70th ANNUAL MULLET FESTIVAL

The Swansboro Mullet Festival of North Carolina

oin us downtown Swansboro for the 70th Annual Swansboro Mullet Festival of North Carolina on October 12-13, 2024. Featuring a parade Saturday at 9am, street vendors, kids’ area, live music, fish fry, food vendors, and more. The 70th Annual Mullet Festival of North Carolina is presented by Team Chevrolet Swansboro. Stay tuned for more information.
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The Swansboro Mullet Festival of North Carolina, the oldest festival in the Crystal Coast, began in 1954. The weekend centers around the small, bony fish that appears as having a purplish-blue tint when found in Eastern North Carolina waters. Swansboro natives remember days long ago when mullets were hauled to shore in nets hooked to tractors along the beach.
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In 1954, mullet fed the workers building the White Oak River Bridge that later became a vital link between Onslow and Carteret counties. Upon its completion, the conception of the Mullet Festival began. It was a way to celebrate the arrival of the modern era in bridge form. The event started as a potluck-type event with the town coming together and contributing to the celebration.

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