Gather your family, friends and best green attire - the Emerald Isle St. Patrick's Festival returns on Saturday, March 11 at Emerald Plantation Shopping Center.

On this date, you can enjoy the popular St. Patrick's Festival, which includes art and crafts vendors, nonprofits, food and drink vendors, a beer tent, amusement rides, live music and more! Please note, applications have closed for all event vendors.

On Saturday, amusement rides will be operating from 9 a.m. - 6 pm. In addition, food vendors, 75 arts and crafts vendors, beer garden and live entertainment will run from 10 am. - 5 p.m.

New this year: Tickets for the beer tent can be purchased by credit card only - no cash.

On Friday, March 10, join us for amusement ride armband night from 3 - 8 p.m. There will be no food and drink vendors on this date.

Learn more about the Emerald Isle St. Patrick's Festival on our website.

You could win a brand new golf cart from Johns Golf Cars by purchasing a raffle ticket!

The Emerald Isle Business Association has partnered with the Emerald Isle Golf Cart Advisory Committee for your chance to win this four seat, customized golf cart valued at $13,500!

Ticket sales will be online only until March 9, and will not be available on March 10. At the Emerald Isle St. Patrick's Festival on March 11, there will be in-person ticket sales, and the winner of the golf cart will be drawn that afternoon.

Online tickets are $20 and are now available. You can purchase multiple raffle tickets at the same time, with six for $100.

Proceeds will benefit area programs and charities through the Emerald Isle Business Association, and improvements to the Emerald Isle Golf Cart program.

The Town of Emerald Isle staff had several opportunities for face-to-face community engagement in February, including two hospitality meetings and a morning with Leadership Carteret through the Carteret County Chamber of Commerce.

The meetings showcased the latest information from the Town of Emerald Isle, and ways each group could partner with the Town to further share beach safety information.

On February 14, the "We Love Emerald Isle," Hospitality Meeting with area Realtors and vacation rental specialists was held in the Town Board Meeting Room. This included introductions from department leaders, an introduction by Mayor Jason Holland, and a discussion by Town Manager Matt Zapp.

The next day, Mayor Holland and Town Manager Zapp spoke to the Leadership Carteret group with the Carteret County Chamber of Commerce, followed buy a presentation on adaptive leadership by Commissioner Jim Normile. This ten-week program offers and in-depth experience of all Carteret County has to offer, along with presentations from area leaders.

Finally, on February 28th, a Food & Beverage Hospitality Meeting was held with area restaurant and bar owner at the Islander Hotel & Resort. This was the first time this meeting was held, and it allowed for direct updates from the Town, as well as discussion among industry peers.

Take a few minutes to ensure your child's safety seat is properly installed and ready for the road with a free car seat safety check with Safe Kids North Carolina and certified area technicians.

This event will take place from 9 a.m. - 12 noon on Friday, March 3, in the parking lot of Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation, at 203 Leisure Lane.

Training is ongoing this week for several fire and police departments who conduct these car seat safety checks.

The Emerald Isle Fishing Tournament has up to six scholarships available for area students who are pursuing a degree in Marine Sciences or Technologies.

These $3,000 scholarships are available to graduating seniors at Croatan, West Carteret, East Carteret and Swansboro high schools and MaST Early College High School.

You can find the application details and materials on the Town's website, or on the Emerald Isle Fishing Tournament website.

The Town of Emerald Isle is seeking candidates for several fulltime, part-time and seasonal roles.

Visit our website for full job descriptions and applications:

Do you have what it takes to be an Emerald Isle Ocean Rescue Lifeguard, or know someone who does?

Applications are now open for lifeguard positions in 2023. You can find the job

description and application on the Town's website.

The Emerald Isle Fire Department will begin training in mid-March on an ongoing basis. Lifeguards will be on the beach strand in phases, starting April 1.

Paid parking will begin on April 15, and two free passes are available for Emerald Isle taxpayers. Paid parking will be at the Eastern and Western Ocean Regional accesses.

