Explore Southeastern North Carolina with the First in Freedom Passport Program!

Discover the rich history, natural beauty, and vibrant culture of Southeastern North Carolina in 2026. Your adventure begins with the First in Freedom Passport Program, designed to make exploring our region even more rewarding.

How It Works

  • Get a free NC First in Freedom Festival passport booklet from any of the locations listed below.

  • Visit historic sites, state parks, and attractions across Southeastern North Carolina.

  • Collect colored stamps for each site you visit in your passport booklet.

  • When you visit your first site in a county, you’ll receive:

    • A cancellation stamp for that county

    • A signature for that county

  • For every additional site in the same county, a staff member or volunteer will sign and validate your booklet for that site.

Earn Rewards as You Explore

The more sites you visit, the more exclusive swag you can earn:

  • 8 sites – Receive a commemorative pin

  • 16 sites – Receive a magnet

  • One site in each county – Earn a coffee mug

  • All participating sites – Get a unique First in Freedom T-shirt

Submitting Your Passport

Once you’ve completed your visits:

  • Option 1: Scan your completed pages and submit them through the Contact Us page on the North Carolina First in Freedom website.

  • Option 2: Mail your completed booklet to:

Moores Creek National Battlefield
40 Patriots Hall Dr.
Currie, NC 28435

Please include which reward level you achieved.
All prizes will be issued after December 31, 2026.

Participating Sites by County

Bladen County

  • Harmony Hall

  • Lu Mil Vineyard

  • Jones Lake State Park

  • Singletary Lake

  • Turnbull Creek

  • Cape Fear Winery and Distillery

  • Goldston's Beach and Pier

  • Bladenboro Historical Museum

Brunswick County

  • Bald Head Lighthouse

  • Brunswicktown/Fort Anderson State Historic Site

  • NC Maritime Museum at Southport

  • Museum of Coastal Carolina

  • Ingram Planetarium

Columbus County

  • NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Whiteville

  • Lake Waccamaw State Park

Duplin County

  • Cowan Museum

  • Liberty Hall

  • Duplin County Veterans Museum

New Hanover County

  • Bellamy Mansion

  • Battleship North Carolina

  • Wilmington Railroad Museum

  • Fort Fisher State Historic Site

  • Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens

  • Cameron Art Museum

  • Latimer House

  • Airlie Gardens

  • Children's Museum of Wilmington

Onslow County

  • Hammocks Beach State Park

  • Onslow County Museum

  • Onslow County Parks and Recreation

  • Swansboro Historical Association

  • Sturgeon City Environmental Education Center

  • Jacksonville City Hall

Pender County

  • Missiles and More Museum

  • Moores Creek National Battlefield

  • Sara Beasley Turtle Center

  • Pender County History Museum

  • Poplar Grove Plantation

Sampson County

  • Sampson County History Museum

  • Coharie Tribal Center