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very year, Hodges Street closes down for one weekend in April.

Power boats, and the occasional sail or wooden boat, line Hodges Street. The slips and docks around the harbor hold more motor vessels. It’s all for the Oriental In-Water Boat Show.

Duncan and Maggie Herring of Herring Marine.

Craft and boat vendors set up on the lawn at the Oriental Marina & Inn, selling everything from decor to boat building kits. The Nautical Flea market offers experienced boat bits for a discount, along with nautical odds and ends.

A dog welcome visitors to check out a table piled with line, gauges available at the Nautical Flea Market, and a willingness to get rid of it all.

This year saw the addition of a music and beer garden tent.

The Beer Garden hosted local musicians.

The Rotary Club of Oriental is responsible for the annual event, using proceeds to fund their mission and scholarships.

Sunset on Hodges Street.

A Charlie Frye painting. A 50/50 raffle prize. A 6 hp Mercury outboard motor. They were some of the prizes won at the Boat Show.

Raffles for a painting by Charlie Frye and a Mercury outboard benefited the Rotary. The Marine Corps League had their own raffle for a kayak.

Here’s the full list of weekend winners:

• Red Drum painting by Charlie Frye: won by Bill Craven of Minnesott Beach
• 50/50 raffle prize of $825: won by Ray Gottsleben of New Bern
• 6 HP Mercury outboard donated by Sailcraft Service: won by Jennings Rose of Oriental
• Nautical Wheelers gift basket: won by Paul Jordan of Oriental
• Rave towable float: won by Vincent Padulla of New Bern
• West marine bucket of boat cleaning supplies: won by Sally Carr of Lumberton

Billy Creech and Manager Ann of West Marine.

Joy, a wooden boat built by Hank Hinckley, sold during the show.

Selling tickets for the 50/50 raffle.

Interior of a Ranger Tug 27 for sale, through Pocket Yacht of New Bern.

Collins, Inc of Smithfield had power vessels at the docks.

Rotary Club President Carol DeMoranville.

Local vendors Evolution Sails, Beta Marine, and SeaCoast Marine.

Under the tent, Curtis Stokes tells the audience what to look for when buying a boat.

One of Bow to Stern’s rental vessels: a 40’ Leopard catamaran.

A 40’ Leopard catamaran, ready to rent from Bow to Stern Boating.

The Dragon Boat Club visits the Boat Show during practice.

Arts & crafts vendors were stationed on the lawn at Oriental Marina & Inn. At the top, Charlie Frye poses with is painting of Blackbeard the pirate.

Need an anchor? There were experienced ones for sale.

Ranger Tugs docked near Oriental Marina & Inn.

Interior of a Jeanneau, sold through Norton Yachts.

The front row seat on a power boat.

Not boat bits, but still useful on a boat trip: soap, t-shirts, and cigars.

The Boat Show taxi. Golf Carts were the main mode of motorized transport.

Posted Monday April 20, 2026 by Allison DeWeese