In addition, Handicapped/100% Disabled Vet, Purple Heart or Emerald Isle Business Owners are eligible for one free permit. Supporting documentation must be uploaded when applying for this one free permit in these categories.

Parking pass applications will be available online only for the month of March, and will also be available in person beginning Saturday, April 1. Starting on that date, you can apply at the Emerald Isle Police Department at 7500 Emerald Drive. You will need a current vehicle registration(s) and driver’s license when applying for your permit. You will receive an email when your pass is ready for pickup. If you have questions, please call EIPD at 252-354-2021.

Emerald Isle taxpayers are eligible to receive two annual free parking permits for the Eastern Ocean Regional and Western Ocean Regional accesses. These parking permits will be granted only for vehicles registered in the name of the taxpayer and are non-transferable.

The permit decal must be for the current year and be permanently affixed to the driver’s side windshield. Improper placement of decals may result in paying the parking fee, confiscation or possible citation. Lost or confiscated permits will not be reissued.

Paid beach parking will begin on on April 15 and will run through September 15. You can find additional details about paid parking and these passes on our website.

Paid Parking will once again range from $2-$4 per hour, with a maximum amount paid up to four hours. If you stay longer than this, you will only pay the four-hour price.

The Emerald Isle Fire Department is pleased to present the Inaugural Junior First Responder Camp in April!

Registration for this camp is available online. Registrations require a copy of the child's birth certificate and a recent sports physical. Once the spots are filled, you will be alerted via email if your child(ren) will be able to attend, and will be sent a payment link. This opportunity is first-come, first-serve.

This camp is for children ages 8 - 13, and participants will get firsthand interaction with fire trucks, hoses and more.

Camp runs from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. daily, and two separate sessions will be held:

The cost is $60 per participant. There are 25 spots available per week.

Questions can be directed to Deputy Chief William Matthias at bmatthias@emeraldisle-nc.org, or by calling 252-354-8696.

Are you interested in other camp opportunities for your children through the Town of Emerald Isle? Registration for Jr. Lifeguard Camp opens April 1, followed by registration for Summer Day Camp on April 10.

Summer Day Camp is held through Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation and spots are awarded through a lottery system.

The Town of Emerald Isle has free 2023 calendars available for the public to use.

Town residents and property owners can pick up the calendars at the Community Center, 203 Leisure Lane; the Police Department at 7500 Emerald Drive; or the Town's Administrative Offices at 7509 Emerald Drive.

These calendars feature Emerald Isle photos, beach safety information and lists all upcoming Town events for the year. Pick up yours today! Please note, these calendars are not available to be shipped.

If you prefer an electronic calendar format, you can view our upcoming events and meetings on the Town's website at emeraldisle-nc.org.

NCDOT Bridge Work Schedule

The following information is from the North Carolina Department of Transportation:

In November, a state highway contractor began daytime lane closures on weekdays on the two-lane Emerald Isle Bridge (N.C. 58) for the ongoing bridge preservation project.

The contractor will follow this schedule for lane closures, lasting until March 31, when the project is scheduled to be completed:

The contractor may elect to work either Saturday or Sunday, or both days, on the weekends. The contractor in September resumed the rehabilitation work under nighttime lane closures.

Drivers should proceed cautiously over the bridge and expect possible delays.

When a lane is closed, flagging operations will be used to allow traffic from each direction to take turns crossing the bridge, so drivers should expect delays and proceed cautiously in the work zone.

For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.

Golf cart permits are available for 2023 through the Emerald Isle Police Department. These permits expire on December 31 of each year, no matter when you last purchased a permit.

New this year: You will receive a golf cart safety keychain with your permit, that includes a QR code to our interactive golf cart map.

You can find the full list of golf cart rules and regulations on our website, along with your permit application. In addition, watch our video below for an overview of Emerald Isle's golf cart rules.

There is still time remaining in this beach driving season, and applications for the 2022-23 season are available online at www.emeraldisle-nc.org, or in person at the Police Department, at 7500 Emerald Drive.

