Out to sea nc fest tickets on sale Now!
November 8-10, 2026
Sunday 11/8
3:30 PM
“Saltwater Stories” at Brooklyn Arts Center
Dinner with Keith Rhodes, highlighting the impact of African American foodways on North Carolina's coast.
An immersive cultural experience highlighting food, history, and community legacy.
Focusing on the stories of the history of the Nixon family who opened the first oyster shucking plant in New Hanover County. John Mallette from Southern Breeze Seafood in Jacksonville, NC will be doing a cooking demo and two-time James Beard nominee Keith Rhodes of Voyce Bistro will be cooking.
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Monday 11/9
Daytime block
10:00am-1:30pm
An intensive educational session designed for the seafood industry, hospitality professionals, and seafood enthusiasts.
Includes:
Caviar Class | Lianne Won-Reburn of Marshallberg Caviar Farm
Seasonality and Sustainability of Finfish | Lin Peterson & Ryan Speckman of Locals Seafood
State of NC Shrimp Industry | Joe Romano of Seaview Crab Co.
Light Snacks and Drinks provided.
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night block
5:30 pm
“Saltwater Cinema: Stories from the Southern Coast” at Thalian Hall
The event will kick off at 5:30pm featuring a reception with freshly shucked oysters from six Southern oyster farmers and a wine and beer bar included in your ticket. The double feature documentary screening will begin at 6:30pm, followed by a post-screening conversation with Chef Dean Neff, Seabird; oyster farmer Conor MacNair, N. Sea Oyster Co.; shellfish forager Ana Shellem, Shellem Seafood; Chef Ricky Moore, Saltbox Seafood Joint; and filmmaker Heather Burgiss. The conversation will be moderated by Erin Byers Murray, The Local Palate magazine.
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Tuesday 11/10
6pm
Collaborative Chef Dinner at Seabird | Seven Chefs offer one course each highlighting a NC ingredient. Includes Devotion Cider pairings with special guest Diane Flynt, founder of Foggy Ridge Cider and author of Wild, Tamed, Lost, Revived: The Surprising Story of Apples in the South.
Chefs: Nicole Cabrera Mills of Pêche in New Orleans, Ricky Moore of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham, Vivian Howard and Charlotte Coman of Theodosia in Outer Banks and Chef and The Farmer in Kinston, Adé Carenna of iLéWA Foods, Keith Rhodes of Voyce Bistro in Wilmington, Carson Jewell of Manna in Wilmington, and pastry chef Leticia Torres-Rojas of Seabird.
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Thank you to our partners!
Fisher people: Lin Peterson and Ryan Speckman of Locals Seafood, Ana Shellem of Shellem Seafood, Conor MacNair of N. Sea Oyster Co., Lianne Won-Reburn of Marshallberg Caviar, Joe Romano of Seaview Crab Co, and John Mallette of Southern Breeze Seafood.
Media Partners: Erin B. Murray of The Local Palate magazine, producer Maggie Ward, filmmaker Heather Burgiss
Venue Partners: Thalian Hall, Arrive Hotels, Brooklyn Arts Center
Charitable Partners: Cape Fear River Watch, Oyster South