Press Releases

Lake Norman and Eno River state parks will host inaugural “Poetry in the Park,” events on April 20 and April 27, respectively, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation announced. The events are planned as part of the division’s Arts in the Parks initiative and are being held in commemoration of National Poetry Month in April.

Unique and beautiful, the North Carolina Aquariums at Fort Fisher and on Roanoke Island and Jennette’s Pier are showcasing children’s artwork curated from “Este es mi México 2023” or “This is My Mexico 2023” through April 28. NCA Fort Fisher (NCAFF) is showcasing 20 pieces of the ocean-inspired art, NCA Roanoke Island (NCARI) will exhibit 16 and the Pier, eight.

Be an archaeological conservator for a day and learn about artifacts recovered from eastern North Carolina, including an infamous pirate ship.The Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Lab will host its annual Open House on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., as part of the NC Science Festival.Conservators and archaeologists will demonstrate how they use chemistry, physics, technology, art and more to recover and conserve artifacts through fun hands-on educational activities.The event is free and registration is not required.

The Civil War surrender at the Bennett farmhouse sealed the fate of slavery in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. To cap off the 159th anniversary of the surrender, Bennett Place State Historic Site will host a new event to commemorate the end of legal slavery and to honor the more than 331,000 enslaved men, women, and children in North Carolina at the time of the Civil War. The program, entitled “The Day Had Come: Emancipation at Bennett Place,” will take place Saturday, April 27 from 7-9 p.m.

 In the interest of visitor safety and security, the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ Division of State Historic Sites announced today that Fort Fisher State Historic Site will temporarily close to the public beginning Tuesday, April 16, as workers relocate exhibits, artifacts, and staff offices to the site’s new 20,000 sq. ft.

The Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe will be recognized with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker during a ceremony Friday, April 19 at 11 a.m., at the

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 In the early 1970s, the voices of three children transformed the future of North Carolina’s coastal environment when the sand dune known as Jockey’s Ridge was set to be leveled and developed for residential housing.

Hammocks Beach State Park’s Bear Island will close campsites and ferry service through at least the summer for a major construction project to make necessary water and septic system repairs and replacements, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation announced.There is currently no potable water or working restrooms at Bear Island. The ferry service, which normally begins operating in April, will not open until construction is complete. Campsites are also closed to new reservations until construction is complete.

The Museum of the Albemarle opens its newest banner display, Flying Kites with Delia, on April 1, 2024. The exhibit tells the history of kites and their usage in northeastern North Carolina as told by the narrator, Delia, a delta kite. The exhibit is written for elementary ages children with historical images and colorful sketches. No one knows when or how or why the world’s first kite was flown, but one legend suggests that a farmer from China was the first person to fly a kite.