Planning Before You Go: Tickets, Lodging / Accommodations, Parking and
Shuttle Transportation, Pilot Information, Special Needs, What Not to Bring
to the Event

What to Expect When You Arrive: Seating and Lawn Chairs, Viewing the
Event, Security Screening, Safety, Weather, Food and Drink, On-Site
Centennial Store

Miscellaneous

Planning Before You Go

TICKETS

Q. How do I get tickets for the First Flight Centennial Celebration?
A.  All tickets for the December 17 and December 16 event days are sold out. Tickets are still available for the December 13-15 event days.  December 12 is a non-ticketed day.  Advance tickets via the internet and phone are no longer available. 

Tickets for December 13-15 may be purchased in person at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site Visitor Center in Manteo, NC.  Ticket sales for these days will continue at Fort Raleigh NHS through the event, or until tickets have sold out for each day.  Tickets may be purchased between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.  Forms of payment include personal check, cash, Master Card or Visa.  Phone orders will not be accepted.

Q. What’s included for the ticket price?
A. The ticket entitles the ticket holder to shuttle transportation to Wright Brothers National Memorial from designated remote parking sites and return, and access to all buildings, grounds, exhibits and performances open to the general public at Wright Brothers National Memorial during the event. Seating is not included in the ticket price. Seating and hospitality is available to Centennial Circle members. Chairs may be rented on site. Food and beverage service is not included in the ticket price.

Q. How much are tickets?
A. Individual one-day tickets are $10 per day.

Q. Do children need tickets?
A. Although children 12 and under enter the event for free, they must have special fee-free child tickets to enter the park.

Q. Are there discount tickets available?
A. Senior citizen (62 and over) and disabled individuals may purchase a daily ticket for $5 each.

Q. May I get a refund for unused tickets?
A. All sales are final. Unused tickets may be kept as souvenirs.

Q. Do I need a ticket for December 12?
A. December 12 is a non-ticketed day.

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LODGING / ACCOMMODATIONS

Q. How do I find available lodging and accommodations?
A. For a complete listing of current available accommodations on the Outer Banks, please visit the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau website www.outerbanks.org, call 1-877-298-4373 or email visitorinfo@outerbanks.org.

Q. How do I find available campgrounds?
A. Check camping availability through the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau at www.outerbanks.org or call 1-800-446-6262 or email visitorinfo@outerbanks.org.

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PARKING AND SHUTTLE TRANSPORTATION

Click here to access the North Carolina Department of Transportation website to access the First Flight Centennial Transportation Plan press release, PowerPoint presentation, and brochure; which include Park and Ride, and Circular Shuttle Service details.  There will be no parking available at Wright Brothers National Memorial for the event.

Q. Where do I park my car?
A. All visitor parking for the event will be remote parking from designated Park and Ride lots. There will be no parking available at the park site. Shuttle transportation will be provided for ticket holders from the Park and Ride lots to Wright Brothers National Memorial and return.

Q. Will I need a ticket to park my car or for shuttle transportation to the celebration?
A. All Park and Ride lots and shuttles, and Circular Shuttle Service, are free for event ticket holders.

Q. What about parking and transportation for participants with special needs?
A. Check the NCDOT First Flight Centennial Transportation Plan for details.  Lift equipped buses will be available from the Park and Ride lots at Kitty Hawk Elementary School and Dare County Judicial Center.  Visitors along the Circular Shuttle Service route may reserve lift equipped vehicle service by calling 1-888-825-7712 at least three hours ahead of time.  Reservations for this service can be made starting December 8. Special need visitors will be dropped of at a designated location and proceed through a screening area. An internal site shuttle will assist in accessing different locations on the Memorial grounds.

Q. Where can I find ferry schedules?
A. For ferry schedules, please visit www.outerbanks.org. Enter the words “ferry schedules” on the search screen.

Q. What’s the closest commercial airport to Wright Brothers National Memorial?
A. The closest commercial airport is Norfolk International Airport, approximately 90 miles north of the Outer Banks in Norfolk, VA. There are also commercial airports in Raleigh and Greenville, NC.

Q. Can I ride my bicycle to the celebration?
A. Bicycle racks will be located near event entrance areas. Bicycles will not be allowed on the park grounds during the event.

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PILOT INFORMATION

Q. I am a pilot and want to fly in for the celebration. What do I need to know?
A. Dare County Regional Airport (MQI) is the closest general aviation airport for flying to the December celebration. Check www.fly2mqi.com for information and a parking reservation form. There will be no public flight access to First Flight Airstrip (FFA) at Wright Brothers National Memorial during the event and airspace over the Memorial will be closed during the event.

