Schedule of Events
Sensory-friendly Open House
February 23, 2023 // 5pm-8pm ET
This sensory-sensitive experience was provided to the community by the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island. They opened the house but dimmed the lights, softened the music, and provided other accommodations to make this an amazing evening. The Aquarium hasn’t set dates and times for 2024.
Art-rageous Kids Art Festival
May 13, 2023 // 10:00am-3:00pm ET
The 34th Annual Artrageous Kids Art Festival was held at Dowdy Park in Nags Head. The 2023 theme was Space to Create!, offering kids a fun, open-minded, outdoor space to let their creativity flow. The annual Artrageous event is a free, family-friendly event that includes art activities, live music, dance performances, an artisan market, and food vendors. Surfing for Autism will have a booth with information and merch.
OBX Jeep Invasion
May 12-14, 2023 // Times Varied Each Day
We were honored to be selected (along with the OBX SPCA) to share proceeds from the 3rd annual OBX Jeep Invasion! The OBX Jeep Invasion is about bringing together Jeep-minded people for fun, adventure and giving back to our beach community. The 2023 gathering, hosted at the Sound Side Event Site in Nags Head, included a Poker Run, Vendor Bingo, Show & Shine, raffles, live bands, vendors, food trucks and lots of fun!
Silent Auction
Spring 2024 // Time TBD
Beyond donations, our primary fundraiser is the silent auction. Jack Brown’s in KDH hosted us in 2023. Location, date, and times for 2024 are TBD. Check out our support page to learn more about donating an item, volunteering to help, or placing a bid.
Evening at the Aquarium
July 13, 2023 // 5:30pm-8:00pm ET
The NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island is being opened for SFA and for SFA only! This one-of-a-kind experience, generously donated by the NC Aquarium, offers an exclusive opportunity for our families and volunteers to feel relaxed and valued. Come and enjoy all that the aquarium has to offer within a sensory-friendly environment. Let us know you’re planning to when you register for the surfing event.
Participant Meet & Greet
July 14, 2023 // 5:30pm-7:30pm ET
Families and participants are encouraged to attend the “Meet & Greet” at Jennette’s Pier in their upstairs banquet room. You’ll be able to check in and then head upstairs for a very casual dinner and mingle with other families. (“Casual” is casual for the beach = sandals, t-shirts, and boardshorts are welcome.) This time is also a great opportunity for our families to relax, mingle, and pick up some merch. We’ll end dinner with a short program and information about the surfing event.
When the program wraps up, siblings of participants will have the opportunity to go fishing on the pier FOR FREE. This sibling-only experience is one of the unique offerings of Surfing for Autism and provided by the kind folks at Jennette’s Pier.
While the siblings head out to fish, surfing participants can head down to the beach. This is an optional opportunity to get accustomed to the surfboard, practice standing on a board, and ask all the surfing questions you can think of. This will be ON LAND. We’ll get in the water on Saturday.
Surfing Event
July 15, 2023 // 8:00am-1:00pm ET
Our surfing event partners participants with volunteers who are surfers and therapeutic professionals for an hour of aquatic fun in the sun at Jennette’s Pier. When it’s time for the participant’s assigned heat, they’ll receive a lifejacket and meet their surfers and therapeutic professional. After transitioning to the water, they’ll spend time catching some of the best waves on the East coast… tides, current, wind direction, and seafloor conditions permitting. When their heat ends, they’ll transition to the beach and get some great pictures with their volunteers and anyone else who wants to get in the photo. We’ll also have merch available on the pier all morning.
Halloween Sensory Night
October TBD
This sensory-sensitive experience is provided to the community by our good friends at the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island. Dimmer lights, softer music, and an awesome shark tank make this not-so-scary experience one your family shouldn’t skip.
Sensory-Sensitive Santa
December TBD
This is another sensory-sensitive experience is provided to the community by our good friends at the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island. The lights are still Christmas colored but they’re dimmer lights. Bing Crosby is still singing White Christmas but it’s a little softer. Yes, the shark tank will still be there and they’ll all be jolly. Did I mention Santa will be there too? This ho-ho-holiday experience is one your family should definitely put on the calendar.
Network for Good // Robert O. Sykes, Jr. // Country Deli // American Online Giving Foundation // Farm Dogs // David & Eric Gardner // With a Twist // Outer Banks Distilling // Penske // Robin Hood // Slice Pizzeria
