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What's On

What's On in Raleigh

Events, markets, games, library and parks programs in and around Raleigh, with times, prices and the organizer's own link.

Top story Pullen Park Holiday Express 2026: dates, tickets, resale Holiday Express at Pullen Park runs Dec. 1-17, 5 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets sold out after the Oct. 15 sale; resale is at face value on Ticketmaster only. · 4 min read

Coming up

The full month
  1. Sat. Oct. 31 City of Oaks Marathon packet pickup 8 a.m. · Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
  2. Sat. Oct. 31 Boos & Brews at the Midtown Farmers Market 8 a.m. · The Commons at North Hills
  3. Sat. Oct. 31 Halloween at Hogwarts (NC Symphony) 11 a.m. · Meymandi Concert Hall
  4. Sat. Oct. 31 NC State football vs. California (Homecoming) noon · Carter-Finley Stadium
  5. Sat. Oct. 31 Trunk-or-Treat and Pumpkin Parlor 3 p.m. · John P. "Top" Greene African American Cultural Center
  6. Sat. Oct. 31 Fear Fest: Teens After Dark 6 p.m. · St. Monica Teen Center
  7. Now through Nov. 8 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Raleigh Little Theatre
  8. Now through Nov. 1 Pumpkin Palooza at Pullen Park Pullen Park
  9. Now through Nov. 1 Dracula (Carolina Ballet) Fletcher Opera Theater
  10. Sun. Nov. 1 Martin Marietta City of Oaks Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K 6:55 a.m. · Raleigh
  11. Sun. Nov. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. Winnipeg Jets 1 p.m. · Lenovo Center
  12. Thu. Nov. 5 Optimist Community Center Acorn Affair 3:30 p.m. · Optimist Community Center

