This year marks 25 years that this celebration has brought together African American community members, organizations, authors, artists, musicians, filmmakers, scholars, and more, around a central theme to highlight the contributions that African Americans, past and present, have made to North Carolina’s history and culture. Multiple demonstrations, presentations, and performances reach thousands of people.

COST: FREE

What is the Krispy Kreme Challenge?

2400 calories, 12 doughnuts, 5 miles, 1 hour.  The mantra of the Krispy Kreme Challenge epitomizes the test of physical fitness and gastrointestinal fortitude.  What started as a challenge among ten friends has transformed into a nationally publicized charity race, and the number one tradition to complete before graduating from North Carolina State University.

On February 5th, 2024, they hosted the 20th Annual Krispy Kreme Challenge, raising over $100,000 for the UNC Children’s Hospital, bringing our total donations to over $2.2 million. The Krispy Kreme Challenge is UNC Children’s Hospital’s largest unrestricted donor.

Participants begin the Challenge at the Memorial Belltower on the campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. Runners then travel 2.5 miles through historic downtown Raleigh to the Krispy Kreme located at the intersection of Peace and Person Streets, where they attempt to consume one dozen original glazed doughnuts. The hardest part of the Challenge awaits them as they run 2.5 miles back to the Memorial Belltower.

This is the Krispy Kreme Challenge.

COST:

• Students: $40

• All other participants: $45

PLEASE NOTE: Registration prices will increase as the race date approaches.

Raleigh Parks is hosting a vibrant, masquerade-style evening where adults (21+) can get glammed up and celebrate Mardi Gras in style with music, masks, and magic all night long. Attendees will dance the night away to beats from our DJ, sip on adult beverages from local vendors at our cash bar, enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and indulge in festive mocktails crafted by talented mixologists on-site.

Cost: $40 (21+ only)

Welcome to the Triangle Yoga Festival Where We are All United in Yoga - Let's Embrace It Together! We are thrilled to have you join us for this amazing journey, and those who are coming back for a second time, you are like family, we appreciate you! You could do yoga anywhere in the world, and you decide once again to do yoga with us. 

 Please mark your calendars for the upcoming Triangle Yoga Festival on Saturday, March 7, 2026 (63 Hunter Street). This yoga festival we are expanding across the Raleigh-Durham region. Plan your day in Apex, visiting local coffee shops like Common Grounds before you come, and eat out in downtown, Apex after you are finished! 

COST: $72.32 per ticket

Join the fun at the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Raleigh on Saturday, March 14th! This lively celebration features vibrant floats, talented performers, and traditional Irish music that will have everyone feeling the spirit of the day. Bring the whole family to enjoy a festive atmosphere, great entertainment, and a community event that brings Raleigh together. Don’t forget to wear your green and join in the excitement of this beloved tradition!

The 2026 parade will be Saturday, March 14, 2025.  The parade route will close at 8:00AM, so arrive early to get your spot.  The parade kicks off at 10:00AM

COST: FREE

We’re thrilled to kick off a very special year — celebrating 20 years of LUNGing Forward in the Triangle. Join us on March 21 at Koka Booth Amphitheatre as we commemorate this milestone and come together in support of the lung cancer community. Help make this our best year yet by forming or joining a team, fundraising, and showing up strong on event day. Every dollar and every step makes a meaningful impact on lung cancer research and support programs right here in our community.

Whether lung cancer has touched your life or you simply want to be part of something inspiring, all are welcome. Run, walk, or rally with us!

COST: Tickets starting at $20 (Lung Cancer Survivors can participate for free)

Pimento cheese is a southern delicacy worth celebrating.

Enjoy the nation’s only festival dedicated specifically to pimento cheese! Join more than 50 food vendors at Downtown Cary Park to savor the flavor of incredibly unique pimento cheese infused dishes. Previous years have seen creative culinary feats including pimento cheese ice cream (don’t judge ‘ til you try), pimento cheese egg rolls, pimento cheese empanadas, and much more.

Beyond the food, the day will be full of performances, activities, and other entertainment throughout the Park.

COST: FREE

This ALL YOU CARE TO TASTE Beer and Tequila Festival offers up some of the Triangle's Best Tacos and Mexican Food, the best dancing music from Triangle Area Bands, margaritas, contests and some other surprises.  This is NACHO average taco festival. 

MORE BEERS AND MORE BEER!!!!  We’ve doubled up on our beer portions.  More people wanted more beers last year and we will give you everything you want.

