By Kira Walters, News Editor

Summers on the Outer Banks are usually filled with fun in many different forms. From jet-skis to days spent on the beach, there’s lots to do during the summer. Now, a new form of entertainment is easier than ever to enjoy: concerts.

Concerts at Festival Park in Manteo began during the summer of 2021 thanks to Vusic OBX. The shows became more and more popular throughout the past three months, mostly because of the popular names that have appeared, such as Rebelution and Stick Figure, just to name a few.

Sophomore Rylee Lundy attended the Rebelution, Dirty Heads, Vusic on the Banks Festival, Green Sky Bluegrass and Slightly Stoopid concerts, giving her unforgettable memories to look back on.

“The concerts really made my summers fun and gave me something to look forward to,” Lundy said. “I really enjoyed listening to some of my favorite bands. It was really cool to experience them live. And I love the fact that it’s so close to home.”

Since early 2021, concerts of many different genres have been popping up on the Outer Banks. Most of them have been reggae, while others have been more jam-band style. This has allowed for people of all ages to come together and enjoy these shows.

“They gave me something to look forward to during the rough work week,” junior Austin Bellinger said.

These concerts have given locals opportunities to do something fun that’s not too terribly far away – like driving to see shows in Virginia Beach or Raleigh – on what would normally be an ordinary summer night.

Quite a few local teens volunteer at these concerts selling merchandise, helping family-friends’ businesses and helping backstage.

“I volunteered at The Movement, Slightly Stoopid, and Greensky,” junior River Sanchez said. “I mainly worked in the merch tent selling Vusic merch or merch for the other bands.”

While Vusic concerts have become very popular, they are certainly not the first concerts on the Outer Banks. One of the earliest common spots for big names to play was the Nags Head Casino. The building was constructed in the fall of 1931, and after it was completed, it became a huge hit.
Some of the artists to visit include Artie Shaw, a clarinetist who became big in the swing era, Fats Domino, Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps, and even Louis Armstrong.

Music has always been of the utmost importance to this community. Many locals have made an effort to keep it that way, including Amanda Williams.

“I do live sound production and I’m a talent buyer, musician, and a music teacher,” Williams said. “Music has always been a big part of the community, but during the big booms of growth in the ’60s and in the ’80s, there were dance halls and clubs that would bring in big talent. Through the popularity of restaurants, and a long wait time, a lot more places began offering entertainment.”

Without that long history, today’s locals probably wouldn’t get to enjoy the concerts that have done so much to bring the community together.

“The concerts changed my summer by volunteering at them because it got me involved with something different and really fun,” Sanchez said. “I got to volunteer with my friends, so that made it even more enjoyable.”

Junior Kira Walters can be reached at 24walterski77@daretolearn.org.