Rock The Cape Art Gallery Tour To Return In September
- Dare County Arts Council
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
In 2025 Dare Arts reimagined their annual Hatteras Island event, Rock The Cape, into a full day art gallery tour and the event was extremely successful, so the nonprofit is bringing it back for 2026.
“This event is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the incredible creativity that thrives on Hatteras while inviting residents and visitors alike to explore the galleries, meet local artists, and experience the island's vibrant arts community firsthand,” said Dare Arts Executive Director Jessica Sands. “The response to last year's gallery tour was overwhelmingly positive, and the team at Dare Arts excited to build on that momentum by welcoming even more creative spaces this year.”
The 14th Annual Rock The Cape Art Gallery Tour will be held on Friday, September 18 from 10:00am to 5:00pm, and this year the event is expanding to include the island’s beloved bookstore and two additional galleries.
“Establishing an operational creative space has long been a personal dream of mine, and what could be a more fitting setting than Hatteras Island, with its abundant sources of inspiration,” said artist and Island Art House owner Zach Bankhead. “Being invited to participate in the Rock the Cape event by Dare Arts is truly an honor and represents the pinnacle of my first season being full-time in the arts. I am excited to welcome visitors to the Island Art House, a working studio experience at the roundabout in Rodanthe. Guests can explore my original oil on canvas paintings, matted prints, driftwood creations, and oyster shell art, as well as observe various stages of my ongoing projects.”
Eleven different creative spaces from Rodanthe to Hatteras Village will be participating in this year’s Rock The Cape Gallery Tour, which is a free, family-friendly, self-guided tour.
Each of the galleries will be open on Friday, September 18 for residents and visitors to enjoy shopping for local art. The galleries will also have visiting artists, live art demonstrations, snacks and drinks, sales, and/or Hatteras musicians playing live music to elevate the shopping experience and introduce more people to the Hatteras Island Arts community.
Below are the participating galleries (listed south to north, but choose your own adventure):
Blue Pelican, Gallery, Gifts + Yarn in Hatteras will have a sale and snacks
Family Jewels in Hatteras will have live music, meet-the-artist, and mimosas
Blue Lagoon in Frisco will have live music, meet-the-artists, local seafood, and wine
Red Drum Pottery in Frisco will have live music, meet-the-artists, tea, and snacks
Empty Nest Studio & Gallery in Frisco will have live music, meet-the-artist, and a wine tasting
Buxton Village Books in Buxton
Artistic Treasures in Buxton will have a make & take craft, meet-the-artist, and snacks
Swell Art: Gallery & Gifts in Buxton will have live music, meet-the-artist, and snacks
Studio 12 in Avon will have make & take art, meet-the-artists, live demos, and live music
Pea Island Art Gallery in Salvo
Island Art House in Rodanthe will have live music and meet-the-artist
“We love being part of Rock The Cape because it integrates all kinds of art,” said Studio 12 owner Dawn Eskins. “Since we are a working studio with so many mediums already, it’s a real pleasure to add music to our environment and come full circle, creatively.”
A list of the artists, musicians, activities, sales, demonstrations, snacks and more that these galleries will be featuring during the tour is available at DareArts.org/rockthecape and more details will be added as the event gets closer.
This project is sponsored by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.
This project is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
For more information about the event, please visit DareArts.org/rockthecape or call (252) 473-5558.
Dare Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to encouraging the arts in Dare County through advocacy, enrichment, and opportunity.
Comments