January 15, 2010. The fall of Fort Fisher on January 15, 1865, by Federal forces is commemorated each year in mid-January with an impressive living history reenactment program. In addition to tours, displays and demonstrations, cannon are fired throughout the day. Bring your ear plugs and dress warmly. Admission is free, though donations are appreciated.

January 18, 2010. Martin Luther King Jr. Day has special resonance to Wilmingtonians because (among other reasons) Dr. King was scheduled to speak here the day he was assassinated. Wilmington honors his memory on the third Monday of January with a commemorative parade from Fifth and Castle streets to Williston Middle School, 401 S. 10th Street, beginning at noon. Additional programs are held throughout the day, with food, entertainment, a gospel concert and speeches.

January 15-18, 2010. Southport typically celebrates Martin Luther King Day on the Sunday before and the Monday of the holiday. In 2009 the celebration was expanded to include the Friday before the holiday with a youth forum at 7 PM in the ILA hall at 10th and Lord streets. On Sunday, the annual Memorial March begins at 3 PM in the parking lot of the I. L. A. Hall at the corner of 10th and Lord Streets. A program including singing and a keynote speaker follows at the hall. At 8 AM on Monday a round-table breakfast is held honoring the legacy of Dr. King. This breakfast includes speakers, and attendees participate in discussions. The annual Walter Welsh Award, recognizing the recipient's work in promoting racial harmony, tolerance and understanding, is presented at the breakfast.

January 18, 2010. This celebration takes place in the Ocean View Missionary Baptist Association. The program features a march, speakers, a rendition of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, and favorite songs and hymns of Dr. King.

January 29-31, 2010. If you love antiques, this show is for you! Sponsored by North Carolina Junior Sorosis, the event hosts 30 dealers from North Carolina and throughout the Southeast who will tempt you with quality antiques, including glass, silver, china, jewelry, Oriental rugs and more. Hallmarks of this show are the high-quality items for sale, with only a limited number of reproductions permitted. Admission is $6. Held the last weekend in January, hours are Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday noon to 5 PM. Proceeds contribute to a full scholarship to UNC-Wilmington and area charitable organizations.

Sponsored by the Cape Fear Model Railroad Club, this annual weekend event is held in late January. Voted one of the top 20 January events by the Southeast Tourism Society, it's a must-see for both novice and experienced model-train enthusiasts. You'll be treated to awesome displays of operating model-train layouts in three different scales (sizes), numerous vendors with more than 40 tables of train-related items for sale, and free clinics in model-train display techniques. Hours are 10 AM to 5 PM Saturday and 10 AM to 4 PM Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children; kids younger than 5 get in free.

February 4–6, 2010. The performers' roster of the North Carolina Jazz Festival over the years reads like a Who's Who in Dixieland and mainstream jazz. The 2010 event will feature a variety of jazz styles. The opening night kicks it off with the Dixieland Band, the Kevin Kolb Quartet, Stephanie Nakasian with the Hod O'Brian Trio, and Duke Heiger's Sextet. Friday and Saturday nights feature the festival all stars: Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar), John Cocuzzi (piano & vibes), Duke Heitger & Ed Polcer (trumpets), Herman Burney & Phil Flanigan(bass), Tom Fischer & Anat Cohen (reeds), Joe Ascione & Butch Miles (Percussion), Hod O'Brien, Mark Shane (piano), John Allred (trombone), and vocalist Stephanie Nakasian. All performances take place in the Hilton ballroom in a cabaret-style setting and begin at 7:30 PM. Saturday there will be a 30th Birthday/Thank You Cruise for patrons at 10:30 AM on the Henrietta III, featuring live jazz with the festival's all stars.

Get an early jump on the long North Carolina growing season by viewing what's new in landscape design and know-how. Exhibits, vendors, lectures and demonstrations present innovative products, designs and techniques for improving the surroundings of your home or business. The show offers plenty of gift items that gardeners and landscapers would enjoy. The two-day show is sponsored by the New Hanover County Cooperative Extension Arboretum Foundation, Inc. By the way, the Arboretum is itself a wonderful place to visit any time of the year (see our Attractions chapter).

A fund raising gala and fashion show, this event benefits the American Cancer Society. It includes a silent auction, a fashion show with clothing (some of which is auctioned off) modeled by cancer survivors - including children, heavy hors d'oeuvres and dessert buffets, wine and champagne, entertainment and dancing. Survival stories of each model are announced as they walk the runway. There is a candlelight ceremony, as well, in which those who have died of cancer are remembered.

