Kitty Hawk Kites is pleased to announce our 2022 calendar of events. As we fly into a new year, we are hopeful for a fun-filled season of community events. We would appreciate if you would add these to your list of events in 2022.
Flying into Spring and the Easter EGGstravaganza
Friday, April 15th & Saturday, April 16th, 2022
Kitty Hawk Kites, Nags Head (Egg Hunt and Photos with the Easter Bunny)
3933 S Croatan Hwy, Nags Head, NC (US 158 MP 12.5)
Jockey’s Ridge State Park (Kite Flying Demos, Lessons, and Family Fun Fly)
300 W Carolista Dr., Nags Head, NC
Celebrate National Kite Month and the start of spring with Kitty Hawk Kites! Experience the sight of our massive 30-to 100-foot kites flying high over Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Across the street from the dunes outside Kitty Hawk Kites, take your picture with the Easter Bunny, and let the kids join in our annual Jockey’s Ridge Crossing Easter Egg Hunt!
Hang Gliding Spectacular
Thursday, May 19th — Sunday, May 22nd, 2022
Jockey’s Ridge State Park & Cotton Gin in Jarvisburg
Join Kitty Hawk Kites and celebrate the 50th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular competition. “The Spec” is the longest-running hang gliding competition in the world and is free to the public for viewing with competitions and fun activities all day long.
The 50th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular will be held May 19-22, 2022. The aerotow competition will take place at the Cotton Gin in Jarvisburg, NC and the dune competition will be held at Jockey’s Ridge State Park during this special Outer Banks tradition. In addition to the hang gliding competition, the 50th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular will feature: a vintage glider display and fly-in; a historic film, photo, and T-shirt display; a film festival; the Woody Jones Street Dance; and more.
40th Annual Rogallo Kite Festival
Friday, June 17th — Sunday, June 19th, 2022
Jockey’s Ridge State Park
300 W Carolista Dr., Nags Head, NC
Francis Rogallo was a NASA scientist and inventor of the flexible wing. This remarkable invention led to hang gliders, paragliders, kites, stunt kites, kiteboarding kites, and revolutionized parachutes. We invite you to join us and fly a kite at the annual Rogallo Kite Festival to celebrate Francis Rogallo and his many accomplishments.
Kitty Hawk Kites and friends will be displaying amazing 30-100 ft kites, including a 100-foot octopus, 80-foot panda, and a 50-foot fish, on top of Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Join us and fly a kite of your own, take part in FREE stunt kite lessons, kite making for the kiddos, or just sit back, relax and enjoy the spectacular kites as they fly.
44th Annual Wright Kite Festival
Saturday, July 16th & Sunday, July 17th, 2022
Wright Brothers National Memorial Park
1000 N Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC
Take flight where flight first began with Kitty Hawk Kites and the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Enjoy a walk on the hallowed grounds where Wilbur and Orville took their historic first flight in 1903, and view large 30- to 100-foot kites, including a 100-foot octopus, 80-foot panda, and a 50-foot fish, and more. We invite you to come to fly kites of your own, take FREE stunt and power kite flying lessons, and bring the kiddos to our kite making station. An admission fee to the park is required, but participation in the kite festival is FREE! The Wright Brothers National Memorial grounds are open daily from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
16th Annual Watermelon Festival
Thursday, August 4th, 2022
Kitty Hawk Kites, Nags Head
3933 S Croatan Hwy, Nags Head, NC (US 158 MP 12.5)
Celebrate summer with Kitty Hawk Kites and support the Outer Banks Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Coalition at the annual OBX Watermelon Festival on Thursday, August 4th at Jockey’s Ridge Crossing in Nags Head. Enjoy games, food, face painting, tie-dye shirt making, arts and crafts activities, and TONS of watermelon fun. OBX Watermelon Festival is free for guests to attend; however, the purchase of tickets is required to play and eat! Compete in classic competitions like seed spitting and watermelon eating – and the not-so-classic watermelon ice cream eating competition. Bring the family by for a day of summertime fun! All proceeds will help support this vital community organization.
