West Raleigh
Carter-Finley Stadium
NC State vs. Wake Forest football
An ACC home game at Carter-Finley Stadium, directly across from Lenovo Center.
See the latest from NC State Athletics
Raleigh events
Start with the event. Plan the whole visit.
A handpicked guide to some of Raleigh's biggest games, festivals, performances, and seasonal traditions—with helpful details for making a day or weekend of it.
Seasonal picks
Dates worth planning around.
We have gathered some of the season's biggest games, festivals, performances, and traditions in one place. Follow the official link on each listing for the freshest event details.
Showing all 23 events.
Upcoming
October 2026
West Raleigh
Lenovo Center
beabadoobee
A Sunday-night arena concert at Lenovo Center with Wisp listed as the special guest.
See the latest from Lenovo CenterCary
Prestonwood Country Club
SAS Championship
A week of PGA TOUR Champions golf culminating in tournament rounds at Prestonwood Country Club.
See the latest from SAS ChampionshipWest Raleigh
North Carolina State Fairgrounds
2026 N.C. State Fair
Eleven days of agricultural exhibits, rides, performances, competitions, and North Carolina food at the State Fairgrounds.
See the latest from N.C. State FairWest Raleigh
Lenovo Center
Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds
The Mutiny for the Masses 2026 Tour stops at Lenovo Center on a Wednesday evening.
See the latest from Lenovo CenterWest Raleigh
Lenovo Center
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins
An evening NHL matchup at Lenovo Center in the Carter-Finley event district.
See the latest from Lenovo CenterWest Raleigh
Carter-Finley Stadium
NC State vs. California football
NC State's homecoming game brings California to Carter-Finley Stadium on Halloween weekend.
See the latest from NC State AthleticsUpcoming
November 2026
Central Raleigh
Raleigh road course
City of Oaks Marathon
The annual race program includes marathon, half-marathon, 10K, and 5K distances through Raleigh.
See the latest from City of Oaks MarathonWest Raleigh
JC Raulston Arboretum
Moonlight in the Garden
The arboretum's annual nighttime exhibition uses creative lighting, live music, food, fire pits, and the garden itself to shape the experience.
See the latest from JC Raulston ArboretumNorth Raleigh and surrounding area
WRAL Soccer Park and area fields
visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series
Four major youth soccer showcase weekends bring more than 1,600 teams and college coaches from across the United States and Canada to the Raleigh area.
See the latest from NCFC YouthWest Raleigh
Carter-Finley Stadium
NC State vs. Duke football
A Triangle rivalry game at Carter-Finley Stadium on the same date as a Hurricanes home game next door.
See the latest from NC State AthleticsWest Raleigh
Lenovo Center
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Chicago Blackhawks
A Saturday-night NHL game beside Carter-Finley Stadium during an unusually busy event day.
See the latest from Lenovo CenterWest Raleigh
Carter-Finley Stadium
NC State vs. Syracuse football
The Wolfpack's senior-day home game closes the scheduled Carter-Finley portion of the regular season.
See the latest from NC State AthleticsWest Raleigh
Lenovo Center
WWE Monday Night RAW
Monday Night RAW comes to Lenovo Center for an evening arena event.
See the latest from Lenovo CenterDowntown Raleigh
Downtown Raleigh parade route
82nd Annual Raleigh Christmas Parade
Raleigh's long-running holiday parade brings bands, dancers, balloons, floats, and other performers through a roughly 1.4-mile downtown route.
See the latest from Greater Raleigh Merchants AssociationCary
Koka Booth Amphitheatre
North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival
Large illuminated lantern installations and nightly cultural performances return to Koka Booth Amphitheatre for the festival's eleventh year.
See the latest from Koka Booth AmphitheatreWest Raleigh
Lenovo Center
Gabriel Iglesias
The rescheduled Raleigh date for The 1976 Tour is listed for Sunday evening at Lenovo Center.
See the latest from Lenovo CenterUpcoming
December 2026
Central Raleigh
Pullen Park
Pullen Park Holiday Express
Pullen Park becomes a ticketed holiday experience with its train, carousel, lights, crafts, games, and seasonal attractions.
See the latest from City of RaleighBoylan Heights
Porches, lawns, and streets across Boylan Heights
Boylan Heights ArtWalk
The neighborhood becomes an outdoor art market as local artists exhibit paintings, pottery, glasswork, jewelry, and other work on porches and lawns.
See the latest from Boylan Heights ArtWalkDowntown Raleigh
Raleigh Memorial Auditorium
Carolina Ballet's The Nutcracker
Carolina Ballet presents its annual holiday production with live music at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium.
See the latest from Carolina BalletCary
First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
NCAA Division I Men's and Women's College Cups
The Division I women's and men's soccer semifinals and championship matches are staged in Cary over the same long weekend.
See the latest from NCAADowntown Raleigh
Moore Square
Moore Square Winterfaire
A three-day European-style holiday market fills Moore Square with local makers, food, performances, activities, and seasonal decorations.
See the latest from Moore Square WinterfaireFayetteville Street district
Downtown Raleigh
WRAL First Night Raleigh
Downtown Raleigh's New Year's Eve celebration combines performances, children's activities, amusement rides, and the Raleigh Acorn Drop.
See the latest from ArtsplosureNothing in this edition matches that filter yet. Try another category to keep exploring.
Location guide
Where these events are.
This edition takes you from Downtown Raleigh and West Raleigh to Cary, North Raleigh, and a few favorite spots in between. Look up the named venue as you plan—the areas are close enough to explore, but each offers a different part of the Raleigh experience.
Downtown Raleigh
Downtown events gather around Fayetteville Street, Moore Square, Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, and the streets in between. Many are easy to pair with a meal, a museum, or a walk through the city; the event map will point you toward a convenient arrival spot.
West Raleigh favorites
Carter-Finley Stadium, Lenovo Center, the State Fairgrounds, and JC Raulston Arboretum make this one of Raleigh's liveliest event areas. When two events share a date, a little extra travel time helps keep the day relaxed.
Central Raleigh & Boylan Heights
Pullen Park, Boylan Heights, and Raleigh's road races offer a more neighborhood-focused side of the city. These stops are especially enjoyable on foot, with parks, porches, and local streets shaping the experience.
Cary
Prestonwood Country Club, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, and WakeMed Soccer Park bring golf, concerts, festivals, and championship soccer to Cary. Search the named venue when mapping the trip, since each sits in a different part of town.
North Raleigh soccer venues
WRAL Soccer Park and nearby tournament fields bring busy weekends to North Raleigh. Teams may play at different sites, so checking the assigned field first makes it easy to choose a meeting place and enjoy the rest of the day.
A helpful habit
Take one last look before you go.
A quick visit to the official event page can make the day smoother. Start times, parking suggestions, entry details, and weather updates are often easiest to find there.
More to explore
Keep exploring from here.
These official calendars are great places to discover more events and find the latest information from the people hosting them.
- City of Raleigh event calendar
City programs, public meetings, arts, parks, and community events.
- Lenovo Center event calendar
Current arena dates and event-specific visitor information.
- NC State Athletics schedules
Official Wolfpack schedules, updates, and game-day links.
- GoRaleigh
Current local bus routes, service notices, and trip-planning tools.
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Event information reviewed . We update this guide by hand and link to official sources for the latest details.