Plan your weekend

Fourth of July Raleigh Fourth of July fireworks 2026 Raleigh's 2026 July 4 fireworks lit up Dix Park's Big Field at 9:30 p.m., with shuttles from downtown. Updated each year when the city posts 2027 plans. · 3 min read Halloween Trick-or-treat hours in Raleigh 2026 Raleigh sets no official trick-or-treat hours for Saturday, Oct. 31. Free city trunk-or-treats run Oct. 29-31, and the forecast is dry and mild. · 4 min read Valentine's Day Valentine's Day in Raleigh 2027: events, dinners and date ideas Valentine's Day 2027 is a Sunday. What Raleigh Parks held last February, from a vintage valentines party to free card-making, and when to look for 2027. · 3 min read Spring break Spring break in Raleigh 2027: school dates, camps, things to do Wake County traditional-calendar students are off March 26 to April 5, 2027. Raleigh camps, free museums and what is open on Good Friday. · 4 min read Easter Easter in Raleigh 2027: egg hunts, brunch and services Easter 2027 is Sunday, March 28. Raleigh Parks' free egg hunts at Mordecai, Jaycee Park and Lions Park last spring, with ages, and when 2027 dates come out. · 4 min read Mother's Day Mother's Day in Raleigh 2027: brunch, events and gift markets Mother's Day 2027 is Sunday, May 9. Last year's NCMA Mother's Day brunch, a Raleigh Parks gift-making class, and where to shop local for mom. · 3 min read Memorial Day Memorial Day in Raleigh 2027: ceremonies, closings, trash Memorial Day 2027 is Monday, May 31. Historic Oakwood Cemetery's remembrance service, city offices, trash pickup, the Yard Waste Center and GoRaleigh. · 3 min read Summer camps Summer in Raleigh 2027: camps, pools and splash pads Raleigh summer 2027: city camp sign-ups in February, four summer pools that open Memorial Day weekend, free splash pads, and pool fees. · 5 min read Father's Day Father's Day in Raleigh 2027: events, car shows, brunch Father's Day 2027 is Sunday, June 20. Free things to do with Dad in Raleigh, from the science museum to the greenways, and where to look for 2027 events. · 3 min read Labor Day Labor Day in Raleigh 2027: what's open, trash and events Labor Day 2027 is Monday, Sept. 6. What is open and closed in Raleigh, how trash pickup and the Yard Waste Center change, GoRaleigh and splash pads. · 4 min read Christmas Raleigh Christmas parade and tree lighting 2026 The 82nd Raleigh Christmas Parade steps off at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Downtown's tree lighting is Friday, Nov. 20, at Moore Square. Updated each year. · 3 min read High school football Friday night football 2026: Raleigh high school schedule Remaining 2026 games for Millbrook, Southeast Raleigh, Broughton, Enloe and five more Raleigh schools. Unbeaten Millbrook visits Enloe at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. · 3 min read Fall festivals Fall festivals and pumpkin patches in Raleigh 2026 Raleigh fall 2026: Pumpkin Palooza at Pullen Park Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, Boos & Brews at Midtown Oct. 31, a free Fall Arts Fair Nov. 7 and Phillips Farms. · 4 min read Halloween Halloween events in Raleigh 2026 Halloween 2026 in Raleigh: free trunk-or-treats Oct. 29-31, Haunted at the Pines Oct. 30, Pumpkin Palooza at Pullen Park and Fear Fest for teens. · 4 min read Thanksgiving Thanksgiving in Raleigh 2026: turkey trots, meals, closings Thanksgiving 2026 in Raleigh: the Raleigh Turkey Trot 8K and Leesville 5K on Nov. 26, city offices closed Nov. 26-27, no GoRaleigh buses Thanksgiving Day. · 4 min read Black Friday Black Friday and holiday shopping in Raleigh 2026 Raleigh holiday shopping 2026: Triangle Town Center's Thanksgiving and Black Friday hours, Small Business Saturday Nov. 28, holiday markets and free parking. · 5 min read Christmas lights Holiday lights and Christmas events in Raleigh 2026 Raleigh holiday lights 2026: Fieldstream Farm's drive-thru lights from Nov. 27, the sold-out Holiday Express Dec. 1-17, the Nutcracker and Hanukkah. · 5 min read New Year's Eve New Year's Eve in Raleigh 2026: First Night and the Acorn Drop New Year's Eve 2026 in Raleigh: First Night Raleigh and the Acorn Drop downtown, Noon Year's Eve at Marbles and what changes on New Year's Day. · 4 min read Brunch Brunch in Raleigh: 8 places with weekend brunch hours Where to get brunch in Raleigh, with days and hours from each restaurant's own site: Irregardless, Mecca, NOFO @ The Pig, Hummingbird, Wye Hill and more. · 4 min read Dogs Dog-friendly Raleigh: dog parks, patios, trails and leash rules Raleigh's 10 off-leash dog parks, patios that say dogs are welcome, trails where leashed dogs can walk, and the city leash law. Animal Control: 919-831-6311. · 5 min read Kids Kids' activities in Raleigh: playgrounds, museums, story times Things to do with kids in Raleigh: Gipson Play Plaza at Dix Park, Pullen Park, free splash pads, Marbles, the free science museum and library story times. · 4 min read Greenways Raleigh walking and biking trails: greenways, loops, parking Raleigh's main walking and biking trails with distances and trailhead parking: the 27.5-mile Neuse River Trail, Walnut Creek, Crabtree Creek and lake loops. · 5 min read Downtown Raleigh A guide to downtown Raleigh: what to see, eat and park Downtown Raleigh: the