ALL GUESTS WILL ENJOY...

• Souvenir Glass for an ALL YOU CARE TO TASTE experience with over 60+ craft beers, mezcals, margaritas, and tequilas. We’ll throw in some ciders and wine as well… just for the gringos.

• ALL TEQUILA & MEZCAL Bars will be chilled.

• The festival will feature over 10+ Taco Trucks, Taquerias, and Mexican Restaurants with Over 30 different types of tacos. Each taco vendor will offer a wide variety of tacos and Mexican inspired dishes available. We guarantee they will ALL feature at least one taco option for $3. Most All of the Food Trucks, Taquerias, and Restaurants will accept TACO TICKETS, but also cash and credit card – so you are not limited with your food experience. You can have tacos or anything else on the menu!

• Dueling Margarita Bars with more choices.

• Mariachi Bands and your favorite Triangle Area Bands.

• Great boutiques offering brewerania, jewelry, hot sauces and other items.

• Hot Pepper Eating Contest

• Lawn activities and games will keep you focused when you are not imbibing.

COST:

• GA Drink Ticket: $39

• Taco Only Ticket: $25

• VIP Ticket: $75

Join them in Downtown Raleigh as they celebrate our 15th ‘Cuegrass Festival!! Get ready for a jam-packed day full of great ‘cue, local brews, and toe-tappin’ bluegrass music on Fayetteville Street. The party starts at noon!
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Once again, 100% of the funds raised at ‘Cuegrass will go directly to our beneficiaries: SAFEchild and the Occoneechee Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Freedom Ride Resuce, and Western North Carolina Hurricane Relief.

COST: Free to attend. Donations accepted.

Come kick off the spring season at Raulston Blooms! The garden will be packed with nature inspired activities, a makers market, food trucks, and outdoor fun for everyone to enjoy.

Enjoy:

• JCRA Spring Plant Sale – access to exceptional unusual plants

• 23rd Annual Birdhouse Competition

• Makers Market with artists and crafters

• Gardening talks – learn from the experts

• Educational displays and demonstrations

• Hands-on fun for children and families

• Food trucks and NC State Howling Cow ice cream cups

• Used gardening book sale

COST:

• Members and Students: FREE

• Non-Members: $5

• Family: $10 (per family)

Nestled under the shady canopy of Bond Park awaits a festival budding with arts and crafts. The annual Spring Daze Arts + Crafts Festival gives a true nod to the artistry and creativity found in our great state of North Carolina, welcoming 170 artists all calling NC home! Embodying the importance of sustainability through an Earth Day Celebration, encouraging creative expression through community arts experiences, and bringing the people together at no cost, Spring Daze is a highly anticipated festival each year! Guests can also expect to find toe-tapping entertainment on three stages, delicious food, activities for the kids, and so much more! 

COST: FREE

Are you ready for a celebration?

Each May, the streets in the heart of Historic Downtown Apex come alive.

​Laughter, smiles, joy, music, art, dancing & fun await attendees.

​Greet old friends, make new friends. Explore the magic behind Apex's longest running festival. 

COST: FREE

Get ready for an unforgettable day at the 43rd Annual Meet in the Street Festival on May 3, 2025, from 10 am to 4 pm in downtown Wake Forest! This vibrant celebration is the largest event in town, showcasing over 100 artisan booths, filled with unique handmade treasures, a mouthwatering array of food trucks in two courts, and live music that will keep you dancing all day long on two stages. Families will love the Children's Village, bursting with fun activities for kids of all ages. With free admission, there's no reason to miss out on this incredible festival!

Sponsoring Meet in the Street is a fantastic opportunity to elevate your brand within our thriving community, connect with thousands of attendees, and demonstrate your commitment to local culture and commerce. Join us as a vendor or sponsor and be part of the excitement that makes this event truly special! 

COST: FREE

Raleigh’s 10th annual International Food Festival

Children’s Day, Two Stages with Live Performances, over 130 Food, Desserts, Merchandise Vendors!

COST: FREE

Come out for a salute to the red, white, and blue as we honor the birthday of the U.S.A. with the music of the North Carolina Symphony. Enjoy patriotic favorites, fun activities for kids and a dazzling firework display over Symphony Lake.

