The Farewell Summer Jazz Funeral is a unique coastal tradition that combines New Orleans-style pageantry, live music, and community celebration to bid a lighthearted farewell to another summer season. Held each fall at Kure Beach’s Ocean Front Park and Pavilion, the event invites residents and visitors alike to don funeral finery, colorful costumes, masks, beads, parasols, and other festive attire as they join a jazz funeral procession through town. Led by a live brass band, participants march behind a symbolic casket honoring the passing of summer before gathering for an evening of music, entertainment, and celebration.
Inspired by the traditional jazz funerals of New Orleans, the event blends mourning and merriment, beginning with a spirited procession and culminating in a lively concert that celebrates the memories and experiences of the summer season. The family-friendly gathering encourages community participation and has become a beloved annual tradition along the Pleasure Island coastline. Food vendors, local entertainment, and festive activities add to the celebratory atmosphere, creating an event that is equal parts performance, parade, and community festival.
Known for its creativity, coastal charm, and unmistakable sense of fun, the Farewell Summer Jazz Funeral offers a memorable way for locals and visitors to mark the changing seasons. By blending music, tradition, and community spirit, the event has become one of Kure Beach’s most distinctive annual celebrations and a fitting sendoff to another year of summer on the North Carolina coast.
