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WELCOME TO CARTERET CURATED
A CELEBRATION OF CRYSTAL COAST SMALL BUSINESSES
WELCOME TO CARTERET CURATED
The 2026 Crystal Coast desk Calendar (designed by our Marketing Manager, Andie!), features scenes from all around Carteret County by 12 local photographers; plus, each month is filled with our area's most popular events! All proceeds from the sale of this calendar will go directly to MCKRE Gives, then distributed to local nonprofits and organizations!
Carteret Curated's
2026 Crystal Coast
Desk Calendar is HERE!
100% of
proceeds go to
Carteret County
non-profits
What is it?
We've rounded up your favorite scenes around the Crystal Coast from 12 local photographers to put together a gorgeous 2026 Crystal Coast Desk Calendar.
Why?
We want to celebrate all of the amazingly talented local photographers and creators that capture the Crystal Coast so beautifully! Additionally, we've included 35+ of the area's most popular events so whether you live here full time or visit occasionally, you can stay in-the-know on what's happening locally.
How?
When you place your order, you can choose for it to ship to you OR pick it up at our Toys for Tots Holiday Celebration:
WHEN: Thursday, December 4, 2026 4-6PM
WHERE: The front patio of Social Q Smokehouse at 4047 Arendell Street, Morehead City
FEATURED PHOTOS:
(scroll through to see each month's featured photo and click to visit each photographer's Instagram page)
2025 FAVORITES
Congratulations to these local businesses for collecting the top 3 most community votes during the 5th Annual Carteret Curated People's Choice Awards!
TASTE
favorite local place to get breakfast:
1. THE BANKS GRILL • @thebanksgrill.mhc
2. COX FAMILY RESTAURANT • @coxfamilyrestaurant
3. THE BITE AT THE BOX • @thebite.ab
favorite local family eatery:
1. COX FAMILY RESTAURANT • @coxfamilyrestaurant
2. AMOS MOSQUITOS • @amosmosquitos
3. BLACKBEARD'S GRILL • FB: Blackbeard's Grill
favorite local pet-friendly establishment:
1. YELLOWFIN PUB • @yellowfinpub_mhc
2. BEACH BOWLS • @beachbowlsnc
3. JACK'S ON THE WATERFRONT • @jackswaterfrontbar_mhc
favorite local restaurant with a view:
1. YELLOWFIN PUB • @yellowfinpub_mhc
2. JACK'S ON THE WATERFRONT • @jackswaterfrontbar_mhc
3. 34 NORTH RESTAURANT • @34degreesnorthrestaurant
favorite local frozen dessert shop:
1. SIMPLY NATURAL CREAMERY • @simplynaturalcreamery
2. BEAUFORT CREAMERY • @beaufortcreamery
3. SCOOPIN' YUMMIES • @scoopinyummiesatlantic
favorite local food truck:
1. CAPTAIN'S KITCHEN • @captainskitchen_nc
2. DANK BURRITO • @dank.burrito
3. THE GARDEN OF EATEN • FB: Garden of Eaten Food Truck
favorite local place to grab a beer:
1. THE TACKLE BOX • @tackleboxtavern
2. JACK'S ON THE WATERFRONT • @jackswaterfrontbar_mhc
3. PROMISE LAND MARKET • @promiselandmarket
favorite local coffee shop:
1. REED'S COFFEE, ART & FRAMING • @reedscoffeeandframing
2. MUG SHOT • @mug.shot.caffeine.cocktails
3. HISTORIC GROUNDS COFFEE SHOP • @coffeehistoricgrounds
favorite local bakery:
1. SUGARLOAF ISLAND BAKERY • @sugarloafislandbakery
2. HAPPYCAKES CUPCAKERY • @happycakescupcakery
3. BEAUFORT BAKING CO. • @beaufortbaking
favorite local place to get a cocktail:
1. ARENDELL ROOM • @arendellroombar
2. THE GREEN ROOM • @thegreenroom.blacksheep
3. MUG SHOT • @mug.shot.caffeine.cocktails
favorite local wine shop:
1. MF CHAPPELL WINE MERCHANT • @mfchappell
2. PROMISE LAND MARKET • @promiselandmarket
3. CRU WINE BAR • @crubarbeaufort
favorite local seafood market:
1. BLUE OCEAN MARKET • @blueoceanmarketnc
2. SALTY CATCH SEAFOOD COMPANY • @saltycathcseafoodco
