On the evening of Saturday, October 24, the Boat Club will hang lights and spider webs from the North Marina Pavilion, fill coolers with ice, warm hot spiced apple cider, and put on spooky music for dancing. Registration closes Sunday, October 18, and only 75 people can sign up. Anyone without a prepaid spot will not get in. No walk-ins are allowed. The organizers also ask guests to walk, bike, or carpool so the marina lot stays open for members with disabilities.
All of those details show up again in nearly every gathering on the Southern Shores calendar between now and mid-December. Once the oceanfront quiets down, community life moves west to two soundside spots off the Dogwood Trails: Soundview Park and the North Marina Pavilion. The events there share a format. Guests prepay, headcounts are capped, everyone brings a dish and a drink, and the organizers plan around people coming from a few streets away.
The handoff happened at Hillcrest in September
Summer's last big gathering was on the ocean side. On Sunday, September 20, the Town held its first-ever block party at the Hillcrest Drive Beach Access, with live music, food trucks, vendors, and games. According to the Town's recap, many people biked or carpooled because parking was limited.
The fall calendar keeps that parking problem and moves it to the sound side. Here are the two venues that carry the season:
- Soundview Park, 279 N Dogwood Trail. Groups gather on the park's circular viewing platform.
- North Marina, 177 S Dogwood Trail. The Southern Shores Civic Association describes it as its largest marina. You reach the pavilion by turning off South Dogwood onto Sassafras, and the site has parking and a large grassy area. Association and Boat Club events are held there.
Both venues sit along the same winding road. Between them, they host nearly everything on the civic association's fall calendar.
Wednesdays at the viewing platform
Wine Down Wednesday is the gathering that repeats. The civic association's event listing runs it from 5 p.m. to sunset in October at Soundview Park. Guests bring their own drinks and a snack to share. The association's homepage notes that 5 p.m. is a new start time.
The October calendar lists Wine Down on October 7, 14, 21, and 28. That leaves three October Wednesdays as of this writing. The association's pages disagree on when the series ends. The October 14 event detail gives Wednesday, November 25, and the October 7 listing on the monthly calendar gives November 18. The November calendar doesn't show individual dates either, so check before heading out on a November Wednesday.
Sunset comes earlier every week this time of year. Because the event ends at sunset, each October Wednesday at the platform is a little shorter than the one before.
October 18: two events, one road
Sunday, October 18 is the first day this fall with two gatherings on the Dogwood corridor.
From 4 to 6 p.m., the civic association hosts Open Mic Night. Performers are asked to arrive around 3 p.m. to sign in and meet the other musicians. The association's homepage card has two errors. It says "Sunday Novemer 18" and puts the event at Soundview Park. The event detail page and the monthly calendar both list October 18, and the detail page puts it at the North Marina Pavilion on Sassafras Lane. If you plan to bring an instrument and an amp, confirm the venue first.
The same evening, from 5 to 9 p.m., Food for Thought holds its 20th-anniversary fundraising gala at Duck Woods Country Club, 50 South Dogwood Trail. The Southern Shores Beacon lists tickets at $100.
October 18 is also the registration deadline for the Halloween party.
The week before the busiest Saturday
The Town's semi-annual bulk-waste pickup falls between Open Mic Night and the yard sale. Here's the timing:
- Friday, October 9: first day approved items can go to the curb.
- Thursday, October 15: last day to put items out.
- Friday, October 16: collection day.
The Town's bulk-waste page lists which items qualify. Eight days after the trucks come through, the yard sale opens.
October 24, hour by hour
Saturday, October 24 brings together the season's two separate sets of gatherings. In the morning, the Town runs an event open to all residents on the US 158 side. In the evening, the civic association and Boat Club host theirs at the marina. A work party at Circle Pond runs over both days of the weekend.
| Time | Event | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 a.m. to noon | 13th Annual Southern Shores Fall Community Yard Sale | West end of the Southern Shores Shopping Center lot, near Cosmo's Pizza, across US 158 from Walmart | Free admission and parking; leashed pets welcome; rain date is Sunday, Oct. 25 |
| Saturday and Sunday | Circle Pond Work Party | Circle Pond | Listed on the civic association calendar for Oct. 24–25 |
| Noon to 2 p.m. | Halloween party setup | North Marina Pavilion | 8 to 10 volunteers needed; volunteers get a $5 credit on their fee |
| 5:30 to 8 p.m. | Second Annual "Spooktacular" Halloween Party | North Marina Pavilion | $10 per person, under 10 free; capped at 75; prepaid only |
The morning sale is set up for browsing. According to the Town's announcement, more than 30 families are taking part, with furniture, jewelry, books, clothing, toys, electronics, tools, sporting goods, and seasonal decorations for sale. Look for the red flags and signs. Only Southern Shores residents can sell, and sellers register in advance through the sale's Facebook page.
The evening party runs on stricter rules. Guests bring their own drinks and a finger food to share. The Boat Club provides ice, coolers, plates, utensils, napkins, cups, cider, and decorations. Costume prizes are $100 for Best Overall, single or couple, and $50 each for Most Scary and Funniest or Silliest. Every guest checks in at the registration table. No-shows don't get refunds, and pets aren't allowed. The yard sale welcomes leashed dogs, but the party does not, so on the 24th the dog can come in the morning and stays home in the evening.
November 14: oysters at the marina
The fall season peaks at the SSBC Fall Oyster Roast on Saturday, November 14, from noon to 3 p.m. It takes place at the North Marina Pavilion. The event page lists North Carolina oysters, burgers, brats, chicken, water, soda, beer, and wine. Guests are invited to bring homemade salads and desserts.
The rules match the Halloween party. Check-in starts at 11:45. Everyone prepays, walk-ins aren't allowed, no-shows aren't refunded, and pets stay home. The marina parking is again reserved for members with disabilities. The public page doesn't list a price. The registration form requires a member login. Several of these soundside gatherings are run through the Southern Shores Civic Association and its Boat Club, and membership is separate from owning a home in town. The association's membership page is the place to check before planning around a specific event.
Beyond the November Wednesdays at Soundview Park, the next marina gathering after the oyster roast is the SSBC Holiday Party on Saturday, December 12, from noon to 3 p.m.
Where the town's own calendar sits
Some of the Town of Southern Shores' October dates are civic meetings, and they are on the calendar too. The Planning Board meets Monday, October 19, from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Pitts Center. The Entry Corridor Enhancement Committee meets Thursday, October 29, at 9 a.m. at the Pitts Center, 5377 N. Virginia Dare Trail.
Taken together, the calendar for the next two months follows this route:
- Wednesdays: the circular platform at 279 N Dogwood Trail.
- October 18: Sassafras for music, then Duck Woods for the gala.
- October 24: the west end of the shopping center lot by Cosmo's Pizza in the morning, then North Marina for costumes that evening.
- November 14: North Marina again for oysters, with check-in at 11:45.
If you're thinking about where in Southern Shores you'd want to live, these locations are worth a look. Some homes are a short walk or bike ride from Soundview Park or North Marina, and the fall calendar keeps sending people to both. Melissa Morgan can help you see which streets connect to which gathering spots and what that means day to day. Let's Connect.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
