Lizzy The Octopus (Carolina Beach, NC)

Lizzy The Octopus can be found outside the Fat Pelican, watching folks drop in for a beer or two on their way to or from the beach. It's a pretty sweet gig, but her life wasn't always this easy.

Lizzy first showed up on the awning of Carolina Beach's Seafest Gourmet Seafood Buffet in 2014. That establishment didn't last a year and when it was closed, Fat Pelican owner Danny McLaughlin gained custody of Lizzy. He installed Lizzy on the roof of the Fat Pelican.

And thus began Lizzy's life of crime.



Lizzy, the non-sign octopus, was found to be in violation of Carolina Beach's sign ordinance and McLaughlin was told Lizzy couldn't remain on the Fat Pelican's roof. People were furious. There were daily protests outside city hall. People dressed as octopuses and climbed on the roofs of buildings on Carolina Beach Avenue. People were willing to do whatever was necessary to save Lizzy The Octopus.

Ok. I made all that protest/dressing up as octopuses stuff up. But a Facebook page was created and people tagged their social media posts with #savetheoctopus.

In the end, McLaughlin built a stand to hold the octopus and now Lizzy The Octopus is a legal resident of Carolina Beach.

What To Know Before You Go

GPS Coordinates: (34.033014, -77.894476)
Location: 8 South Lake Park Boulevard, Carolina Beach, NC

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