3. ROSE SEAFOOD MARKET • FB: Rose Seafood Market
EXPERIENCE
favorite local caterer:
1. SEASIDE SENSATIONS • @seasidesensations
2. LIVE OAK EATS • @liveoakeats
3. GAFFER'S • @gaffersemeraldislenc
favorite local event venue:
1. CAROLINA HOME & GARDEN • @carolinahomeandgardennc
2. THE BEAUFORT HOTEL • @beaufort_hotel_nc
3. 127 MIDDLE LANE • @127middlelane
favorite local event planner:
1. GROW SOCIAL • @growsocialnc
2. STAIRCASE EVENT MANAGMENT • @staircase_event_managment
3. KNOT A SECOND THOUGHT • @knotasecondthought
favorite local florist:
1. SANDY'S FLOWER SHOPPE • @sandysflowershoppe
2. GROW SOCIAL • @growsocialnc
3. FLOWERS & DESIGNS BY ERNEST • @flowersanddesignsbyernest
favorite local photographer:
1. SARAH K. PHOTOGRAPHY • @sarahkphotognc
2. PROMISE LAND PHOTOGRAPHY • @promiselandphotographync
3. MEL O'BERRY PHOTOGRAPHY • @meloberryphotography
favorite local makeup artist:
1. FACE II FACE BY KACYN WILLIS • @faceiifacebykacyn
2. KELLY CLARK AT THE HAIR GALLERY • @kelly_clark_makeup_artist
3. BEAUTY BY KRISTEN • @beautybykristenb
favorite local band/musician:
1. THE GREEN ROOM • @thegreen_r
2. 4EVERALL • @4everall.band
3. BAREFOOT WADE • @barefootwade
favorite local hair salon:
1. THE HAIR GALLERY • @thehairgallerymhc
2. THE SALON COLLECTIVE • @thesaloncollectivemhc
3. BELLA HAIR STUDIO • @bella_hair_studio
favorite local bed & breakfast:
1. 34 NORTH VACATIONS • @34northvacations
2. THE BUNK HOUSE • @bunkhouse101
3. INN ON TURNER • @innonturner
favorite local videographer:
1. TRIWORK STUDIOS • @triworkstudios
2. ASHLEY BROOKS • @madeby_ashleybrooks
3. BEE CAPTURED PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY • @bee.captured_photography
favorite local hotel:
1. BEAUFORT HOTEL • @beaufort_hotel_nc
2. BASK HOTEL • @baskhotel
3. INLET INN• @inletinn
favorite local nail salon:
1. BLUE OCEAN SPA & NAILS • @blueoceanspa_moreheadcity
2. LE NAILS • FB: Le Nails
3. COASTAL NAIL LOUNGE • FB: Coastal Nail Lounge
favorite local dance studio:
1. JUSTICE ELITE DANCE CO. • @justiceelitedance
2. DANCE ARTS STUDIO • @danceartsstudio_mhc
3. THE CAROLINA SRUT • FB: The Carolina Strut Performing Arts Centre
favorite local transportation service:
1. DIAMOND BUS COMPANY • @diamondbuscompany
2. CARTERET CAB • FB: Carteret Cab
3. A DIAMOND LIMOUSINE • FB: A Diamond Limousine LLC
favorite local yoga/pilates studio:
1. DOWNTOWN BARRE • @dbarremhc
2. BODHI YOGA & MASSAGE • @bodhi_yoga_massage
3. BEAUFORT BARRE & FITNESS • @beaufortbarreandfitness
favorite local place to get pampered:
1. COMPLEXION MED SPA • @complexionmedspa_
2. TRANQUILITY • @tranquilitync
3. PURE INDULGENCE • @pureindulgencedayspa_mhc
favorite local rainy day activity:
1. NC AQUARIUM AT PKS • @ncaquariumpks
2. MAC DADDY'S • @mymacdaddys
3. KIDZ @ PLAY CAFE • @kidsatplayfamilycafe
favorite local place to workout:
1. SPORTS CENTER • @sportscentermorehead
2. PERFORMANCE ZONE • @sc_performancezone
3. IRON TIDE CROSSFIT • @irontidecrossfit
favorite local annual event:
1. BIG ROCK BLUE MARLIN TOURNAMENT • @bigrocktournament
2. NC SEAFOOD FESTIVAL • @ncseafoodfest
3. CHOWDER & CHEER • @downtownmhc
favorite local fishing charter:
1. REELY LIVIN' CHARTERS • @reelylivincharters
2. CAPT. STACY FISHING CENTER • @captstacy
3. SALT AIR VENTURES • @saltairventures
favorite local outdoor adventure activity:
1. FORT MACON STATE PARK
2. GRACE ADVENTURE PARK • @graceadventurepark
3. CAPE LOOKOUT CRUISES • @lookoutcruisesnc
SHOP
favorite local place to get a gift:
1. DEE GEE'S GIFTS & BOOKS • @deegeesnc
2. DORSEA • @shopdorsea
3. CLASSY CLUTTER GIFTS & DECOR • @classyclutterdecor
favorite local women's clothing shop:
1. TASSELS • @tasselsladiesboutique
