OBX History Weekend: Searchers of New Horizons – Symposium & Entertainments
OBX History Weekend returns Wednesday, March 30th, through Saturday, April 2nd, 2022.
The theme for this year’s free, interactive, public-oriented symposium is Searchers of New Horizons. The weekend celebrates the questers, inventors, dreamers, and pioneers whose paths included the Outer Banks.
Each day hosts different presentations, entertainments, site tours, and living history reenactments that include new information about Roanoke colonist Thomas Harriot and his remarkable discoveries; English and Native views of the Carolina Algonquians; new discoveries about the fate of the fabled Lost Colony; a new view of Sir Walter Raleigh; and groundbreaking aviators including the Wright Brothers and Sister, General Billy Mitchell, Amelia Earhart, Chuck Yeager, Francis Rogallo and more.
OBX History Weekend 2022
OBX History Weekend is an international symposium, exhibition and series of tours and entertainments that acquaint scholars and the general public with exciting new information.
The program is designed as a gathering of scholars from around the world to discuss from their own unique perspectives the remarkable emergence of new research which is certain to stimulate excitement and discussion on the Outer Banks.
In 2022, there will be free events happening all weekend long including:
Searchers of New Horizons Symposium: 3 days of different presentations and group discussions led by internationally acclaimed historians, archaeologists and anthropologists.
Symposium Day 1: Thomas Harriot
Thursday, March 31st, 2022, kicks off the first day of OBX History Weekend’s Searchers of New Horizons Symposium at The Lost Colony’s indoor Gazebo Theatre from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. This full day of public-oriented half-hour presentations is focused on English naturalist, astronomer, mathematician, ethnographer, translator, and Roanoke colonist, Thomas Harriot and his associates—Sir Walter Raleigh, John Dee and others.
Symposium Day 2: Native Americans, lost colonists’ fate & General Billy Mitchell
Friday, April 1st features two symposia at two locations:
Site One: Native Americans & the Lost Colonists’ Fate from 9am – 5pm at The Lost Colony’s indoor Gazebo Theatre at Fort Raleigh.
Site Two: General Billy Mitchell starts at 9am at the Pioneer Theatre on Budleigh Street in Manteo with a field trip at 2pm to the Billy Mitchell Airstrip in Frisco, Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Symposium Day 3: Questing Aviators with links to the Outer Banks
Saturday, April 2nd, (Day 4 of OBX History Weekend 2022) is the 3rd and final day of the Searchers of New Horizons Symposium, titled Aviators – Those Magnificent Men & Women and Their Flying Machines. Come to the Gazebo Theatre at Fort Raleigh for presentations on The Wright Brothers, Amelia Earhart, Chuck Yeager and more.
All but one symposium session will be held at the Gazebo Theatre at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. The Pioneer Theatre in Manteo’s Town Center will host the Aviation session on General Billy Mitchell.
Reservations are recommended for all 3 days of the Searchers of New Horizons Symposium.
Use the form below to claim your seat.
Reserve Your Spot For OBX History Weekend 2022
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*Reservations are not required for site tours or exhibition*
Searchers of New Horizons Exhibition at the Dare County Arts Council: Historic artifacts and art exhibits on historical figures discussed during the Searchers of New Horizons Symposium will be on display at the Dare County Arts Council in Manteo. Costumed docents will be onsite for the exhibition curated by Alexandra Klingelhofer.
The exhibition opens on Thursday, March 31st, 2022 at 6:00 PM with a wine and cheese reception for symposium attendees and will run for the general public Tuesday-Fridays, 10 AM-5 PM, and Saturday 10 AM-4 PM, from April 1st – 9th, 2022.
No reservations are required for exhibition visits from April 1st – April 9th.
Sign up for the Symposium to attend the Cheese & Wine Reception.
Specialized Site Tours: Multiple guided, specialized site tours are planned during OBX History Weekend 2022.
Wednesday’s Specialized Site Tours will be in the morning and afternoon at two locations.
At Fort Raleigh National Historic Site there will be tours of the museum, Historic Zones, and in the Visitors Center Living History Episodes featuring Elizabethan Lady, Nancy Avalon in an interactive performance of Elizabethan songs and instrumentals and in the Historic Zone, Willie Balderson, Director of Living History and Historic Trades Interpretation for the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation, performing his living history episode portraying Anas Todkill, the Jamestown colonist sent to search for survivors of Raleigh’s ‘lost colony’.
Tour Times:
Morning: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Afternoon (repeat): 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Guided tours of Wright Brothers National Memorial will include the Museum and Flight Room exhibits; Ranger-led tour of the First Flight Boulder & Flight Line; a short walk to meet the Guide at the Reconstructed 1903 Camp Buildings; climb Kill Devil Hill and view the December 1903 Sculpture after ranger-led tours commence.
Tour Times:
Morning: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Afternoon (repeat): 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Friday, Day 2 of the symposium, includes a field trip to Billy Mitchell Airstrip in Frisco in the afternoon with free, guided tours departing at 2 PM.
No reservation is necessary for guided site tours and living history episodes.
Questers Rendezvous: Dinner and entertainments presented by OBX History Weekend. Features light jazz and singers Laura Martier, Shannah Boone and the live jazz band, Contented from Elizabeth City.
- Friday, April 1st, 2022 from 6 PM – 10 PM at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk.
- Hors d’oeuvres at 6:00 PM
- Dinner & show from 7:00 PM – 10: PM.
- Reservations are $50 and tables of 10 are available for $700 per table.
- We’re sorry we are going to miss you this year, the Questers’ Rendezvous is full and we cannot take any more reservations.
- Please sign up for our newsletter to get on our mailing list for future OBX History Weekend events and Rendezvous
Event Producers and Sponsors
Outer Banks History Weekend is produced by The First Colony Foundation, Elizabeth R & Company and The National Park Service – Outer Banks Group.
The Searchers of New Horizons Exhibition is hosted by the Dare County Arts Council.
The Presentation and Screening of the General Billy Mitchell Symposium session are hosted by Ye Olde Pioneer Theatre.
Primary Sponsors: The Percy W. & Elizabeth G. Meekins Charitable Trust, Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, Bryan Cultural Series, Outer Banks Community Foundation, Stan White Rentals and Construction, The North Carolina Humanities Council and Derek & Sharon Hatchell.
Symposium historians, archaeologists, and anthropologists making presentations at the Symposium include: Karin Amundsen, Robert Anthony Jr., Robyn Arianrhod, Paul Carr, Robert Chartrand, Steven Clucas, Dorothy Cochrane, Darrell Collins, Thomas Crouch, Scott Dawson, Phil Evans, Christian Feest, Robert Fox, Alan Gallay, Ann Honious, Carter Hudgins, Duncan James, Eric Klingelhofer, Karen Kupperman, Brent Lane, Douglas Lantry, Nick Luccketti, Helen Rountree, Kim Sloan, Edward Swindell and Billy Vaughn.
