and how our history has evolved." 



But some Dare County merchants are worried that the 

 festival may present problems. The events are scheduled 

 during the peak travel season, when most of the available 

 lodging on the Outer Banks is already filled to capacity and 

 the two-lane road into Manteo is bumper-to-bumper. 



The merchants felt the celebration should have been 

 scheduled for the off-season. Unfortunately, history didn't 

 cooperate, says John Bone, executive vice president of the 

 Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce. 



How many people does Bone think will converge on Man- 

 teo? That's anybody's guess, he says. But he adds that the 

 merchants will be ready. "It's just another three-day 

 weekend. Crowds in the summer are a fact of life here." 



The crowd may be an unknown, but there are only a set 

 number of rooms to be had in the county. A market study 

 conducted by the Chamber of Commerce estimates a 

 capacity for between 60,000 and 77,000 overnight visitors. 



To alleviate some of the pressure for lodging, Rich 

 Novak, Sea Grant's recreation specialist in Manteo, 

 has been working with area residents interested in turning 

 their homes into bed and breakfast lodging. Novak says this 

 alternative offers travelers homey lodging and a light 

 breakfast at reasonable prices. For more information about 

 bed and breakfast businesses, contact Novak at 919/473- 

 3937. 



Whether visitors come for the day or spend the week, 

 John Bone and the Chamber of Commerce have one thing in 



Photo from Renaissance Development Co., Inc. 



mind. "Our main goal is for people to come to the festival, 

 be attracted to the area and return," says Bone. 



Charles Heatherly, Director of the N.C. Division of 

 Travel and Tourism, says his department has advertised the 

 three-year celebration in Florida, Ohio, New York, 

 Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the suburban Washington, 

 D.C. areas. But, the ads are scheduled to encourage 

 travelers to visit in the spring and fall. 



Neville is quick to point out that while July 13-15 is the 

 big kickoff, the celebration will continue three more 

 years. The 1985 festivities will focus on the 400th anniver- 

 sary of the landing of Ralph Lane's colony. 1986 will be the 

 year of the Indian. And in 1987, the state will close out the 

 commemorative period by celebrating Virginia Dare's 400th 

 birthday. 



By 1987, the state and its residents may tire of celebrat- 

 ing events that happened 400 years ago. But at least they'll 

 be a little more educated about their beginnings here in 

 English America. 



And, according to Manteo Mayor Wilson, it's about time. 

 "History books give the Roanoke colonies nothing more 

 than a paragraph. But we are first. We are before the others. 

 Every school child across the country knows of the Pilgrims 

 and Plymouth Rock. Everyone knows of Jamestown. And 

 by the end of 1987, every school child in this country is go- 

 ing to know that Roanoke Island and the Raleigh colonies 

 is, in fact, where it all started." 



— By Nancy Davis 



Rendering of the redevelopment of Manteo waterfront 



