After raising $3,000 for local non-profits, OBX Shred Fest will return to Rodanthe in 2025

June 23, 2024 | Island Features | By: Joy Crist

Photo by Actively Awkward OBX Photography

For the first time since its inception, the 7th Annual Dare2Care OBX Shred Fest was held in Rodanthe on May 18, 2024, with a full day of music, sports, and community-wide fun that exceeded expectations.

The annual spring event attracts X-Games athletes, skaters, BMX bikers, and thrill-seekers of all ages, and May’s edition was enthusiastically received by the local Hatteras Island community.

There was music throughout the day, provided by local and regional bands including Grace Waters, The Several Devils, the Kaloum Djembe Drum Circle, Sikniks, and The Carolina Sweaters, as well as professional demonstrations from dozens of athletes including the Kill Devil Derby Brigade and the Chain Reaction Action Sports BMX team.

Because of the crowd – and the big response – Shred Fest organizers are already planning to return to Rodanthe once again in 2025.

“The first [Rodanthe] Shred Fest was a huge success,” said organizer Brett Ryan in an email to the Island Free Press. “I’d say the highlight of the day was the Chain Reaction Action Sports BMX [team]. The crowd was the largest then, and we estimate about 250 people at once. [But] the crowd was rotating throughout the day, and we suspect there were 400+ attendees for the whole event.”

The 2024 event raised an estimated $3,000 for three local Outer Banks non-profit organizations, including two that are based on Hatteras Island.

On Thursday, June 20, Ryan and Dare2Care OBX’s Lisa Brickhouse Davis presented two local organizations with a check for $1,000 each – the Chicamacomico Banks Volunteer Fire Department (CBVFD) and the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station. (The third Outer Banks organization to benefit from the event’s proceeds was the Mustang Outreach Program, which is based in Kitty Hawk.)

Ryan and Lisa Brickhouse Davis present checks to Chicamacomico Banks Volunteer Fire Department (CBVFD) and the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station

“The fire department was chosen because they are an integral part of our community, and the first response to any emergency situations,” said Ryan. “And Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station was chosen to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the United States Life-Saving Service, which became the modern-day Coast Guard.

“Shred Fest is not only a community event, but a veterans’ event as well,” he added. “It is celebrated on Armed Forces Day every May. Chicamacomico was the precursor to one of our six branches in the armed services, and demonstrates our local and national history.”

The donations stemmed from silent auctions, food/beverage sales, as well as cash contributions. The Sons of The American Legion, a veterans’ group out of Hampton Roads which sponsors the event every year, also contributed $2,500.

The next Shred Fest may be nearly a year away, but because of the success of 2024’s event, islanders can look forward to a Rodanthe return when May 2025 arrives.

“I think most people did not know what to expect this year, but everyone is looking forward to next year,” said Ryan. “We are already planning the 8th Annual Shred Fest, [which] will take place May 17, 2025, at the RWS Community Building.”

For more information on the OBX Shred Fest, visit https://www.facebook.com/Dare2CareOBX. For information on sponsorship opportunities, email lisadabrick@gmail.com.