Press Releases

It’s a sprint to the finish line—the registration finish line—for the 2025 Race for the Planet at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) slated for Sunday, April 27 at 8 a.m.  A favorite for competitive racers and leisure walkers, the 5K and 1-mile fun run wind along the Atlantic Ocean and through the picturesque maritime forest that is home to the Aquarium. All funds support NCAFF green initiatives through the North Carolina Aquarium Society.

The Museum of the Albemarle will host The Ongoing Fight for Freedom: Stories of NC Black Veterans on Thursday, May 1 at 6 p.m. in the Gaither Auditorium. 

The initiative is part of the upcoming America 250 semiquincentennial observance in 2026. In North Carolina, the event is led by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ America 250 NC initiative.“Two Lights for Tomorrow” will take place on the night of April 18, recognizing the 250th anniversary of the ride of Paul Revere. To commemorate this event, two lights will shine from the fourth floor of Museum of the Albemarle in our community throughout the night of April 18.

Bennett Place State Historic Site will commemorate the 160th anniversary of its Civil War surrender with two public programs on April 25-26. These programs mark the end of the 160th-anniversary commemorations of the American Civil War in North Carolina by North Carolina State Historic Sites.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, America 250 NC invites all North Carolinians to take part in a powerful national moment of reflection and unity: “Two Lights for Tomorrow.” Communities across the United States will join together April 18, 2025, to honor the spirit of cooperation and courage that helped ignite the American Revolution.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, America 250 NC invites all North Carolinians to take part in a powerful national moment of reflection and unity: “Two Lights for Tomorrow.” Communities across the United States will join together April 18, 2025, to honor the spirit of cooperation and courage that helped ignite the American Revolution.

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources announced today that applications for the 2025 America 250 NC Teaching Fellows are open.Fifteen K-12 teachers representing each region of the state will be selected for this in-depth professional learning opportunity.

The nomination period for the 2025 North Carolina Award, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the state, has been extended to April 15.Created by the General Assembly in 1961 and administered by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the award recognizes “notable accomplishments by North Carolina citizens” in the fields of literature, science, fine arts and public service.

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources announces the addition of multiple sites across the state to the National Register of Historic Places. The newly recognized sites include a mix of districts, individual properties, and updated documentation, highlighting the state’s rich architectural and historical heritage. They include one boundary increase, two additional documentations, three new historic districts, and five individual properties.

South Mountains State Park in Burke County is partially reopening its main access at Jacob Fork on April 10, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation announced. For the first time since Hurricane Helene, the visitor center will reopen to the public and camping will be permitted in the park.The park's Clear Creek Access in Morganton reopened for day use March 17.