Dare County invites the community to attend the Dare County Parks & Recreation Department’s Family Fun in the Park Block Party on Friday, July 17, 2026 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This free event will transform a loop along Mustian Street in Kill Devil Hills into an evening of outdoor adventure, hands-on activities and family-friendly fun. The Block Party route will begin at Family Recreation Park*, continuing along Mustian Street, winding through the Outer Banks Arboretum and Teaching Garden and into Aviation Park. Along the route, children can enjoy a variety of activities, including a water slide, games, scavenger hunts, work vehicle displays and more. Free hot dogs will also be available for attendees.

The fun begins at the Veterans Drive entrance to Family Recreation Park (between the baseball fields), where participants will pick up an event map and set off on an adventure. Participants who visit each activity station and collect stamps along the way can return their completed maps for a chance to win exciting prizes.

Some of the free, family friendly activities that are planned along the block include:

Free hotdogs served at the Dare County Parks & Recreation Family Recreation Park concession stand

A water dunk booth and water-related activities for children at the Dare County Water Department

Sidewalk chalk art activities at the Dare County Library’s Kill Devil Hills branch

Grandparents vs. grandkids cornhole competitions at the Thomas A. Baum Senior Center

Scavenger hunts through Outer Banks Arboretum with Dare County Master Gardeners and games in Aviation Park with the Town of Kill Devil Hills

Emergency and work vehicle displays with Dare County EMS, Kill Devil Hills Fire Department, Kill Devil Hills Police Department, Dare County Emergency Management and Dare County Parks & Recreation

Family short court tennis facilitated by the Outer Banks Tennis Association at the Family Recreation Park tennis courts

Various games inside the Dare County Youth Center and on the lawn, featuring a water slide and Dare County informational booths

This is a free event, and everyone in the community is invited to attend! For more information about the Dare County Parks & Recreation Department’s Family Fun in the Park Block Party, view the Family Fun in the Park Block Party Facebook event or view the event webpage.

*Attendees are encouraged to park at First Flight Elementary School, which is located at 107 Veterans Drive in Kill Devil Hills. The parking lot at Family Recreation Park will be roped off for emergency services vehicle displays and pedestrians.