You will receive an email alerting you when your permit is ready to be picked up at the EIPD.

The official beach driving season began Thursday, September 15th, and will conclude on April 30. Beach Driving is closed for April 1 - 10, in accordance with the ten-day break around Easter.

Please note, the traffic pattern has changed this year when accessing the beach strand at the Point. Drivers should respect the roped off areas and follow the traffic flow. The new ingress and egress also applies to foot traffic.

You can watch a video from Chief of Police Michael Panzarella on the changes here.

Watch the video below for information on the beach driving application process.

Join the Emerald Isle Neighborhood Watch in 2023! You can learn more information and helpful hints about keeping yourself and your neighborhood safe on our Neighborhood Watch webpage.

The Emerald Isle Fire Department provides for special medical care and/or help evacuating during disasters, including hurricanes, to those who are registered under the Medically Fragile List.

It is important to note that this form should be completed and submitted to EIFD well in advance of impending disasters. If you or your family member are not already on this list, please take the time today to register.

Contact the Emerald Isle Fire Department at 252-354-2445 if you have additional questions, or would like to register with the Medically Fragile list.

Please note, this registration service was previously handled through Carteret County Emergency Services. If you previously signed up through the County, you will need to register with the Emerald Isle Fire Department.

The Town of Emerald Isle is offering a subscription program to help offset the cost of an ambulance transport. This optional annual subscription of $50 covers the direct costs of ambulance services not paid by your insurance. The $50 covers two people: the head of household, along with one other person. You may include others living in the household for an additional $10 each. Your subscription begins two days after receipt of application, payment, and acceptance by the Town of Emerald Isle's Fire Department and expires on June 30th, 2023. There will be no refunds for cancelled or forfeited memberships.

Memberships will transfer, and provide identical coverage protection, once the Fire/EMS departments merge in 2023. Sign up today for this service.

Please note, any subscriptions done prior to June 30 have expired. This program runs from July 1 - June 30, with the Town's fiscal year.

You can register online for the subscription program or call the Fire Department at 252-354-2445 to complete the information over the phone.

The Town of Emerald Isle has a number of official online platforms you can use to stay connected to the latest news, upcoming events, the Parks and Recreation monthly calendars, our live beach and traffic cameras, and more.

You can also view the monthly Board of Commissioners meetings, which are live streamed on our Facebook page. These meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.

Follow us on the following platforms:

On Fridays we share pictures from the community - and we need your help. Send your best Emerald Isle pictures to Anna Smith, Town Clerk/Public Information Officer, at asmith@emeraldisle-nc.org for consideration. Please include "Friday Features" in the subject line, and the name of the photographer. You can also use #EmeraldIsleNC in your Instagram photos.

Lace up those sneakers rising sixth and seventh graders! If you love basketball and want to gain experience training alongside real college basketball players and coaches, Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative will select one young man to attend the Carolina Basketball School at UNC-Chapel Hill and one young woman to attend the Wolfpack Women’s Basketball Camp at NC State University this summer. All expenses for the overnight camps will be paid by the cooperative. Campers are responsible for their own transportation to and from the camp.

While the physical benefits of playing sports are quite obvious, we’re confident campers will gain new skills that will develop their character and help them excel on and off the court, such as collaborating with teammates, setting goals and establishing new friendships. Contestants are judged on academic records, extra-curricular activities and the content of two short essays. Applications must be submitted by March 31. Scholarship winners will be announced in May.

To apply, visit www.ccemc.com/SportsCamps.

BBWC Customers,

If planning on leaving your home for an extended period of time, evacuating for a hurricane or winterizing your home, please be sure to cut off your water at your customer cut off valve.

Most customer cut off valves are located in a green box close to BBWC's black meter box near the street. If you need help locating your customer cut off valve, please call our office and we can schedule for a technician to come out and mark your box with flags.

Note: Any repairs or replacement needed for the customer cut off valve are the responsibility of the customer. Please call a plumber.

As always, thank you for being our valued customers!