COST: FREE

In 2012, RDACA (Raleigh-Durham AfroCaribbean Association) came together to promote diversity, equality and create a deeper appreciation for Afro-Caribbean culture among the citizens of the Raleigh/Durham Metropolitan area. With this shared vision, RDACA gave birth to CaribMask. Impacted by the unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic, we embarked on an unknown journey that affected our lives and caused everything to shut down. With no social interaction or outlet, we had to find creative ways to entertain and have fun. We have since learned how to cautiously navigate during this unprecedented time. Wearing masks and practicing sanitization routines has helped to lessen the spread of this disease. We are now moving into a new normal, and plan to adhere to all state guidelines ensuring everyone’s safety. Seeking to unite and excite the people once again, RDACA will present the 12th Annual CaribMask Carnival on August 16, 2025. The streets of downtown Raleigh will once again set ablaze. The day will begin with the Parade of Bands. Troupes/bands will parade down the streets in elaborate costumes jamming to the tunes from their native lands. The Grand Marshall, Children and adults- by foot, truck, and motorcycle- tramp down and get down for over two hours on the parade route. The 12th Annual Flag Ceremony will represent over 15 countries and is a crowd favorite. The people in attendance will have an opportunity to experience more vendors than the previous year; food and artisan included. The main stage will once again electrify the crowd with performers from all over including International Artists and more. As we enter CaribMask 2025, we plan to make this our best year so far. Look out for great acts, beautiful costumes and tasteful, cultural foods.

COST: Free to attend

This exclusive foodie celebration will feature: Whiskey Bars, Elegant Wines & Cocktails, Great Music, Tented Food Stations, Food Trucks, & Restaurants and Intimate Firepits throughout. Relax Around the Moon Garden and enjoy an inspired take on fire-kissed BBQ, open fire cooking, specialty grilling, and drink pairings. Enjoy the firebreathers and artists set the night ablaze. Please dress appropriately, the event is outdoors.

Cost: starting at $35

The Fenton Art Festival is a fine arts market featuring artists selling original art, including works in oils, watercolors, and acrylics, mixed media, illustrations, prints, sculpture and more. 

Enjoy workshops, demonstrations, and opportunities to make public art in one of the Triangle’s premier destinations.

COST: FREE

This 10th anniversary of the Greater Triangle Dragon Boat Festival brings together nearly 100 cultural exhibits and activities, heart-pounding dragon boat races, tasty global street foods, and vibrant performances. Presented by Asian Focus, the festival is a beloved community highlight—drawing around 10,000 visitors annually to celebrate Asian heritage in a spirit of diversity and togetherness.

COST: TBD (visit website for more details)

As the Museum’s biggest and buggiest event of the year, BugFest is dedicated to educating and engaging the public about science and the wonders of the natural world. Explore over 100 exhibits, from hands-on activities designed to ignite curiosity and appreciation for these amazing animals, to interactions with entomologists and other scientists who will guide you through the intricate world of arthropods, offering insights into their behaviors, adaptations and ecological significance.

COST: FREE

Festa Italiana North Carolina celebrates Italian culture and heritage in the Triangle while providing financial support to local charities

COST: FREE

With live music from local talent and loads of FREE fall fun – including hay rides, inflatables, lawn games, kids activities, seasonal photo ops, and a pumpkin patch – you don't want to miss this family-friendly event! 

• Dine from 50+ local food trucks

• Shop with 100+ makers and independent businesses

• Sample NC craft beer and ciders

For the live music lineup and list of vendors, follow the link below.

COST: Free to attend

Join us for the Diwali Celebration at Downtown Cary Park! Experience an evening of music, dance, and community at the Great Lawn Pavilion as we celebrate the Festival of Lights together.

COST: Free to attend

You won’t want to miss the pageantry and excitement of the 2026 Crossroads Ford ABC11 Raleigh Christmas Parade presented by Shop Local Raleigh on November 21, 2026 in Downtown Raleigh! The parade will kick off the holiday festivities at 9:30 am street side and on ABC11, the ABC11 streaming apps, and the ABC News Hulu channel.

COST: Free to attend

Celebrate 21 years of North Hills and kick off the holiday season with this beloved tradition!

4:00 – 7:00pm

• Face Painting

• Vendor Village

• Train Rides

• Children's Crafts & Activities

• Food Trucks

• Ball Pit

• Inflatable Slide

• Balloon Artist

• Photo Ops

• Seasonal Beverages

4:00pm to 6:00pm

• Live Music with The Embers in The Commons

• Live Acoustic Music with Mary

  Selvidge in The Plaza

Santa lights the tree at 6:15pm! Follow @VisitNorthHills on social for more details and updates!

COST: Free to attend