North Carolina State Parks and its parent agency, the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, announced today that the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program under the federal Department of the Interior, has awarded nearly $4 million total to nine local parks and recreation projects across the state.
Press Releases
Fort Fisher State Historic Site will host a World War II living history program on Saturday, Oct. 3. Military and civilian re-enactors will set up living history displays on the green between the visitor center and earthworks. A period field kitchen and numerous historic military vehicles will be on display as well. Fort Fisher is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites, within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR).
North Carolina’s first gay and lesbian march, held in Durham in 1981, soon will be recognized with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker. The N.C. Historical Marker Program is part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, marking five decades of conservation science, partnerships and efforts to protect the state’s most significant natural areas. The Natural Heritage Program is located within the Division of Land and Water Stewardship in the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), is pleased to announce $10,990,208 in grant awards for fiscal year 2026-27. A total of 340 grants will support nonprofit arts organizations, schools, after-school programs, municipalities, and artists in all 100 counties this year. Grant amounts range from $2,000-$354,262.In addition to its competitive grant programs, this year the North Carolina Arts Council facilitated $1,118,957 in direct appropriations to the Lost Colony.
Bennett Place State Historic Site will host a luminary program dedicated to telling the stories of enslaved people’s avenues to freedom during the Civil War era. The free event is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 18 from 7-9:30 p.m.
The North Carolina Aquariums today celebrate their official 50th anniversary, marking five decades of connecting generations of visitors with North Carolina’s extraordinary aquatic life and environments. A division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), the NC Aquariums are celebrating 50 years of connecting people with the wonders of aquatic life, inspiring appreciation, advancing education, and promoting conservation.
North Carolina State Parks and the Town of Lake Waccamaw announced Tuesday that searchers recovered the body of a kayaker reported missing Monday.Erick Ross, 25, of South Carolina, was reported missing after an abandoned kayak was found near one of Lake Waccamaw's boat ramps at approximately 4:45 p.m. Monday. His cell phone and other personal belongings were found inside the kayak.
As students and families settle into a new school year, the
Alamance Battleground State Historic Site will host a day of family fun and education on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. This event will feature historical trade demonstrations, a cannon firing, historical music, a food truck, and much more! Alamance Battleground is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR).