Hatteras Village Waterfowl Festival draws a big wintertime crowd… WITH VIDEO

Video by Rory Kelleher

The Hatteras Village Waterfowl Festival returned to the island on Feb 24-25, and despite a two-year hiatus due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the third edition of this popular annual event was bigger and better than ever, per organizers and attendees.

Friday night’s Fin, Feather, and Bourbon event attracted an estimated 120 attendees who dined on small plates of seafood and waterfowl, while Saturday was filled with activities at three distinct locations: The Hatteras Village Civic Center, the Hatteras Island Ocean Center, and the Hatteras Community Building.

The Hatteras Village Civic Center was at the heart of the action, with vendors and exhibits like the CHSS Art Show stationed in the main building, and a number of shows and presentations held throughout the day at a spacious outdoor tent. Highlights of the outdoor events included thrilling demonstrations by Hawk Manor Falconry, a Duck/Goose identification presentation, and a new program by historian and author James D. “Keeper James” Charlet. The Civic Center was also the site of a duck call presentation and the popular annual Duck Call competition, which attracted roughly 12 contestants who showed off their skills.

At the Hatteras Community Building, artist and instructor Trish Dempsey led students through a guided painting of this year’s featured and feathered subject – the mallard – while the Hatteras Island Ocean Center served as a launching point for an array of crafts and guided bird walks. Representatives from the National Park Service, the North Carolina Coastal Federation, and the Ocean Center were also at the center to answer questions and provide additional information for folks who wanted to learn more about their local feathered friends.

With hundreds of attendees migrating through the many activities throughout the day, the third annual Hatteras Village Waterfowl Festival drew a big crowd during an otherwise sleepy winter season. Despite the two-year lapse, most of the folks at Saturday’s event were repeat attendees, with the majority attesting that they couldn’t wait to do it again next year.

For more information on Saturday’s festivities, including local vendors and presenters, visit http://hatterasonmymind.com/HVCA/WaterfowlFestival/.