Plan On A Good Time.

Events are a key part of tourism on the Outer Banks. From our promotional and financial support to our personalized services, we at the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau are here to help. Whether you are planning, promoting or attending an event or just thinking of a great idea, we’ll steer you in the right direction. Feel free to contact us, Lorrie Love at love@outerbanks.org; Dana Grimstead at grimstead@outerbank.org.

Timing of your special event:

Timing is an important part of planning your special event. Not only does it affect the grant process, but it also affects your attendance, popularization and your bottom line. It is important to have events year round, especially in the shoulder season to draw visitors to our region during times of economic downturn. We encourage events October through April and especially throughout the shoulder season. Make sure your event isn’t competing with other popular events, double check the event calendar for open weekends. Or contact us for suggestions.

Funding your special event:

The Dare County Tourism Board offers a variety of Grants to help assist with your special events. Our event grants include: Special Projects Grant designed to assist in funding actual Outer Banks related projects; Tourism Assistance Grant (TAG) assists Dare County based non-profit organizations of an event and/or festival with the funding of direct advertising to markets outside of Dare County.

When applying for any one of these grants, make sure to ask yourself: Does my special event produce overnight visitation? Am I a Non-profit organization in Dare County? Does my special event fall between August 15th and June 15th? For more information on grants visit our grants page.

Choosing the right Venue:

The Outer Banks offers some of the most professional and local resources on the coast, as well as an exceptional range of attractions and accommodations, personalized and professional service, unique meeting and event venues, and good old-fashioned Southern hospitality. Please contact us should you need help selecting a venue for your special event.

Promoting your special event:

We at the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau are always willing to lend a helping hand in the promotion of your special event through our social media marketing. Please contact us should you want us to facebook, tweet, or share details of your special event on our social media outlets.

We can also help with special advertising needs depending on the size and reach of your special event. Please contact us for more information.

Travel packages are a popular choice among many tourists and a good way to promote special events. They are seemingly an easy, low cost way to book a vacation. The heart of the travel package is to fulfill two or more of the travelers major needs in one single package. If you need help establishing a travel package please feel free to contact us.