July 4th is fast approaching and it is always a celebration on Ocracoke! There are many fun and interesting things to see and do from morning till night. It is always a little crazy here on July 4th but when it falls on a turnover day (Saturday or Sunday) it is a special challenge. Visitors who are at the end of their vacation are reluctant to leave and visitors who are just arriving are anxious to get started. If you are arriving or departing on July 4th please bear with us. The houses still have to be cleaned and maintenance performed. Getting you into your vacation home as quickly as possible is always our goal but especially on July 4th because the sooner we get your house ready for you...the sooner we can go out and enjoy the day too!

If you are arriving (or already here) on July 4th there are many things you can do until your vacation home is ready for you. Stop by our office, or most any business on the island, and pick up the agenda for the day and a walking tour map and just have fun! 

Here is the schedule for this year's Fourth Of July Celebration:

 9:00 AM---FLAG RAISING CEREMONY---School Road, School Circle
                    Ocracoke Boy Scouts

9:30 AM till Noon---33rd ANNUAL SAND SCULPTURE CONTEST---NPS "Life Guard Beach"

10:00 AM till Noon---OCRACOKE PONIES---behind Ocracoke Preservation Museum
                     National Park Service

10:00 AM till 2:00 PM---CLASSIC CARS---Lawn at Pony Island Motel pool area
                     Sponsored by Jimmy Jackson

10:00 AM till 2:00 PM---OCRACOKE LIGHTHOUSE-11TH YEAR---Open for Public Viewing
                     Your Guides--Chester Lynn & Dale Mutro
                     (walking suggested, very limited parking)

10:00 AM till 10:30 AM---THE HERD SKY DIVING TEAM---Pony Island Motel lawn
                     (time may vary due to weather conditions)

3:00 PM---OLD TIME OCRACOKE PARADE---must pre-register by 6:00 PM, July 2
        Forms available at the Post Office or Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum

           CALL 252-928-6622 FOR MORE INFORMATION

Parade Route---Line up on Hwy 12-beginning just past "Jimmy's Seafood Buffet", follow Hwy 12, left onto
Lighthouse Road, right onto Creek Road, right onto Silver Lake Drive, follow road around Silver Lake Harbor
to the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum.
Entertainment and awards will follow parade.

JUDGING WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE ISLAND INN BALCONY

AT PARADE'S END---NPS PARKING LOT---National Anthem, Entertainment, Awards for parade entrants
                      Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum

9:00 PM---FIREWORKS
NCCAT CAMPUS---(OLD COAST GUARD STATION)
(WALKING IS SUGGESTED---THE LARGE NPS PARKING AREA WILL BE BLOCKED OFF)

RAIN DATE---JULY 5TH