Local Events

Your Guide to Local Events This Summer (July 15 – August 15)

Summer down here doesn’t slow down just because the heat index hits triple digits. Between concerts on the water, golf tournaments taking over the Grand Strand, and a lighthouse throwing a 200-year birthday party, the next month is packed. Here’s everything worth putting on your calendar.

Family Golf Week

July 16-18, 2026 | Sea Trail Golf Resort and Grand Strand courses, Myrtle Beach, SC Now in its 29th year, this is the largest father-son golf tournament in the world, plus a Family Division open to any pairing. Roughly 450 teams tee off across nine courses, and this year’s headquarters moves to the newly renovated Sea Trail Golf Resort in Sunset Beach.

More info: familygolfweek.com

Wilmington Margarita Festival

July 18, 2026 | ChowTown, 1101 N. 4th St, Wilmington, NC Ten local bars and restaurants pour their best margarita, you get a tasting card and a vote, and the winner takes home bragging rights and a $1,000 prize. There’s a beer garden, a DJ, and food trucks to keep you fueled between samples. 21 and up.

Tickets: eventbrite.com

OIB Summer Concert Series

Fridays in July, 6:30 PM | Town Center Park, 11 E. Second St, Ocean Isle Beach, NC Free live music on the lawn every Friday night through the end of July. Bring a chair, grab dinner from a nearby spot, and watch the sunset with the whole town.

More info: oibgov.com

Sunset Beach Summer Market

Thursdays through September 24, 9 AM – 1 PM | Sunset Beach Waterfront Park, 206 Sunset Blvd N, Sunset Beach, NC A true homegrown market where everything sold is handmade, homemade, or homegrown. Expect fresh produce, baked goods, local crafts, and live music by the water.

More info: sunsetnc.com

Ocean Isle Beach Summer Market

Sundays, 2:00 – 5:00 PM | Silver Coast Winery, Ocean Isle Beach, NC This year’s market moved to Silver Coast Winery, where you can sip a glass while browsing local produce, baked goods, and handmade crafts, all set to live music.

More info: thepuremarkets.com

National Lighthouse Weekend

August 7-9, 2026 | Old Baldy Lighthouse, Bald Head Island, NC Old Baldy, North Carolina’s oldest standing lighthouse, celebrates with a seafood boil and a nighttime road race called Run for the Light. It’s the one weekend a year the island fully leans into its maritime history.

More info: baldheadisland.com

Wahine Classic Surfing Competition

August 12-13, 2026 | South end of Wrightsville Beach, NC One of the only all-female surfing competitions on the East Coast, drawing women and girls of every level from Pro Longboard down to the crowd-favorite Tiny Wahine division. Free to watch from the shore.

More info: wahineclassic.com

There’s no version of this month where you’re stuck for something to do. Pick a weekend, grab your people, and go!