Facebook Groups You Need to Follow for Hampstead, Topsail, or Surf City
Oh social media... It's not a subject people feel ambivalent about. You either love it or you hate it. No matter what your stance is, social media is one of the first places to learn breaking news. And unimportant news. Like where to find the freshest oysters. Or why traffic isn't moving on Highway 17.
Facebook groups can help you connect with the community. The people, the community - that's my favorite part about this area. If you just moved to the area, plugging into some of the local Facebook groups is a great way to get connected to your community.
I've listed the most popular local Facebook groups below. Enjoy!
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Mantra: Anything goes.
Members: Nearly 6,000
Area: Hampstead, Topsail, Surf City, and sometimes Wilmington
Topics of Conversation: Local commentary on anything and everything. Frequent topics of conversation have included:
Teenagers raising just the fronts of their pickup trucks
How to navigate the new waste center
Where/if other communities are experiencing power outages/internet flickering/dropped phone calls/flooding/water problems
Municipal changes/elections/meetings.
What's being built at ______ (everyone tends to guess Target or Chick-fil-A).
Why is traffic backed up?
Can you identify this snake/flower/bug/seashell/shrub?
Have you seen my lost dog or cat?
Overview: Because anything goes, the overall group tone varies by the day or even by the hour. Sometimes, like now, it is full of good-natured humor, jesting about local matters, and everyone chipping in hilarious comments. There are always comments with the inside scoop about local happenings. Drama is frequent but short lived and usually peppered with tongue-in-cheek comments. All drama receives a parody later on. This is a group you will either love or hate. There is no in-between. Hampstead Enquirer is best appreciated by taking short breaks from the group, until you are able to appreciate it again.
Mantra: Sell your stuff. Buy used stuff
Members: Over 12,000
Area: Hampstead primarily, but also Topsail, Surf City, Holly Ridge, and some Wilmington
Overview: Great site to sell your old things and buy other things. They are very strict about the rules, so don't be embarrassed if you are corrected. There are some key terms to learn that help.
FCFC - first come, first served
CP - cross posted (posted on other selling groups)
No holds - come and get it right away
OBO - or best offer
Mantra: If it's not news or at least interesting, it gets deleted.
Members: Nearly 9,700
Area: Hampstead, Topsail, Surf City
Topics of Conversations: This is the spot for lost and found pets or precious objects. Automobile accidents are posted here within minutes of the accidents. Suggestions of alternate routes. Community subjects, such as power outages or road flooding.
Overview: Very little drama. A great resource for local news and insights, particularly useful for traffic reports and lost and found. Heavily monitored.
Mantra: Pinterest worthy or Pinterest fail - we appreciate home decor.
Area: Everywhere
Topics of Conversation: Members post questions for advice and feedback on home decor. This includes subjects such as what type of wainscoting to put up and when to say "enough!" to shiplap. Members also feature aspects of their home decor.
Overview: There have been some hilarious Pinterest fails shared, as well as some really inspiring photos of home designs. The group members offer excellent feedback and honest opinions. If you enjoy home decor at all, this group is a must. Bonus: I created this group, so I know it's awesome. That's also why it's included, even though it isn't specifically local.
Mantra: Community news is just as important as city news.
Members: 13,500
Area: Topsail, Hampstead, Surf City, and vicinity
Topics of Conversation: Local, community, and neighborhood news. Frequent posts include lost dogs or cats, found rings or wallets, local fundraisers, and commentary on municipal happenings. Everyone weighs in on their opinion of the posted news and information.
Overview: Excellent source of local information. Drama is usually shut down quickly. Great resource.
Mantra: Every bite matters.
Members: 7,155
Area: Wilmington and vicinity. Hampstead, Surf City, and Topsail are included, but Wilmington area restaurants dominate.
Topics of Conversation: The conversations are all food centric. Members eat somewhere then post their reviews of the restaurant including the thoughts on the food flavors, presentation, waitstaff, ambiance, and prices. This is also the place to get the inside scoop on where the best chefs are currently working, which restaurants are changing hands, and what restaurants are coming to town.
Overview: Best resource for authentic and current restaurant reviews. It's where you go for date night suggestions, large party suggestions, and how to find the best seafood or steak or Irish food or whatever cuisine you fancy.
Mantra: Buy stuff. Sell stuff. Post your stuff however you want.
Members: 2,500
Area: Hampstead, Surf City, Topsail
Overview: Great site to sell your old things and buy other things. This is the group where they aren't strict about the rules so the process of posting items is much simpler. You don't need to be worried about your item getting flagged if you don't do everything right, which can be nice.
Lost and Found Pets of Hampstead, NC and Pet News
Mantra: Find Fido!
Members: 1900
Area: Hampstead, Surf City, Topsail
Overview: Post your missing animals here. Post found animals here. Help others by glancing at lost dogs and cats so you can keep an eye out for them. Everyone who has a pet should join this group.
*** There are a few other groups, but these are the tops. If you are new to the area or moving to the area, you can get to know the amazing community of Hampstead, Topsail, and Surf City very well through these groups. The wonderful community is one of the best parts of living here. I hope this helps you to get connected!
