Cape Fear Trees, police and fire vehicles on display, and activities for all ages along the way.

Then, stick around for Hocus Pocus starting at 6:45 p.m. Bring the family, grab some popcorn, and settle in for a fun night downtown. Costumes are encouraged!

Keep in Mind

• Costumes are encouraged!

• Please bring blankets or low chairs (less than 9 inches high)

• Water refill stations and restrooms are available on site

Parking

• Free parking is available in the Skyline Center South Lot, at the corner of Nutt and Brunswick streets, and opens at 4 p.m.

• ADA parking is available along Harnett Street

• Nutt Street parking will be closed.

• The first hour is free to park in both the Market Street and Second Street parking decks

For more information, please visit wilmingtonnc.gov/CelebrateDowntown

or https://wilmingtonmom.com/calendar/celebrate-downtown/

Join us in Wilmington, North Carolina

All Pokemon Show

Saturday October 31, 2026 - Hotel Ballast

10:00am - 5:00pm

PokeKon is the Pokemon collectors’ Mecca 1 day trade show conventions across the USA. Striving to be best and truest Pokemon convention featuring fandoms of multiple genres. As a long-time collector of Pokemon items the promoter brings you an event that will satisfy all Pokemon fandom!

Come celebrate Halloween with us at the B.A.D. Boo Bash! 🎃👻 Bring the whole family out for a fun, family-friendly day of trick-or-treating, shopping, entertainment, food & drink specials, and a costume contest at Chow Town!

🍹 Parents, you can grab a drink and walk around while the kids trick-or-treat! Come dressed up, bring your candy buckets, and spend Halloween hanging out with us in the Brooklyn Arts Social District. 🕷️🧡

Costumes encouraged for kids AND adults! 🎃✨

3rd annual Oysterfest at Topsail Brewing

Come join us for a day of Polish Food,

Dancing, and Fun For Everyone!

Saturday, November 7, 2026

11 am – 4 pm

Admission and Parking are FREE!

Attention Cider Enthusiasts!

Brunswick Beer and Cider sponsored by the Leland Tourism Development Authority Presents:
Get excited for the FOURTH annual Applearchy Cider Festival on Saturday, November 7th, from 12 PM to 5 PM! Indulge in a wide array of ciders from Eastern and Northern regions, complemented by an assortment of delightful fruity beers that will elevate your tasting experience. Your ticket serves as your golden pass, providing a 5-ounce tasting glass for unlimited sampling.

Choose Your Ticket:

Early Bird Special!! Get your tickets now until September 30th and save $5!! $30 for GA and $40 for VIP!!

General Admission: $35.00 - Tasting available from 1 PM to 5 PM.

VIP Admission : $45.00 - Begin the festivities early starting at 12 PM to 5 PM, enjoying exclusive ciders crafted that will only be served during the VIP hour, along with a special VIP gift!

This is our largest celebration of the year, so secure your tickets and join us for an unforgettable day of fun!

Fall Feast Logo

2026: Autumn In The South

The Battle for Southern Flavor Starts Here.

Twelve of the region’s most talented chefs. One unforgettable night.

NOVEMBER 7TH • CANTERBURY STABLES • 4PM - 8PM

Celebrate the flavors of fall at Autumn in the South, an open-air culinary event set against the scenic backdrop of Canterbury Stables. This one-of-a-kind event brings together a dozen of Wilmington’s top chefs for an evening of incredible food and friendly competition.

Enjoy a creative tasting from each chef, live music and a curated selection of beer, wine and seasonal cocktails. Whether you’re a serious foodie or simply looking for a memorable night out, Autumn in the South is the perfect way to celebrate the season.

EVENT SCHEDULE

4PM - 5PM

Welcome Cocktail + Bites

5PM - 7PM

Tasting + Voting

7PM - 8PM

Award Announcements: People’s Choice Award

Largest International Latino Festival in North Carolina!
Free Admission, 2-day Event
Best Kids Fiesta! Pinatas and Mexican Hat Race every hour and tons of huge Inflatables!
Over 20 Food Vendors, Music, Dancing, and much more!