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SPECIAL NEEDS

Q. What arrangements are being made for those with special needs?
A. The transportation plan will include two designated parking areas from which special need shuttles will run to Wright Brothers National Memorial. Special need visitors will be dropped of at a designated location and proceed through a screening area. An internal site shuttle will assist in accessing different locations on the Memorial grounds. The transportation plan is still under development and should be completed by this fall. Please check this website for updated information. There are no designated special needs viewing areas, but with the use of several Jumbotrons at the site reasonable viewing of activities should exist for all visitors.

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WHAT TO NOT BRING TO THE EVENT

Q. What should I not bring to the event?
A. Weapons, knives, explosives, fireworks, golf/beach umbrellas, kites, remote-controlled aircraft, frisbees, poles and sticks, laserlights/pointers, coolers of any size or make, glass containers, cans (soda pop, etc.), aerosol containers, mace/pepper spray, chairs and stools - etc, banners, alcoholic beverages, and pets. This list is a guide only. It is not intended to be all-inclusive. Visitors are strongly urged not to bring electronic devices of any sort into the Wright Brothers site because they require extra screening. Electronic devices include, but are not limited to: cellular telephones, pagers, televisions, radios, personal computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

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What to Expect When You Arrive

SEATING AND LAWN CHAIRS

Q. Does the ticket price include seats?
A. Seating is not included in the ticket price.  Chairs may be rented on site for $2.00 with a $1.00 reimbursement when the chair is returned. 

Q. May I bring a chair to the celebration?
A. For security reasons, lawn chairs are prohibited from being brought onto the park.

Q. May I reserve seats?
A. Seating and hospitality are available to members of the Centennial Circle and their guests. Centennial Circle is a limited membership program (500 maximum, first-come, first-served basis) designed for those who want to contribute to the Centennial and enjoy member amenities. Membership is available with a contribution of $2,003, which is largely tax-deductible. Recognition available for members includes two guaranteed seats during the Celebration week, along with access to the Centennial Circle hospitality tent, and other member amenities (such as access to limited hotel reservations). Click here to learn more about Centennial Circle, or call the Foundation at 919-715-1362 or e-mail us.

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VIEWING THE EVENT

Q. There will be a lot of people at the event. Will I have trouble seeing what’s going on?
A. Several Jumbotrons will be installed at the site to provide reasonable viewing of activities for all visitors.

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SECURITY SCREENING

Q. What security measures do I need to be aware of for the celebration?
A. Security screening at the Wright Brothers National Memorial will be heightened extensively for the First Flight Centennial Celebration, December 12-17, 2003. Many items usually carried by visitors to the Memorial may be excluded. The National Park Service strongly recommends that visitors minimize the number and size of all items carried into the Wright Brothers site.

  Any item carried by visitors will be carefully inspected and potentially excluded at the screening points. Visitors are urged to bring nothing larger than a small purse or bag. Additional items will cause delays in screening. The National Park Service will not hold prohibited or excluded items for visitors and, due to transportation arrangements, visitors will not have the opportunity to return items to their car or motel room.

Prohibited Items

The above list is a guide only. It is not intended to be all-inclusive.

Permitted items which will cause screening delays

Any of the below items will be thoroughly inspected, causing delays of the individual visitor as well as other visitors.

Additional information
  Electronic devices. Visitors are strongly urged not to bring electronic devices of any sort into the Wright Brothers site because they require extra screening. Electronic devices include, but are not limited to: cellular telephones, pagers, televisions, radios, personal computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

  Prohibited items and items determined to be not appropriate for entry into the site will be the responsibility of the ticket holder and cannot be accepted or checked by the National Park Service. We urge visitors to secure these items in vehicles or hotel rooms before traveling to the site.

  The cooperation, patience and understanding of visitors is appreciated by the National Park Service. The cooperation of all visitors will greatly aid in the level of security provided to all in attendance.

PLEASE COME EARLY TO AVOID DELAYS AND SPEED THE ENTRANCE OF ALL VISITORS.

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SAFETY

Q. What safety considerations should I be aware of?
A. Common sense is probably the best thing to bring with you to the event. The greatest safety consideration at the site will be the weather. Outer Banks Decembers can be cold and blustery. Be sure to dress appropriately, as most aspects of the event will take place outdoors and you may be outdoors for an extended period of time. There are low-growing cacti on the park grounds. You will need to take care when walking across open fields. It is recommend that you stay on maintained paths and roadways.

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WEATHER

Q. What type of weather can I expect?
A. Weather can be varied on the Outer Banks in December. Be prepared for cold and blustery days. When the Wright brothers flew in 1903, it was about 30 degrees F. with a chilling 20 – 30 mph wind. Most all aspects of the event will be taking place outdoors.