State Capitol, free museums, First Friday, the Sip n' Stroll social district and the city decks with two hours of free weekday parking. · 5 min read Live music Live music and nightlife in Raleigh: venues and late spots Raleigh's live music venues, from the Lincoln Theatre, Pour House and Kings to Red Hat Amphitheater and Walnut Creek, plus late bars and the social district. · 4 min read Free Free things to do in Raleigh: museums, parks, trolls and more Free things to do in Raleigh: the N.C. Museum of Art and its park, the science museum, the Capitol, Dix Park's trolls and playground, and the greenways. · 4 min read Date night Date night in Raleigh: dinner, wine bars, theater and late spots Date night in Raleigh: Poole's Diner, Bida Manda, St. Roch and Brewery Bhavana, Barcelona Wine Bar, the symphony and ballet, and Raleigh Little Theatre. · 4 min read N.C. State Fair N.C. State Fair 2027 dates: Oct. 14-24 in Raleigh The 2027 N.C. State Fair runs Oct. 14-24 at the Raleigh fairgrounds. See the 2026 prices, free days and parking, and the 910,584 final turnout. · 7 min read City of Oaks Marathon City of Oaks Marathon 2026: race day, start times, packet pickup City of Oaks Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 1: 7 a.m. start at 400 Glenwood Ave., road closures from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m., parking decks and Oct. 30-31 packet pickup. · 8 min read Artsplosure Artsplosure, the Raleigh Arts Festival: dates, map, what to know Artsplosure, the Raleigh Arts Festival, fills Fayetteville Street on the third weekend of May with about 175 artists and two stages. 2027 dates not yet out. · 4 min read St. Patrick's Day Raleigh St. Patrick's Day Parade 2027: date, route, parking Raleigh's St. Patrick's Day Parade steps off at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 13, 2027, on Hillsborough Street. Streets on the route close at 8 a.m. · 4 min read Restaurants Where to eat in Raleigh: lists by category Every Raleigh where-to-eat list in one place: wings, pizza, Mexican, barbecue, breakfast and coffee, burgers, sushi, desserts, bakeries, patios and brunch. · 4 min read Wings Where to get wings in Raleigh: Hillsborough Street and North Raleigh 7 places to get wings inside Raleigh city limits, from Hillsborough Street near NC State to Creedmoor Road, Falls of Neuse Road and Brier Creek. · 4 min read Pizza Where to get pizza in Raleigh: downtown, Hillsborough Street and more 14 pizza places at 16 locations inside Raleigh city limits, from downtown and Glenwood Avenue to Hillsborough Street, Wake Forest Road and North Raleigh. · 6 min read Mexican food Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Raleigh 8 Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants at 10 locations inside Raleigh city limits: downtown, Hillsborough Street, Avent Ferry Road, North Hills and Midtown. · 5 min read Barbecue Where to get barbecue in Raleigh: downtown and beyond 6 barbecue restaurants inside Raleigh city limits: three downtown, plus East Millbrook Road, West Raleigh on Hillsborough Street and Creedmoor Road. · 4 min read Breakfast Breakfast and coffee in Raleigh: downtown, Five Points, North Hills 13 breakfast spots and coffee shops at 18 locations inside Raleigh city limits, downtown, near NC State, in Five Points and North Hills and up to Creedmoor Road. · 6 min read Burgers Where to get burgers in Raleigh: Char-Grill, Glenwood and more 7 burger places at 13 locations inside Raleigh city limits, from Hillsborough Street and Glenwood Avenue to Wade Park, Creedmoor Road and Falls of Neuse Road. · 4 min read Bakeries Bakeries in Raleigh: Person Street, Five Points and more 7 bakeries at 8 locations inside Raleigh city limits: bread, doughnuts, French pastry and cakes, from Person Street and Five Points to Brier Creek. · 4 min read Ice cream Ice cream and desserts in Raleigh: Person Street to North Raleigh 6 ice cream, frozen custard and dessert shops at 11 locations inside Raleigh city limits, around Person Street, Iron Works and North Raleigh. · 5 min read Patios Patios and outdoor dining in Raleigh: downtown to North Raleigh 16 Raleigh restaurants and cafes whose own sites list a patio, deck, rooftop or courtyard seating, downtown, at Five Points, North Hills and North Raleigh. · 6 min read Sushi Sushi and Asian restaurants in Raleigh: downtown and North Raleigh 14 sushi, Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese restaurants inside Raleigh city limits, from Fayetteville Street and City Market to North Raleigh. · 6 min read

Event news

Nutcracker The Nutcracker in Raleigh 2026: Carolina Ballet dates, times Carolina Ballet's Nutcracker plays Raleigh Memorial Auditorium Dec. 10-24, 2026, with live music. Every show time, plus youth Nutcrackers Nov. 13-14 and Dec. 5. · 4 min read Arts Arts and exhibitions in Raleigh: October 2026 Arts in Raleigh, October 2026: Ancient Nubia at the NCMA to Jan. 10, Dracula's last weekend, Jewels Nov. 19-22, Messiah Dec. 4-5 and Burning Coal's Seafarer. · 6 min read Things to do Things to do in Raleigh this weekend, Oct. 23 to 25 The N.C. State Fair's final weekend, Kooky Spooky at Marbles Friday, the last Haunted Trolley tours, Carolina Ballet's Dracula and free Halloween fun Saturday. · 5 min read