The 2017 Dare Days in Manteo may have been the best attended yet.With a generous contribution from the weather, downtown Manteo was definitely the place to be this weekend.
On Friday the first First Friday of the summer kicked the season off in spectacular fashion followed by what may have been the best Dare Days celebration in some time.
First Friday
The June First Friday has traditionally featured musicians from area high schools and this year was no exception. The Jazz bands of First Flight High School, Manteo High School and First Flight Middle School were on hand to fill the air with music and they were good.
A small group of singers from the First Flight High School Advance Choir was also on hand. They, too, were excellent.
First Friday is a wonderful way to get ready for the month and with near perfect weather and great entertainment, it certainly achieved its goal.
Dare Days
The big event for the weekend, though, was the 42 Annual Dare Days.
This is an event that needs to be experienced to fully appreciate. Part street fair, part celebration of small town life and a way to bring in the summer season, this year's event seemed bigger and better than ever.
There was a nice little touch with a map of the United States that the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau was displaying. People who stopped by their booth got a little sticker that they could place on the map showing their hometown. It was astonishing seeing how wide the geographic distribution of visitors was—and it's not even peak season yet.
The music was fantastic. The original Rondells kicked things off at 11, but with two stages, there was always music happening.
This was truly a family friendly event with a real effort to make it fun for kids. There were rides and Kitty Hawk Kites brought their climbing wall. Island School of Dance was on hand with tap shoes for kids to try out. A little girl about three was on the floor holding the owner's hand and the hand of a student, learning how to tap. Great stuff.
No one was starving on Saturday—four or five booths serving funnel cake; lots of lemonade; food trucks were on hand...the streets of Manteo seemed to be brimming with color and people.