Outer Banks Pirate Festival
Wednesday, August 10th & Thursday, August 11th, 2022
Kitty Hawk Kites, Nags Head
3933 S Croatan Hwy, Nags Head, NC (US 158 MP 12.5)
Ahoy, Mateys! Get ready for a swashbucklin’ good time as Kitty Hawk Kites hosts the Outer Banks Pirate Festival. Pirates of Blackbeard’s Crew and mates will be camped out at Kitty Hawk Kites in Nags Head. Come learn the vast history of pirates on the Outer Banks and participate in Scallywag School to see if your little ones have what it takes to be a part of Blackbeard’s crew.
Outer Banks Kite Festival
Friday, September 9th — Sunday, September 11th, 2022
Jockey’s Ridge State Park
300 W Carolista Dr., Nags Head, NC
A regional kite festival that brings some of the nation’s best stunt kite pilots right here to our backyard. Come out and join us for two days of kite flying fun for the whole family. Enjoy massive display kites flying high, including a 100-foot octopus, 80-foot panda, and a 50-foot fish, and participate in FREE stunt and power kite lessons given by pros. On Sunday, come watch world-class displays of artistry and skill with kite flying set to music, synchronized performances, and more!
Outer Banks Kayak Fishing Tournament
Friday, September 16th — Sunday, September 18th, 2022
Kitty Hawk Surf Company
3933 S Croatan Hwy, Nags Head, NC (US 158 MP 12.5)
Join Kitty Hawk Surf Company for the “main event” of the year! The 10th Annual Outer Banks Kayak Fishing Tournament features fantastic prizes for the best kayak anglers on the Outer Banks. This event is a slam style tournament targeting Drum, Flounder, and Trout.
Outer Banks Brewtag
Saturday, October 22nd, 2022
The Soundside Event Site
6800 S Croatan Hwy, Nags Head, NC
How far can a keg fly? Hosted by the Rogallo Foundation, this event is a celebration of flight and beer. Brewtag teams from all over the east coast compete to see who can launch and fly an empty 1/6 keg barrel the farthest. The sky is the limit as to how creative your homemade flying contraption can be! Individuals and teams are welcome. A rather crafty selection of local and regional beer and food will be available for purchase that day. This family-friendly event will also feature plenty of activities for the kiddos!
The Rogallo Foundation was created to honor Francis and Gertrude Rogallo, inventors of the flexible wing; to preserve their priceless records, artifacts, and research; to interpret their incredible story and protect this legacy of free flight for millions of people in all nations of the world; and to stimulate and support research and education in aerodonetics, the science of gliding and soaring flight and low-speed aerodynamics. All proceeds from OBX Brewtag will be used to build a museum to feature all of Rogallo’s innovative work, designs, history, and advancements since its development.
Hanging with Santa
Friday, November 25th — Saturday, November 26th, 2022
Jockey’s Ridge Crossing
3933 S Croatan Hwy, Nags Head, NC (US 158 MP 12.5)
Come spread the holiday cheer with Kitty Hawk Kites and the Jockey’s Ridge Crossing crew. Free visit and pictures with Santa and a Festive hang glider, cocoa, and baked goods. Share all your Christmas wishes and get your picture taken with Santa at Kitty Hawk Kites at Kitty Hawk Kites in Nags Head mid-day on Friday and on Saturday afternoon. Have some fun with Santa’s elves and try out classic toys straight from the workshop!
Kites with Lights
Saturday, November 26th, 2022
Jockey’s Ridge State Park
300 W Carolista Dr., Nags Head, NC
Be sure to make it out on Saturday evening, November 26th for a light display like no other. Kites with Lights, at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, will feature large 19- to 30-foot kites decked out in lights and the spirit of the holiday season! View the lighting of the Jockey’s Ridge State Park Solar Christmas tree out on the dunes directly across from Jockey’s Ridge Crossing.
About Kitty Hawk Kites
Since 1974, Kitty Hawk Kites has been “Teaching the World to Fly” by building communities of passionate employees and customers with our uplifting, exceptional service; unique, fun products; and adventure experiences in travel destinations. We create friendly, world-class products and environments that make people smile, lift their spirits, challenge them and give them lifetime memories.
Kitty Hawk Kites has grown to over 20 stores located along the coast of North Carolina, in addition to stores in Destin and Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Long Beach Island, New Jersey; and Morningside Flight Park in New Hampshire. Kitty Hawk Kites is the largest brick and mortar kite retailer in the United States, the leading outdoor adventures company on the Outer Banks, the largest hang gliding school in the world, and one of the few kiteboarding resorts in America. We now offer more than 25 adventures in addition to hang gliding.