Day at the Docks returns September 15-16, 20 years after Hurricane Isabel

The annual Day at the Docks (DATD) is celebrating a milestone in 2023, as it marks 20 years since Hurricane Isabel impacted Hatteras Village – an event that was catastrophic, but which led to the first-ever DATD Festival the following year.

Initially launched as a one-day event in 2004, Day at the Docks (DATD) was created as a community-wide effort to recover after Hurricane Isabel, which cut a new inlet south of the village, effectively separating Hatteras from the rest of the world for weeks.

Aimed at reviving the “Spirit of Hatteras,” the event’s roots have always been anchored to the local commercial and charter fishing industries, and DATD continues to be a confirmation of the strength of community, heritage, and the living traditions of island watermen.

DATD maintains its focus on life on the water, but now the event lasts for two days, and is an attraction in its own right. These days, many visitors make the trek to Hatteras village during the third weekend in September to coincide their vacation with the annual DATD celebration, and new activities or vendors are continually added year after year.

Details about scheduled activities like the Fishy 5K, the Seafood Throwdown, and the Blessing of the Fleet are continuing to trickle in as Day at the Docks approaches, but in the meantime, locals and visitors alike should save the date for September 15-16 to discover, (or re-discover), everything that this Hatteras-centric celebration has to offer.

An overview of events, as well as event sponsors and locations, can be found online at http://hatterasonmymind.com/HVCA/DayAtTheDocks/, and visitors can also follow Day at the Dock’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/hatterasdayatthedocks/ for updates on activities and times.

More information on favorite recurring events, such as Friday evening’s “Seafood Under the Stars” dinner and Saturday’s annual chowder cook-off, are also listed below.