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FOOD AND DRINK

Q. What food and drink will be available?
A. Limited food and beverage will be for sale on the site during the event.

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ON-SITE CENTENNIAL STORE

Q. I am interested in purchasing First Flight Centennial memorabilia while I’m at the event. Where can I shop?
A. Official First Flight Centennial® commemoratives will be sold at the Wright Brothers National Memorial First Flight Centennial Pavilion. A portion of the proceeds from First Flight Centennial® products will go towards improving Wright Brothers National Memorial and helping to fund the First Flight Celebration.

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Miscellaneous

VOLUNTEERS

Q. I am interested in volunteering for the centennial celebration, whom would I contact?
A. Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the First Flight Centennial. As of November 7^th we are no longer accepting volunteer applications. For those of you who submitted an application before this deadline you should hear from the volunteer office by November 21^st.  If the volunteer program has accepted you, you will be receiving correspondence from us by both email and postal mail. If you believe that you have not received necessary materials or updates please contact the volunteer office at 252-441-6291 ext. 232 to verify mailing addresses.  Volunteer support is part of the backbone of the First Flight Centennial Celebration. Thank you to all who expressed interest with this historic event.

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OTHER EVENTS

Q. Are there other celebrations going on in North Carolina during the 2003 year? How do I find out about them?
A. Yes, there are other celebrations across North Carolina. They vary from local airports, military air shows to specified celebrations. To find out more information about these please visit the following website: www.visitnc.com or call 1-800-VISIT-NC for further information.

Q. Are there other celebrations going on outside of North Carolina? How do I find out about them?
A. There are many centennial celebrations taking place across the country. Check the calendar for the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission get information on events in other areas.

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VENDORS

Q. I am interested in selling items (gifts, novelties, food…) at the Centennial Celebration what is allowed and who do I contact?
A. All on-site sales are being done through Eastern National, a cooperating association with the National Park Service (252) 473-1147. Official First Flight Centennial (R) merchandise is also sold in the on-line Centennial Store. To become an official licensee, contact Brenda Conner Young at bcconnections@aol.com or (310) 877-5914.

Q. What opportunities are available for vendors?
A. Dare County Regional Airport is sponsoring welcome booths in its welcome pavilion on Roanoke Island. For additional information, please contact Jarie Ebert at 2003@fly2mqi.com or 252-473-2600 Ext 5.

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TELEVISED

Q. I live in California…England…Idaho…the Outer Banks and I am unable to attend the centennial celebrations but would like to be a part of it. Will the events be televised?
A. Media partners are involved in the planning process. Please keep checking, www.firstflightcentennial.org for updated media and televised information.

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SPONSORSHIPS

Q. I am interested in becoming a sponsor of the centennial event. Where can I obtain information and learn more about the benefits of becoming a sponsor?
A. A number of leadership organizations have chosen to become Official First Flight Centennial Sponsors and Donors. Sponsorship opportunities ranging from $10,000 and up are available, with benefits including tasteful, on site recognition; VIP seats and hospitality; media and publicity; listing in the official program; the right to use First Flight Centennial trademarks to promote your affinity with this historic event; and more. Contributions to the First Flight Centennial Foundation for various projects are eligible to be matched through our U.S. Mint Commemorative coin program -- effectively doubling your investment -- a unique benefit of participating in the First Flight Centennial. The First Flight Foundation is an official fundraising partner of the National Park Service. To learn more about available opportunities, contact Julie Ketner Rigby, Director of Development at 919-715-1362 or through e-mail. 

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OFFICIAL COMMEMORATIVES AND MEMORABILIA

Q. I am interested in purchasing First Flight memorabilia, where can I shop?
A. Official First Flight Centennial® commemoratives are available through the on-line store or at a growing number of retailers, including the gift shop in the First Flight Centennial Pavilion at Wright Brothers National Memorial. Or, you may use this list of all the Official Licensee web sites to browse and shop. A portion of proceeds from First Flight Centennial® products benefits the goals and objectives of the Foundation, including improving Wright Brothers National Memorial and helping to fund the Celebration. 

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LICENSED FIRST FLIGHT MERCHANDISE

Q. I want to sell First Flight memorabilia… what is licensed?
A. Please contact the First Flight Centennial Foundation (Ferg Norton) at either 919-715-1377 or via email at fnorton@firstflightcentennial.org.

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EXHIBITORS

Q. I am interested in displaying an exhibit at the Wright Brothers National Memorial during the Centennial Celebration, who would I contact.
A. Please contact the Centennial Planning Office to discuss exhibit criteria and displays, (252) 441-6291.

Q. I own a vintage aircraft/homebuilt aircraft… I am interested in participating in the air show fly over.
A. Contact the Centennial Planning Office, (252) 441-6291, for information regarding vintage/homebuilt aircraft static display and for air show fly over participation.

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