KITTY HAWK, N.C. — 2026 is a special year. Two hundred fifty years ago, the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the rest is history. Dare County is getting in on the celebrations, planning a number of ways this year to showcase our area's contributions to what our country is today.
"We are remembering those people in the times that made our nation what it is today," said Colleen Fagersten, with the Virginia Dare Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Fagersten is a member of the Virginia Dare Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in the Outer Banks, which has members on the committee for the A250 celebration and is focusing on getting youth involved.
"The three daughters who have joined the committee are very involved, especially with the educational programs that are going to be done with the public, private and home schooled boys and girls throughout the county. Because it is our strongest belief that it is the young people that we would like to be the most involved and informed about the nation they live in, past, present, and the one they are going to live in in the future," said Fagersten.
On Monday, members of the Dare County America 250 committee announced their plans for celebrating the historic year for our nation locally throughout 2026. As many know, the Outer Banks is rich in history both before and after we became a country.
One of the most notable celebrations will be in April at the A250 Faire: "Liberty, Legacy, and Liftoff in the Land of Beginnings." The patriotic festival will be filled with history, music, food and celebration at the site of our nation's first flight — the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
Another special part of this year is the launch of a passport program at 13 historical locations up and down the Outer Banks. You'll have the chance to visit:
- Southern Shores Flat Tops
- Icarus Monument to Flight
- Wright Brothers National Memorial
- Jennette's Pier
- Fort Raleigh Historic Site
- Island Farm
- Pea Island Cookhouse Museum
- Bethany Church
- Bodie Island Lighthouse
- Chicamacomico Life Saving Station
- Jockey's Ridge State Park
- Buffalo City
- Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
It gives people who live here, as well as visitors, a chance to learn about specific landmarks and histories up and down the beach that might be hidden away from your normal visit to the beach.
The Virginia Dare Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, the Outer Banks History Center, Jockey's Ridge State Park, Roanoke Island Festival Park, all the town's in county and many more people and organizations are helping make this celebration possible and say they're excited to have our community and visitors involved.
"There's somebody from all of those things who has been a part of the committee that is working to try and find a way to make 2026 a super memorable year for all the residents of Dare County and all of our visitors," said Fagersten.
Vendor and sponsor applications are open for the A250 Faire in April right now, and priority will be given to Dare County and surrounding county businesses. Anyone interested in having their event in Dare County showcased for the celebrations in 2026 can reach out as well. For more information on everything related to the A250 events and celebrations, head to the dedicated website here.