2. COASTAL CURENT BOUTIQUE • @shopcoastalcurrent
3. THE POSH PELICAN • @theposhpelicanab
favorite local men's clothing shop:
1. ATLANTIC BEACH SURF SHOP • @absurfshop
2. HILTON'S • @hiltons.atlanticbeach
3. MARSH'S SURF SHOP • @marshssurfshop
favorite local kids clothing shop:
1. BUCKLES & BOWS • @bucklesandbowsnc
2. GIGI & CO. • @gigandcomhc
3. ATLANTIC BEACH SURF SHOP • @absurfshop
favorite local tackle/outdoor shop:
1. EJW OUTDOORS • @ejwoutdoors
2. CHASIN' TAILS OUTDOORS • @chasintailsoutdoors
3. SPORTSMAN'S WHOLESALE • @sportsmanswholesale
favorite local home decor shop:
1. BEAUFORT LINEN CO. • @beaufort_linen_company
1. SHORE DECOR • @shoredecor
2. BACKSHORE LIVING • @backshoreliving
3. MCQUEEN'S INTERIORS • @mcqueensint
favorite local art gallery:
1. SALT GALLERY • @salt_gallery_morehead
2. BLUSAIL GOLITZ STUDIOS • @blusailgolitzstudios
3. MATTIE KING DAVIS ART GALLERY • FB: Mattie King Davis Art Gallery
favorite local artist:
1. SALTY GIRL DESIGNS • @saltygirldesigns
2. JIMMY CRAIG WOMBLE • @jimmycraig2
3. HEATHER SINK • @cravingartstudio
3. GRACE BELL• @gracebellart
favorite local handmade product:
1. COPE & CO. • @copeandcocollection
2. MORE SOUND CRABPOT TREES • @crabpottrees
3. PRESSED & PARCHED • @pressedandparched
favorite local place to buy beach essentials:
1. MARSH'S SURF SHOP • @marshssurfshop
2. ATLANTIC BEACH SURF SHOP • @absurfshop
3. BERT'S SURF SHOP • @bertssurfshops1965
TOP 10 IN TEN
(new categories every year with the top ten published in the People's Choice Guide!)
favorite local shrimp burger:
1. EL'S DRIVE-IN • FB: El's Drive-In
2. CAPTAIN'S KITCHEN • @captainskitchen_nc
3. BIG OAK DRIVE-IN & BBQ • FB: Big Oak Drive In & BBQ
favorite local place to enjoy live music:
1. JACK'S WATERFRONT BAR • @jackswaterfrontbar_mhc
2. BACKSTREET PUB • FB: The Backstreet Pub
3. GAFFER'S • @gaffersemeraldislenc
favorite local margarita
1. MEZCALITO • @mezcalitonc
2. TOWER 7 BAJA MEXICAN GRILL • @tower7morehead
3. FISH HUT GRILL • @fishhutgrill
favorite local place to grab a book:
1. THE BOOK SHOP
2. DEE GEE'S GIFTS & BOOKS • @deegeesnc
3. EMERALD ISLE BOOKSTORE • @emeraldislebooks
favorite local new business (opened in 2024):
1. NOONTIDE COFFEE & KITCHEN • @noontide_coffee_kitchen
2. BOATS 365 • @boats365nc
3. REED'S AT THE PORCH • @reedsattheporch
favorite local outdoor market:
1. OLDE BEAUFORT FARMERS' MARKET • @oldebeaufortfarmersmarket
2. THE MARKET AT CEDAR POINT • @themarket1046
3. THE FRIENDLY MARKET • @friendlymarketnc
favorite local place to play pool/arcade games:
1. ROYAL JAMES CAFE • FB: Royal James Cafe
2. BB'S FLASHBAX ARCADE • @bbsamusements
3. MACDADDY'S • @mymacdaddys
favorite local place to get a spray tan:
1. ON THE GLOW• @ontheglow252
2. TIDELINES LUXURY MOBILE SPRAY TANNING • @tidelines_tanning
3. CRYSTAL COAST GLOW • @crystalcoastglow
favorite local place for healthy eats:
1. BEACH BOWLS • @beachbowlsnc
2. REFECTION • @refectionfoods
3. THE FRIENDLY MARKET • @friendlymarketnc
favorite local place to get crafty:
1. WINE & DESIGN • @wndmoreheadcitync
2. BLUSAIL GOLITZ STUDIOS • @blusailgolitzstudios
3. SPINDRIFT STUDIOS • FB: Spindrift Studios
Each year, we host a two-week long initiative where folks in the community get to vote for their favorite local small businesses in a variety of categories. THE BEST PART? Every business that receives a vote gets featured in our annual People’s Choice Guide — a digital and printed resource that locals and visitors can refer to throughout the year.
GET YOUR FREE 2025 PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE
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