Southport Magazine

Our national founding isn’t the only birthday we celebrate during the NC 4th of July Festival. On Saturday, July 1, the Town of Oak Island celebrates 24 years since Yaupon Beach and Long Beach joined together with Beach Day, a day full of contests, entertainment, children’s events, music, and a fireworks show to top it all off. 

The festivities will fill Middleton Park, 4610 East Dolphin Drive, and the beach area by the Cabana across the street. Inflatables for the kiddies and concessions will be available from 11 am – 2 pm. Adults can compete in horseshoes, cornhole, bocce ball and volleyball, and all ages are invited to compete in a sand castle building contest and try out Beach Bowl, the new creation of island resident Lynn Hefele (see story on page ##). 

The Carl Newton Review will take to the stage in the Middleton Park Pavilion at 6 pm with a shag contest featured during the band’s intermission at 7 pm. As night falls, the action moves to the Oak Island Pier, 801 Ocean Drive, and the surrounding beaches for the grand 24th Birthday Fireworks. 

Traffic gets a little thick after the fireworks, so take note of the traffic flow map and consider that the fireworks can be seen well from all up and down Oak Island’s beach strand. 

Patriotic Pointer: Beach Day is one of our favorite parts of the festival. There is so much to see and do, you’ll need a plan, but be sure not to miss the 1 pm sandcastle building contest. We love watching the different groups, some made up entirely of children, some mixed and some all adults, creating magic in the sand. And please do take into account that you don’t need to be right at the pier to see the fireworks. We’ve watched from as far away as 9th Street East and had a blast. 

EVENTS SCHEDULE

Events organized by the Oak Island Recreation Department will begin at 8:00 AM in the Middleton Park Complex and continue on throughout the day:

LOCATION: Middleton Park Complex, 4610 E. Dolphin Drive, Oak Island

• 8:00 AM: Horseshoe Tournament
• 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Inflatable rides, youth activities, and food concessions
• 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM:  Food Concessions 

LOCATION: Oak Island Cabana (SE 46th Street &, E Beach Drive)

• 10:00 AM: Registration for Games -First come first serve to participate in the bocce ball, cornhole, volleyball and sandcastle building tournament.
• 11:00 AM: Bocce Ball Tournament
• 11:00 AM: Cornhole Tournament
• 11:00 AM: Beach Volleyball Tournament
• 1:00 PM: Sandcastle Building Competition

LOCATION: Middleton Park Amphitheater, 4610 E. Dolphin Drive, Oak Island

• 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Beach Day Concert with The Carl Newton Review
• 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM:  Food
• 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM:  Shag Contest Registration
• 7:00 PM – Until: Shag Contest begins when band breaks

LOCATION: Oak Island Pier (705 Ocean Drive)

• 6:00 PM: Live music on the Pier by The Doorsmen
• 9:00 PM: Beach Day and Oak Island Anniversary Fireworks
  (Visible for miles along the Oak Island Beaches)