Dare Arts reimagines Hatteras Island’s ‘Rock The Cape’ into Art Gallery Tour

The 13th Annual Rock The Cape will look different this year with Dare Arts reimagining the event into a full day Hatteras Island art gallery tour, which will be held on Friday, September 26.

“After careful consideration and important feedback from many in the Hatteras arts community, we decided to redesign Rock The Cape into an event that better supports the art galleries on the island, and the artists that they represent,” said Dare Arts Executive Director Jessica Sands.

Last month Hatteras Island was impacted by Hurricane Erin, and many of the art galleries lost a week of their summer season business with a mandatory evacuation ordered for visitors.

“Hatteras Island is a unique and fragile place,” added Sands. “It is Dare Arts’ responsibility to serve all of Dare County, including Hatteras Island, and our hope is that this Gallery Tour will not only give folks a chance to meet local Hatteras artists, but also a chance to support their creative efforts. Make a day of it! Jump in the car with some friends and enjoy the beauty of the island while acquainting yourself with the Hatteras Island Arts community.”

Red Drum Pottery owners Rhonda Bates and Wes Lassiter at their gallery in Frisco. Photo courtesy of Dare Arts.

Eight art galleries from Salvo 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 26 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 is a list of the participating galleries (listed north to south):

Pea Island Art Gallery in Salvo
Studio 12 in Avon will have make & take art, meet the artists, live demos, and live music
Swell Art Gallery in Buxton will have live music, meet the artist, and baked goods
Artistic Treasures in Buxton will have make & take jewelry, meet the artist, and snacks
Red Drum Pottery in Frisco will have fresh hibiscus or yaupon tea and live music
The Blue Lagoon in Frisco will have live music, meet the artist, BBQ, wine, and chocolate
Family Jewels in Hatteras will have live music, meet the artist, and mimosas
Blue Pelican, Gallery, Gifts + Yarn in Hatteras will have live music, a sale, and snacks

For a full list of the artists, musicians, activities, sales, demonstrations, snacks and more that these galleries will be featuring during the tour, visit DareArts.org/rockthecape.

“The gallery community on Hatteras Island is so vibrant,” said owner of Swell Art Gallery April Trueblood. “So many visitors and residents of the Outer Banks are entirely unaware that Hatteras Island has an art scene, and that it is so incredibly robust. The Rock The Cape Gallery Tour is an amazing opportunity to meet and connect with our island’s creatives, including the galleries and their owners, and local artists and musicians. I consider it a huge gift that Dare Arts is undertaking this effort to bring so much needed awareness to the island’s creative community.”

This project is sponsored by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

For more information about the event, visit DareArts.org/rockthecape.

In 2025, Dare Arts is commemorating its 50th anniversary by celebrating its past, present, and future. Dare Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to encouraging the arts in Dare County through advocacy, enrichment, and opportunity.