WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH — A popular free concert series will have a new element in the 2026 season allowing participants to purchase alcohol.
Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen voted this week to sell alcoholic beverages at its annual Concerts in the Park, taking place from June 11 through July 30. Traditionally, the long-standing series has been a dry event.
A third-party vendor, Lighthouse Beer and Wine, will provide alcohol to the town for the eight shows this season. Town staff will sell $8 tickets to the public to exchange for a beverage.
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“We are walking in through the shallow end of this,” Mayor Ken Dull told staff this week during the aldermen meeting.
Town Manager Haynes Brigman said the staff has been researching alcohol sales at the concerts since March’s budget workshop, wherein aldermen suggested looking into bringing the option to town-sponsored functions. The town had to make changes to its ordinance regarding consumption of malt beverages, unfortified wine, and alcoholic beverages before voting on Lighthouse to be the vendor.
According to parks and rec director Katie Carus-Childers, the ordinance changes allow consistency with language at the state level and clarify definitions, such as “spirituous liquor.” She also added the parks and recs committee unanimously approved its consideration.
The board of aldermen were in lockstop and approved “cleaning up” the ordinance, as put by alderman Zeke Partin.
Dull followed up before the vote on Lighthouse being the third-party vendor: “Is this well thought through for town liability?”
The town attorney confirmed, and Brigman said staff and law enforcement will be on site to oversee problems that arise, considering there is always concern for potential risks.
“We don’t want to create a nuisance or additional issues,” Brigman clarified.
Partin responded: “I was on Airlie Gardens’ board for many, many years and they’ve been doing it forever and never had any problems with it.”
Partin also wanted to know how the town would profit from the inclusion of alcohol sales. It would come down to around $2 per beverage, and essentially offset costs of the eight concerts the town pays for and welcomes the public to for free.
The 2026 lineup includes:
June 11 – NO Regretz
June 18 – Overtyme Band
June 25 – Machine Gun Band
July 2 – Southern Trouble
July 9 – ReSoul Band
July 16 – Jack Jack 180
July 23 – The Cruise Brothers Band
July 30 – Port City Shakedown (rain date, Aug. 6)
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