Love the Outer Banks? Give a Little Back During Your Stay

There’s a reason so many people return to the Outer Banks year after year. The beaches may bring you here, but it’s the communities, natural spaces, local traditions and people who make this place feel like more than just a vacation destination.

If you’ll be here October 10–17, 2026, there’s a unique way to experience another side of the Outer Banks while helping take care of the place you love.

Outer Banks Volunteer Week Returns October 10–17

The 2nd Annual Outer Banks Volunteer Week, organized by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, connects visitors, residents and second homeowners with local organizations that could use a few extra hands.

View Volunteer Week event details »

And you don’t have to give up an entire day of your vacation to participate. Opportunities take place throughout the week at different locations, making it easy to find something that fits your interests and schedule.

Choose How You’d Like to Give Back

This year’s Volunteer Week includes opportunities to help with community cleanups, conservation projects, local events and organizations throughout the Outer Banks.

Depending on the day, you could help with a Town of Kitty Hawk community cleanup, lend a hand with an Outer Banks Relief Foundation beach cleanup, work on a trail project at Nags Head Woods Preserve, or help spruce up outdoor classrooms with the Dare Education Foundation.

There are also volunteer opportunities connected with some favorite Outer Banks events and attractions, including Island Farm’s Pumpkin Patch, the Duck Jazz Festival, Bluegrass Island Music Festival and the Outer Banks Seafood Festival.

In other words, giving back doesn’t necessarily mean giving up your vacation. It might simply mean spending a few hours doing something worthwhile while getting to know a different side of the Outer Banks.

A Different Way to Experience the Outer Banks

Whether you’re visiting for the week, spending time at your second home or lucky enough to live here year-round, Volunteer Week is an opportunity to connect with the community behind the destination.

Pick a cause that matters to you, bring the family along if the opportunity allows, or make volunteering part of your plans while you’re already attending one of the week’s events.

A few hours can make a difference — and you may head home with a new Outer Banks memory that has nothing to do with how many shells you found on the beach.