Coastal North Carolina has always been fertile ground for the strange and supernatural.

The winding marshes, dense maritime forests, and isolated shores are steeped in legends as thick as the fog that often blankets them at dusk. Sailors weave yarns about spectral ships that drift silently across the waters, and tour guides whisper stories of phantom children who play with abandoned toys in old burying grounds. From Blackbeard’s rumored haunts along the Outer Banks to shadowy maritime forests where the cries of unseen creatures fill the night air, this is an area made for telling dramatic tales in the dark, and if you’re into that kind of thing, Winter Hauntings is a gathering like no other.

On January 29, 2025, the first new moon of the new year, EPIC Carteret and Carteret Community Theatre invite locals and visitors to immerse themselves in stories that dig a bit deeper into the swampy mire of the human psyche, that go a bit darker than a moonless night, and that leave you feeling much spookier than your standard beach read. Our inaugual evening of ghost stories at the Morehead City Train Depot sold out, so the generous people at CCT offered use of their larger venue at Atlantic Beach Station to accommodate more afficianados of the strange and unusual, people like you.

Bonus: every ticket sold supports the theater’s renovation campaign.

Background on Carteret Community Theatre

Since 1948, Carteret Community Theatre has delivered compelling performances that celebrate diverse voices and stories, mounting more 200 major productions over the decades. The institution has also weathered its fair share of storms, including the destructive Hurricane Florence that demolished the original theater building in 2018. Fortunately, the troupe’s resilience embodies the grit and tenacity that makes art possible regardless of circumstances, and the renovations are already underway at the venue. When you purchase a ticket for Winter Hauntings 2025, you’re helping get the troupe back on their home stage soon.

Theatre manager Rebekah Brooks explains, “Ticket sales from our events go directly back into our mission of bringing live theatre to Carteret County and enriching the lives of our locals and seasonal vistors to our area. Our theatre home needs more than just the four walls to enclose the space….we are in need of upfitting the space with sound and lighting as well as seats! Your ticket purchase to Winter Hauntings not only promotes the arts in our area but gives artists and their creative visions a space to be nutured and grow. This will be further realized when we open our theatre doors on Arendell once again giving way to a space for all to gather.”

Inaugural Winter Hauntings

Last year’s Winter Hauntings brought together a unique crowd of literature lovers, horror enthusiasts, and the delightfully odd, who gathered to hear actors from Carteret Community Theatre bring ghost stories to life. With dramatic readings in a cozy setting, it was an evening that surprised and thrilled both the audience and the performers. Brooks recalls the atmosphere: “Not knowing the winner was to be announced THAT night was a welcome surprise. The format of reading through these stories and seeing/feeling the stories come to life by the readers followed by the winner being chosen made the event a full immersion for all.”

A Bigger, Darker Vision for 2025

Building on the success of Winter Hauntings 2024, this year’s Winter Hauntings will tap further into that strange magic. The theater’s temporary venue at Atlantic Beach Station offers more space to accommodate our growing crowd of weird fiction fans, and Carteret Community Theatre’s creative team will bring their expertise in setting the scene. Rebekah shares, “We are so very excited to be hosting this community driven event. Artistic organizations should always find ways to make room for artists and we are so very thankful to have a space to make Winter Hauntings return to our area.”

Supporting the Theatre’s Future

Every ticket purchased goes directly to Carteret Community Theatre’s renovation campaign. With this support, the theater hopes to return to its permanent space stronger than ever, ready to continue offering the local community a place for diverse voices—including those who revel in the weird, the haunting, and the profoundly unusual. Rebekah explains, “We have many artsy teens who need to find spaces for their creative outlets and this space can be another option for them.”

Tickets on Sale December 6.

Winter Hauntings isn’t for the faint of heart—it’s for those who revel in the uncanny and crave an experience that’s a little off the beaten path. With spine-tingling stories, a unique crowd, and the spirit of community, EPIC Carteret and Carteret Community Theatre invite you to join us this January. Come and lose yourself in tales that will keep you looking over your shoulder long after the night ends, while supporting the theatre’s journey toward a new chapter.