Southport NC Events - October Starts with a Bang

SOUTHPORT - There is so much happening locally and in the area this weekend that I feel the need to hit the high spots for those deciding what they might like to do. The biggest of the events snuck up on me this year. The 30th Annual US Open King Mackerel Tournament got underway in Southport yesterday. With over $100,000 in prize money given to 55 winners, the tournament easily attracts 400 boats every year. I haven't done it in awhile, but it's well worth it to get up before dawn and head down to the the Waterfront and watch the boats head out to hallowed fishing grounds. Don't forget the fish fry on Saturday night at the Marina. The public is welcome and plates are $7.


As a sidekick on Saturday at 10:00, there's Captain Charlie's Kid's Fishing Tournament for kids 16 years of age & under at the City Pier. A free t-shirt & food goes to the 1st 100 children to register. Bring your own rod & bait. Co-Sponsored by: Southport Parks & Recreation & Southport Lions Club. 910-457-7945




Backing up a day, tonight Downtown Southport hosts its First Friday Gallery Walk from 5-7. Enjoy refreshments and special events at each participating gallery: Franklin Square Gallery, 130 E. West Street; The Ricky Evans Gallery, 211 N. Howe Street; Lantana's Gallery & Fine Gifts, 110 E. Nash Street & Cape Fear Coppershop, 111-B S. Howe Street. And it's FREE!


Back to Saturday, from 9AM - 2PM is the 16th Annual Street of Shops -Fall Craft Bonanza. It has become quite an event that is held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church every year. It benefits both in and out-reach programs, offering a wide range of locally hand made goods. Bake Sale, raffle and light lunch available.


From there you might want to head over to Stage II Production's first ever Oktoberfest - "Celebration of Beer, Brautwurst, and Ballyhoo" from 3-7:30. It's in Southport behind Smithville Commons at 807 N Howe. (Behind the Adventure Company) The Harbour Town Fest Band will perform. 910-363-4274.


If you're still in the spirit, a benefit concert with Anne Haley and Friends will be at St. Peter's Lutheran Church just north of Long Beach Road on Highway 211. It starts at 7:30 and includes a former resident of Oak Island, Anne Haley, who has an extensive performing history. Friends and fellow musicians, singers, and songwriters John Golden, Catesby Jones, and Mark Teachey will join the show. Two special guests included phenomenal mandolin player, Gerald Hampton, of Franklinville, NC and Wilmington's Kent Knorr and his ukulele talents. Proceeds will benefit the Southport-Oak Island Food Pantry. 910-842-5160.


And finally, last but not least is this weekend only's run of the spectacular Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The Sunday matinee will be the perfect time to see Brunswick Little Theatre's ambitious and infectious rendition of this timeless classic. With shows at Odell Williamson Auditorium, the curtain goes up tonight at 7:30, followed by a matinee on both Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. I am helping out with tech on this show and I can say unabashedly that kid's of ALL ages will LOVE is show. The special effects will have everyone on the edge of their seats. Amazing set and lighting designer from New York, Paul Bertelsen, elevates the show, bringing 25-years of professional work to our local stage. Director Debbie Skillman has once again put together a terrific show with a talented bunch of kids. All tickets/$6 ... don't miss it!
Contact: Thom Clemmons - 910-524-4869
The weather looks to be absolutely perfect all weekend. Let's get out and enjoy!
*** Results are in ...Southport's native son Buck Smith, on Second Time Around, takes the $25,000 top prize with a 40.2 lb.fish. Chris Edens from Wilmington takes second, and Bryan Rowley from Southport reels in third place. Nine Southport boats placed in the top fifty ... 18 total from Brunswick County ... best local showing I remember.


contact: southportsoundings@gmail.com
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Fall Fishing Arrives with a Bang to Southport, North Carolina

This weekend sets the tone for the upcoming Fall fishing season in Southport, NC, as the 29^th Annual US Open King Mackerel Tournament starts Friday, October 5th.

Always the first weekend in October, this Grand Slam event offers one of the biggest purses in sports fishing, with the winning fish fetching $25,000. Over $100,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded. With over 500 boats competing, the tournament brings an estimated 2 million dollar impact with it to Southport and the Brunswick County area. This is a pretty big deal for a little town with a population of less than 3000 people. But Southport is no stranger to big-time events, as it hosts the largest and longest running 4^th of July Festival in North Carolina, welcoming 50,000+ visitors every year. The event is sponsored by the Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce. One of the unique aspects of this tournament is the fact that most of the winning fish are caught within 15 miles of shore, with some caught much closer inshore. This allows the guy (or gal) in a 16’ skiff to compete with the big rigs of a 40’ offshore monster. And to make the whole thing family friendly, there’s the Captain Charlie’s Kids Fishing Tournament running Saturday from 10-4 at the Southport City Pier. Sponsored by the Southport Parks and Rec, and the Southport Lions Club, kids 16 and under compete in a “catch and release” format. A free tee-shirt goes to the first hundred kids, and it’s free hot dogs and drinks all around. Prizes are donated by local merchants.

If you’re visiting the area but not into fishing, there’s plenty of other goings-on locally and within an easy drive. The biggest draw is Riverfest. This huge annual event, is held in Historic Downtown Wilmington, on the banks of the Cape Fear River. The weekend-long event offers river races, live music, lots of arts and crafts, food booths, and a children’s carnival. Don’t miss the big-time fireworks display on Saturday night. If you love theatre, there’s the musical biography Hank Williams: Lost Highway playing at City Stage, and Jekyll and Hyde, at Thalian Hall. Both of these venues are fabulous in their own right and offer a very unique theatre experience. By then you'll be ready to head back to the slower, gentler, pace of Southport.

Back at home, shoppers can have a hay day. With antique, boutique. and unique gift shops scattered all about town, it's hard to see it all. To top it all off, there’s a maritime museum, a variety of walking and bike tours, a super art gallery, great restaurant choices, all within easy walking distance of downtown. Fall is the perfect time to travel just about anywhere in North Carolina. We are blessed to live in a truly beautiful State with much diversity and opportunities galore.

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