Annual causeway parade and rare pedestrian access to the Holden Beach Bridge highlight opening day festivities.
HOLDEN BEACH, NC — The annual NC Festival by the Sea will return to Holden Beach on October 24–25, bringing with it one of the community’s most recognizable traditions: the opening parade along the Holden Beach Causeway.
Hosted by the Greater Holden Beach Merchants Association, the two-day festival celebrates the area’s coastal heritage with arts and crafts vendors, live entertainment, food, children’s activities, and family-friendly competitions.
The festival traditionally begins with a Saturday morning parade crossing the Holden Beach Causeway, a spectacle that draws residents and visitors from across Brunswick County and beyond. What makes the kickoff especially unique is its connection to the iconic Holden Beach Bridge: this event marks the only time of the year the bridge is closed to vehicle traffic and opened to pedestrians, allowing visitors to walk across and enjoy elevated, scenic views of the Intracoastal Waterway and the festivities below.
The parade steps off on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m., with bridge closures taking effect around 9:30 a.m. along the causeway toward the bridge and island entrance. Pedestrian access to the bridge is permitted during the morning parade closure window, lasting until traffic resumes late Saturday morning following the parade. Because the bridge is the primary vehicle access point to Holden Beach, drivers should expect heavy traffic and temporary delays along the causeway before and after the opening parade.
Festival attendees can expect dozens of exhibitors showcasing handmade arts, crafts, and coastal creations. The festival features more than 160 arts and crafts participants for 2026.
Additional activities traditionally include live music, a Saturday evening street dance, a horseshoe tournament, a sandcastle-building contest, an in-shore fishing tournament, and a variety of attractions for children throughout the weekend.
Admission and parking are free, making the event one of the largest and most accessible fall festivals along North Carolina’s southern coast. Visitors planning to watch the parade or walk the bridge are encouraged to arrive early due to heavy attendance around the causeway and bridge area during opening festivities.
Festival hours run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. The festival grounds are located near Jordan Boulevard and the Holden Beach Pavilion, where events will continue throughout the weekend following the opening parade.
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