What's New on Island Life NC
The NC Azalea Festival
The North Carolina Azalea Festival, April 8 – 12, 2026, has been throwing the best party in the south for 79 years! The Festival celebration features…
Corolla Wild Horse Fund – Spring Open House
Come to Corolla on Saturday, April 18th for our Spring Open House at the Farm! Visit the farm on the mainland in Grandy and meet the…
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Special Section: NC Azalea Festival
The NC Azalea Festival
The North Carolina Azalea Festival, April 8 – 12, 2026, has been throwing the best party in the south for 79 years! The Festival celebration…
Azalea Festival Parade
The 78th North Carolina Azalea Festival Parade will take place on Saturday, April 11th, 9:30AM – 11:30AM. along 3rd Street downtown – we…
Garden Club Azalea Garden Tour
The Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Garden Tour © is sponsored by the Cape Fear Garden Club, Inc. The tour has been featured in SOUTHERN…
The Azalea Festival’s After Garden Get Down
The After Garden Get Down – FRIDAY, APRIL 10 Bluewater Grill The After Garden Get Down is the fun dockside party with Queen Azalea…
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Azalea Festival Home Tour
Saturday, April 11th & Sunday, April 12th @ 12:00pm – 5:00pm presented as part of the 2026 Azalea Festival  Think of your Azalea Festival…
Azalea Festival Headliners
The 78th annual North Carolina Azalea Festival announced two concert headliners for its 2026 spring celebration Wednesday: one a well-known rapper, the other a big…
– Food & Drinks –
Recipe: Seafood Enchiladas
Cheesy, gooey, with the oh so good flavor of crab and shrimp—people will be fighting over these. You may even want to make a double batch.…
Baked Shrimp with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
Baked Shrimp with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce Love an easy dish that you can throw together in minutes? Us too. This recipe is proof that you…
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Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
These Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos are a meal that is enjoyable any time of year, but they, for some reason, really “hit the spot” in…
Coconut Cream Pie Bars
Pie is delicious, making a pie can be a big chore and it never looks as pretty as the pictures. Hence, pie bars! Tastes just as…
Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Two of our favorite desserts are cheesecake and banana pudding, so why not combine the two into an even better dessert! This recipe is sure to…
Peanut Butter Banana Icebox Pie
Peanut butter and banana in a pie—Elvis Presley might be turning over in his grave trying to get to this one. This is a dessert for…
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Festivals And Events
Herb & Garden Market
34th Annual Herb & Garden Fair April 11th & 12th 2026 Saturday, 9 AM to 1 PM & 1 PM to 5 PM Sunday, 10:00…
Spring At Tryon Palace: Garden Lovers’ Weekend!
Celebrate Spring with FREE GARDEN ADMITTANCE during Garden Lovers’ Weekend! April 10 through 12, 2026 The Tryon Palace Gardens will be free and open…
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New Bern ArtWalk
ArtWalk is a free self guided walk to over 30 different stops in the downtown New Bern area to visit stores and galleries and see…
Olde Beaufort Farmer’s Market
The Olde Beaufort Farmers’ Market is open for business starting April 11th, 2026 through the month of October! Every Saturday morning from 9:00 am until…
Beaufort Wine & Food Fest
Since its inception in 2004, Beaufort Wine and Food has focused on a core group of local charities as recipients for the proceeds earned from…
Southport Springfest!
