Labor Day holiday spurs Wrightsville Beach memories, plus your weekend

Summer gets one final hurrah with the Labor Day weekend. In Wilmington, that means a very busy time for area beaches, including — and maybe especially — the usually crowded Wrightsville Beach. Wrightsville is the beach I grew up going to in the 1970s and '80s, and I've got lots of fond memories of s

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People walk along South Lumina at Wrightsville Beach Aug. 24, 2026, in front of The Trolly Stop.

Summer gets one final hurrah with the Labor Day weekend.

In Wilmington, that means a very busy time for area beaches, including — and maybe especially — the usually crowded Wrightsville Beach.

Wrightsville is the beach I grew up going to in the 1970s and '80s, and I've got lots of fond memories of spending time on the old Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pier (when it was made of wood), stopping into the bygone Newell's beach store and even popping quarters into the parking meters back when a few coins was all you needed, as opposed to a smartphone app and lots of patience.

The Palm Room at 11 E. Salisbury St. in Wrightsville Beach is an oceanside bar and music venue that's been around in one form or another since 1955, the year after Hurricane Hazel. Jam, Americana and rock acts take over on the weekends.

Times have changed, of course, but the parts of Wrightsville I love best are still the older ones. Grabbing a couple of hot dogs at the Trolly Stop (one American and one North Carolina,

with a pink lemonade), which has been around for 50 years; bellying up to the bar at the Palm Room, which turned 70 last year; or braving the crowds at Lagerheads or Jimmy's (I still call it Red Dog's), which carry on a beach bar tradition that goes back decades.

I'll be back to Wrightsville Beach this weekend, so I'll see you on the strand (or in line at the Trolly Stop). Now, let's see what else is going on in Wilmington this weekend.

Weekend weather outlook

It'll be a hot and probably stormy Labor Day weekend in the Wilmington area. Sunny with highs in the low to mid 90s Friday and Saturday, with windy storms and rain moving in Saturday afternoon. Cooler Sunday and Monday with highs in the mid-80s. Storms and rain likely on Sunday into Monday morning.

Go | See | Do

Veteran Wilmington comedy troupe Pineapple-Shaped Lamps, seen here in 2010, celebrates its 16th anniversary with a show Sept. 4-6 at Thalian Hall.

Even with the beach crowds, there's a healthy slate of activities in the Wilmington area for Labor Day weekend. Lots of live music, with some free outdoor concert series making their final bow. We've also got comedy, movie screenings, festivals and more. Link to full list below.

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