Over 40 performing, visual artists to participate in 10th annual Rock The Cape event


A concert, art show and gallery tour will comprise the 10th Annual Rock The Cape, which will be held on Hatteras Island June 2-3.

From 12pm to 5pm on Thursday, June 2, over 25 local and regional artists will gather on the lawn at Kitty Hawk Kites’ Waves Village Watersports Center at Milepost 40 in Rodanthe for the Rock The Cape Art Show. Hatteras Island musicians Rory Kelleher, Brian Surrat, Loose Wheel, Sam on Sax, Izzy Pop, and Eli Thompson will be playing acoustic tunes throughout the day during the art show.

VSTLTY (pronounced Versatility). [Photo courtesy VSTLTY]

A soundfront concert on the deck at Kitty Hawk Kites will start at 5pm. There will be funk, rock, reggae, and psychedelic jams by VSTLTY from Greenville, NC, Higher Education from Baltimore, MD and Safe Space from Hatteras Island and New Bern, NC.

“We are so proud and honored to be a part of this year’s Rock the Cape,” said owner of Sea Sharp Music and Hatteras Island musician Barry Wells. “I remember playing in the parking lot at the first ever Rock The Cape at Koru’s Beach Klub 10 years ago. I’m excited about the music lineup I helped create for this year’s main stage with the wonderful people at Dare County Arts Council. Higher Education is a reggae/rock fusion trio from my hometown and this is their first time playing on Hatteras Island, and I cannot wait for everyone to experience them. Safe Space is a project that Blake Durham and I collaborated on this past offseason with some of our musical brothers from New Bern. My favorite band to share with you all at Rock The Cape is VSTLTY (pronounced Versatility). They play some of the truest, rawest, most powerful and honest music I have witnessed in my time. They are pure rock n’ roll…a true musical adventure!”

Higher Education [Photo courtesy Higher Education]

The evening will conclude with a multimedia visual art experience by Hatteras Island artist Robin Vuchnich.

Admission to the art show and concert is free and both events are family-friendly.

On Friday, June 3 Rock The Cape will host Friday Arts on the Island, which is an all day First Friday tour of the galleries on Hatteras Island. The galleries participating in Friday Arts on the Island will have demonstrations, classes, sales, raffles, music, food and drink, and more happening at their locations. Visit DareArts.org/rockthecape to see a full list of the participating galleries.

“We will be doing artist demonstrations from 11am to 4pm at Kinnakeet Clay in Old Avon Village during Friday Arts on the Island,” said owner of Kinnakeet Clay and ceramic artist Antoinette Gaskins Mattingly. “Artist Ruth Moffatt and myself will be doing wheel-throwing and handbuilding demonstrations.”

Owner of Kinnakeet Clay and ceramic artist Antoinette Gaskins Mattingly. [Photo courtesy Kinnakeet Clay]

Rock The Cape was started in 2012 as an initiative to celebrate the galleries, artists, and artistic community on Hatteras Island.

Rock The Cape is sponsored by Vacasa.

Thank you to Kitty Hawk Kites for co-hosting Rock The Cape.

This project is sponsored by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.

For more information about Rock The Cape, visit DareArts.org/rockthecape or call 252-473-5558.