Get ready to welcome the return of Southport Springfest on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 10 AM to 4 PM in beautiful Downtown Southport!…
Corolla Wild Horse Fund – Spring Open House
Come to Corolla on Saturday, April 18th for our Spring Open House at the Farm! Visit the farm on the mainland in Grandy and meet…
Continue Reading Corolla Wild Horse Fund – Spring Open House
Wilmington Riverfront Farmers Market
Wilmington’s Riverfront Farmers Market is held on Saturdays from 8am-1pm (rain or shine) through November 22nd! The year marks their 23rd anniversary making this Wilmington’s…
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HOME & Garden
Master Gardenerâ„ Volunteer Association Plant Sale
Join us at the New Hanover County Arboretum for our 39th Annual Plant Sale! Open from April 16 to 19, you can shop a huge inventory of over 8,000 high-quality plants…
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Starting a Vegetable Garden
Having your own vegetable garden is a great way to get outside, save a bit of money, and eat a little healthier. Overall, it’s a win for everyone. We’ve got all…
Planning A Spring Garden
If you’re getting antsy to put on your gardening gloves and get out in the yard, here’s a guide to planning and preparing your Spring garden. If you’re new to gardening,…
Gardening with Native Plants of the South by Sally Wasowski
In today’s South, where fine gardening is a tradition, many homeowners and professional gardeners are discovering a vast “new” palette of plant materials—native plants. They are realizing that these native wildflowers,…
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Carolinas Gardener’s Handbook
The Carolinas Gardener’s Handbook is your one-stop source for all your questions about gardening in the Carolinas! Creating a flowerbed that draws admiring looks from passersby, complementing the look of your…
Gardening in the South
Here’s a fabulous book for learning all about… you guessed it Gardening In The South! A gardener’s plant choice and garden style are inextricably linked to the place they call home.…
Travel
Wilmington Railroad Museum
For more than 125 years, railroading was Wilmington North Carolina’s chief industry. In 1840 the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad was completed and was the longest continuous rail line in the…
Tryon— North Carolina’s Palace
William Tryon, a British officer and colonial official, served as Governor of North-Carolina from 1765 to 1771. Tryon had seen the need for a centrally-located Government House while serving as…
North Carolina’s Best Kayaking Spots
North Carolina is home to 17 river basins many of which connect to the biggest waterways in the States, such as the Mississippi, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic…
Old Baldy Lighthouse
The Bald Head Lighthouse, affectionately known as Old Baldy, is North Carolina’s oldest surviving lighthouse. (more…)
Arts
New Bern ArtWalk
ArtWalk is a free self guided walk to over 30 different stops in the downtown New Bern area to visit stores and galleries and see…
Southport Plein Air Festival
The Southport Plein Air Festival 2026 returns to beautiful downtown Southport, North Carolina, from Thursday, May 7 – Saturday, May 9, 2026. Hosted by Up…
The Island Art Of Miller Pope
Miller Pope was born and raised in South Carolina but ventured north after World War II. Â After a successful career as a professional artist and…
Wilmington’s Fourth Fridays
Wilmington’s Fourth Fridays Art Walk is a self-guided tour featuring exhibitions of various artistic genres including oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, photography, wood, metals, ceramics, mixed…
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Life on the Coast
The NC Oyster Trail
Oysters once were as popular as the fast-food burger is today. Since the late-1880’s, people have collected, consumed, and enjoyed oysters up and down the…
The Kindred Spirit Mailbox By Lynn Nesmith
A romantic whim evolves into an improbable landmark and a beloved destination along the North Carolina Coast by Lynn Nesmith Nearly half a century ago,…
Check Out Undeveloped Bird Island!
Bird Island is an undeveloped barrier island located at the southwestern edge of the North Carolina coast, situated between the Town of Sunset Beach and…
The Southern Surfcaster
One of our all time best sellers! – The Southern Surfcaster: Saltwater Strategies for the Carolina Beaches & Beyond The Southern Surfcaster will increase your…
The Beachcomber’s Companion
The Beachcomber’s Companion is an “Illustrated Guide to Collecting and Identifying Beach Treasures”. Breezy, inviting, and delightful–just like a day at the beach– The Beachcomber’s Companion is…
What Are the Seneca Guns?
While not unique to the Carolina coast, the Seneca Guns are certainly most common along our shores. The Seneca Guns are loud booming noises, most…
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History
What You May Not Know About Daylight Saving Time
Whether you are for or against the time hop we have to do twice a year, it’s coming. It’s once again time to Spring Forward into…
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Hallowed Ground Lantern Tour
The New Bern Historical Society’s newest storytelling event, the Hallowed Ground Lantern Tour, returns! Take a 60-minute guided, lantern-lit walk through the wooded battlefield trails, where…
Anniversary Of The Battle of Moores Creek
Celebrate the Patriot victory of the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge, their first victory prior the Declaration of Independence, Halifax Accord and War for Independence, with…
NC Rice Festival
Enjoy a long weekend celebrating southeastern North Carolina’s Gullah Geechee culture at the North Carolina Rice Festival in Brunswick County. The festival attracts families, history enthusiasts,…