Get an early jump on the long North Carolina growing season by viewing what's new in landscape design and know-how. Exhibits, vendors, lectures and demonstrations present innovative products, designs and techniques for improving the surroundings of your home or business. The show offers plenty of gift items that gardeners and landscapers would enjoy. The two-day show is sponsored by the New Hanover County Cooperative Extension Arboretum Foundation, Inc. By the way, the Arboretum is itself a wonderful place to visit any time of the year (see our Attractions chapter).

February 5-7, 2010. Benefiting the New Hanover County Senior Center and held annually the first weekend of February, this event began in 2003 and has expanded each year, offering sumptuous treats to chocolate lovers. With more than 30 exhibitors, the weekend-long event features a Chocolate Fantasy Gala, wine tastings, live music and all sorts of sugary goodness. A great weekend for young and old alike, anyone with a hankering for sweets will fall in love at first sight.

March 1–27, 2010.  Franklin Square Gallery opens each year with its Spring Art Show. It's a great chance to see the two and three-dimensional artwork of the many talented artists of Southport and the surrounding area and to compare the awards given by the judge to your own thoughts about the art. Admission to the gallery is free, and artwork is for sale.

This popular annual event is a great opportunity for area residents to rediscover and savor New Hanover County attractions, including those in Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach and Kure Beach locations. Best of all, this Sunday event is free for residents. Contact the Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau at the number listed above for a list of participating attractions. Remember to carry proof of county residency for admission.

March 6, 2010. In southeastern North Carolina, Mardi Gras arrives in the guise of Cape Fear Literacy Council’s largest annual fund-raiser. Now in its 24th year, the CFLC Mardi Gras event has become a popular evening out in historic downtown Wilmington. Decorated and built around a festive Mardi Gras theme, the evening’s centerpiece is a “Casino Night” with mock Las Vegas–style games (not real gambling, but fun, just the same!). Toe-tapping music is provided by Category IV. Complimentary beer, wine and New Orleans fare are generously donated for your enjoyment. You can “Bid for Literacy” at the quality Silent Auction — overflowing with items donated from area merchants, professionals, local artists, the film community, restaurants and corporate sponsors — and the mini-Live Auction that contains just a handful of items you absolutely can’t get anywhere else. Tickets to the Mardi Gras “Casino Night” are $50 per person and are limited, so early reservations are highly recommended. Proceeds benefit the Cape Fear Literacy Council’s family literacy program and its adult literacy programs in reading, writing, speaking English and math, as well as it's family literacy program.

March 27 and 28, 2010. Poplar Grove starts off the planting season with a fabulous garden show and sale. Sprawled across the plantation is an abundance of fresh, locally grown plants, shrubs and trees, along with everything garden related: one-of-a-kind bird baths, stained glass, patio furniture, goat's milk cheese, porch enclosures and unique handmade gifts. Fun, educational classes in cooking, gardening and the arts take place in the Cultural Arts Center, as well as an Audubon Bird Hike through beautiful Abbey Nature Preserve. It’s all part of this annual rite of spring.

April 18-19, 2009. Scheduled for the convenience of those interested in Key West, Miami, Charleston and Southern Bay Race Weeks, this regatta includes nine anticipated classes, including H20, B235, J24, J60, J105, B36.7, C&C 115, CF38 and J120. Offshore and protected inland racing is offered. Food and recreational activities are available on shore for non-race support staff. Ask about free dockage, launching, and boat and trailer storage.

April 18–19, 2009. An annual tradition for 31 years, this show features more than 100 exhibitors with everything for the home and garden — stonework, cabinets, fix-up, clean-up, jewelry, food, clothing, stained glass, spas, books and product demonstrations. Sponsored by the Wilmington Woman's Club, it's held at the C.F.C.C. Schwartz Center. Admission is $5.

April 25–26, 2009. This festival, always held the last weekend in April and sponsored by the Greater Holden Beach Merchants Association, is Holden Beach's way of welcoming the return of spring. You can participate in 5K or 10K run starting at 8 AM Saturday morning. Arts and crafts and food abound. Ever hear of a Bopple Race? A bopple is an apple boat that is assigned a number and dropped into the Intracoastal Waterway from atop the bridge by the mayor and commissioners. The bopples that pass the finish line first and second earn prizes for their owners. All proceeds are channeled into community volunteer groups and community projects. And the event is fish-friendly, too; all the bopples are retrieved.