You don't want to Miss it!

November 14, 2026 - November 15, 2026

Ogden Park

Bring the kids (ages 0–8) for a FREE day of fun at the 12th Annual Smart Start Family Festival on Saturday, November 14, from 10am to 1pm at Long Leaf Park. Families will enjoy hands-on activities, live entertainment by the Broccoli Brothers Circus, raffle prizes, and more! Discover local resources and enjoy quality time together in a festive, family-friendly setting.

Questions about participating or sponsoring? Contact Jennifer at 910-815-3731 or jennifer.gallo@newhanoverkids.org.

global community of independent media artists – building financial and creative careers through project funding, workforce development programs, project development support, exhibition, education, and residencies.

Cucalorus centers storytellers and media makers as dynamic contributors to engagement and impact in the world.

2026 NORTH CAROLINA HOLIDAY FLOTILLA

AT WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH

November 28, Saturday

6:00 pm - Flotilla Boat Parade Begins

Fireworks following the parade

Wilmington Christmas Extravaganza

Sponsored by: Leafguard, Patio Enclosures, The Pet's Table, & Renewal by Anderson.

Calling all Christmas-loving shoppers, we are bringing the holiday magic to the coast! Join us for the 1st Annual Wilmington Christmas Extravaganza at the beautiful Wilmington Convention Center on December 12th & 13th for a two-day indoor holiday shopping experience full of festive fun, local finds, and Christmas cheer!

Vendors: https://www.eventeny.com/events/vendor/?id=49733

Shop your way through 150 indoor vendors featuring holiday gifts, boutique finds, handmade goods, home décor, treats, accessories, and so much more! Bring the whole family to enjoy pictures with Santa, live music, festive photo moments, and all the holiday vibes under one roof.

What to Expect:
150 Indoor Vendors
Pictures with Santa
FREE Face Painting
Christmas Tree Display
Jewelari Charm Bar
Linked Ever After Permanent Jewelry
Sunkissed Charm Bar
Trucker Hat Bar by 596 Designs
The Wandering Bloom Hair Tinsel
Spunky Fantasy Services
The Bair Foundation (NP)
Wilmington Railroad Museum (NP)
Live Music (TBA)
Holiday Finds + Unique Gifts
Festive Family Photo Backdrops
Holiday Themed Adult Beverages

And so much more!

Location: Wilmington Convention Center
10 Convention Center Dr, Wilmington, NC 28401

Dates: December 12th & 13th
Admission: $7 — good for BOTH days!
Parking: Wilmington Convention Center Parking Deck $3–$11 for all-day parking

Grab your friends, bring the family, and come kick off the Christmas season with us in Wilmington! We cannot wait to see you there!

SAT 9am-4pm

SUN 10am-4pm

HOLIDAY WHOOBIE WHATTY

Friday, Dec. 18, 2026

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Don your best Whoville attire and join us for a Grinch-themed celebration. The evening will kick off with the announcing of the Kure Beach Cheermeister, followed by a viewing of the 2000 movie “The Grinch.” While the film is playing, you can visit different stations for face painting, Grinch crafts, cookie decorating, and photos with the Grinch. This event is free to attend, but the Town will be collecting donations for the Help Center of Federal Point.

The Kure Beach Cheermeister will represent the most festively decorated home in Kure Beach, as voted by the public. If you would like to nominate your home, please submit the online form along with 2 photos of your decorated home by the deadline. The Town will only accept self-nominations, as permission needs to be granted to publish the home photos and address for voting purposes.

Nominations are open from November 1st through December 14th at 10:00 AM. Voting will take place online between December 14th and December 17th. The winner will be contacted on December 17th and invited to receive their prize at the beginning of the Holiday Whoobie Whatty on Friday, December 18th.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. You can also reach out to the Recreation Department at parks@tokb.org to check availability.