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.

Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site will host two living history programs on Saturdays during April. Both programs will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.On April 12, the site will present “The Women of Brunswick,” which will showcase the women who lived and worked in the colonial port. Throughout the day, visitors are invited to interact with interpreters who will demonstrate various tasks typical of the time, including woodworking, processing indigo and fabric dyeing, apothecary, and more. A colonial dance lesson will be offered from 2-2:30 p.m.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

 On April 12, 1776, the 4th Provincial Congress in session at Halifax, N.C., passed a resolution that became known as “The Halifax Resolves.” In this document, North Carolinians declared their grievances against British rule and encouraged their delegates in the Continental Congress to vote for independence. It was the first official action of any of the 13 colonies calling for independence.

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ America 250 NC initiative has dispersed nearly $1.2 million in a second round of grant funds across 58 counties in the state. The grant-funded projects include new cultural events, physical and digital exhibits, historical markers, and more all inspired by North Carolina’s revolutionary history and the themes of America 250 NC. The America 250 NC Grants are designed to spark programs and activities on a local level to create a memorable and meaningful commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.