Dreams Center for Arts Education helps fund its non-profit arts education programs for children through this self-guided tour of area artists' studios. A two-day event with over 35 participants, this peek at the inner spaces of glass blowers, painters, sculptors, photographers, weavers, potters and other creative types provides insight in to the artistic process. Both ACME Art Company and Independent Art Company participate, and Dreams also features work created by the program’s participants.

April 25, 2009. This event is held from 10 AM to 2 PM beneath Southport's venerable live oaks in Franklin Square Park. There are free activities for children, music and stage entertainment, a magician, a mime, face-painting, food vendors and a fun day for all. Volunteer members of the Associated Artists of Southport provide seven different hands-on art activities for kids. The Brunswick Arts Council provides a grant for the event, which is also sponsored by the Associated Artists of Southport, Brunswick County Parks and Recreation, Southport Parks and Recreation, and Partnership for Children. Admission is free.

April 11, 2009. Free and low-cost activities, including music, face painting and temporary tattoos, a shark-tooth hunt, crafts, a touch tank and live snakes, are examples of the entertainment geared to the whole family at this annual event. Hot dogs, chips and drinks are available for purchase.

No matter what the weather, spring isn't official until the North Carolina Azalea Festival in early April, signaling the opening of the season in Wilmington and the southern coast of North Carolina. This lavish annual Wednesday-through-Sunday celebration, one of the largest in the region, attracts more than 300,000 visitors from all over the United States and Canada. This annual rite features scores of musical and theatrical performances by local and national talent, celebrity guests, the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus, garden and home tours throughout historic Wilmington and area beaches, and, naturally, a wonderland of blooming azaleas.

The Azalea Festival garden tour, an annual fund-raising event for the Cape Fear Garden Club, is conducted Friday through Sunday. Proceeds from this tour are returned to the community through horticultural grants and UNC-Wilmington scholarships. Home tours are conducted on Saturday and Sunday. An admission fee is charged for both tours and proceeds benefit both the Azalea Festival and the Garden Club. Contact the North Carolina Azalea Festival office for admission information and a current list of featured homes and gardens. Don't miss Saturday morning's three-hour grand parade downtown, which kicks off a weekend of free outdoor entertainment. A lively street fair along the Cape Fear River waterfront is held on Saturday and Sunday. This beloved Wilmington tradition features food vendors, several entertainment venues, art and craft booths, interactive exhibits, a children's area and thousands of friendly people.

Taste chowder entries prepared by some of the area's finest restaurants and vote for your favorite at the Annual Chowder Cook-Off held in Carolina Beach. Live entertainment for music enthusiasts and some children's activities are available also. Hours are 11:30 AM to 6 PM. There are free trolley rides from the Federal Point Shopping Center to the Carolina Beach Lake. The Chowder Cook-Off is hosted by the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce. Admission is $5 for adults; children 6 and younger get in free.

April 10-11, 2009. On Easter weekend come out and welcome spring in style at the Southport Spring Festival. Running from 10 AM until 5 PM on Friday and 10 AM until 4 PM on Saturday, this festival features more than 100 crafters, vendors, Encore Azaleas and bedding plants for sale, and local talent on the stage. Saturday features the Robert Ruark Chili Cook-off Contest, so get your taste buds ready to vote for the People's Choice Award. The festival is sponsored by Downtown Southport, Inc., and the Southport-Oak Island Kiwanis Club.

From May 1 until October 2, Airlie Gardens hosts a popular concert series the first and third Friday evening of each month. For just $8 per person (children 5 and younger get in free) or free for members, you can enjoy two hours of jazz (first Fridays) or Beach Dance music (third Fridays) while relaxing in these lovely Southern gardens. Bring a picnic, a blanket and your favorite person, but leave your pets at home, please. Alcohol is permitted, and wine is available for purchase. Concerts begin at 6 PM under the awesome Airlie Oak. Parking is available offsite with a shuttle provided.

May 2, 2009 / May 1, 2010. At this annual event sponsored by the Cape Fear Cruisers you will wax nostalgic over classic Mustangs, GTOs, Corvettes and more dating 1985 or earlier. Awards are given to owners of the vehicles in such categories as best interior, farthest driven, etc. Funds raised are donated to local charities.

Memorial Day is observed aboard the monumental Battleship North Carolina with music, special guests and other events. A tradition since 1968, the ceremony features a high-ranking military guest speaker, all-service color guard, a gun salute by Marines, taps and a memorial wreath dropped into the water. The ceremony begins at 5:45 PM and is free to the public. The event typically has hundreds of people in attendance. See our Attractions chapter for information about touring the ship during regular hours.

The Greek Festival is a wonderful opportunity (and for some people the only opportunity) to sample homemade moussaka, baklava and other Greek delicacies. Live Greek music, cultural presentations, cooking demonstrations, souvenirs, a tour of the church and a Greek-style marketplace round out this gala weekend-long celebration. Suggested donation for admission is $3 for adults. Children younger than 12 get in free. Fees are charged for food. The festival opens daily at noon.

You don't have to fight the crowds on July Fourth to get a spectacular fireworks display at Carolina Beach. Free fireworks displays take place on the beach in front of the Courtyard Marriott, weather permitting, on Friday, May 22 and then each Thursday from June 4 until August 27. There will be another final display on September 4 for Labor Day. Everything gets underway once the sun has set, so be sure to get there early to get a good spot. The schedule is subject to change without notice.

Attending this event in late May is one way to learn about the importance of maritime commerce on the Cape Fear River. This day serves as an opportunity for the community to honor past and present members of our nation's Merchant Marine. Highlights of the day's activities include a dockside Maritime Day Memorial Ceremony and port and vessel tours. Maritime businesses as well as historical and environmental agencies have exhibits as well. Because the Port of Wilmington has played such a vital role in the region's history and remains tremendously important to the area economy, residents and visitors alike find this a truly fascinating experience. Hours are 11 AM to 5 PM. Enter through the gate at 2202 Burnett Boulevard.

May 16, 2009. This festival runs from 10 AM until 2 PM. The day begins with a blast from THOR, the Southport historical society's ceremonial cannon, and just gets better from there. All day entertainment includes choral groups, dance troupes, feats of strength, songs, canine demonstrations, magicians and more. Food and crafts are available as well.

May 1 and 3, 2009. The Brunswick Concert Band and Brunswick Big Band (see the Music section of The Arts chapter) give a formal spring concert at two separate locations. One is in Hatch Auditorium in the Baptist Assembly at the easternmost tip of Oak Island and the other is in the Odell Williamson Auditorium at Brunswick Community College. The blend of ages of the individuals who make up this enthusiastic group and the blend of music, from jazz to show tunes, country, patriotic and swinging 1940s music, always provides listening pleasure to the audience.

May 29, 30 & 31, 2009 / May 21, 22, & 23, 2010. This annual fund-raising regatta event, usually held the third weekend in May, begins with the first of three sailing races and a competitive power boat challenge on Saturday. An auction is held that evening along with a catered dinner and musical entertainment. Sunday brings two more races and an awards celebration and barbecue. Both sail and power boats compete in the races with categories including Harbor 20, J24, PHRF Non-Spinnaker and PHRF Spinnaker. The regatta weekend was expanded in 2008 to include even more events to attract people of all boating and non-boating levels. In 2008 the event raised a approximately $32,000 that went directly to the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to fund patient services and research in pursuit of a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkins lymphoma and myeloma. For more event or sponsorship information, call Woody Wilson at (910) 454-4327 or Diane Saylor at (910) 200-0821.

May 1–3 2009 / April 30–May 1, 2010. The Relay for Life opens on Friday evening at 6 PM with a Survivor/Opening Lap. Survivors will walk or wheelchair for this first lap of the Relay. This event raises funds for the American Cancer Society as well as celebrating survivorship and empowering individuals to fight back against the disease. During the event teams walk or run laps to raise money for education, prevention, cancer research, advocacy and for much needed patient and family services.

May 2-3, 2009. This workshop, sponsored by Oak Island Parks and Recreation, offers a stress-free environment where women anglers, from beginners to advanced, can ask questions and try their hands at a variety of angling activities. Introduction to surf, pier and bottom fishing, near-shore fishing, off-shore fishing, tying lures, casting, net casting, trolling, using bait and much more are included in the class. The event concludes with a day-long fishing trip from a pier or boat.