It’s North Carolina
It's North Carolina

Events and things to do in North Carolina, with dates, prices and drive times checked at the source.

Triangle NC Events: Oct 2026 to Mar 2027

14 events and attractions in the Triangle region are confirmed on the organizers’ own pages, from Oct 24, 2026 to Mar 21, 2027. Prices, hours and rules below are quoted from those pages and dated; anything an organizer has not published says “not published” rather than a guess. Towns covered include Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. Next up: Howl at the View (Halloween family night), Oct 24, 2026.

Triangle events by date

Event Where Dates Hours Price (as published) Notes
Howl at the View (Halloween family night) Durham Oct 24, 2026 5:00-7:00 PM not published Falls Lake SRA Rolling View Community Building, 4201 Baptist Rd; trunk or treat, crafts, hiking; all ages
Pumpkin Patch Express (Museum of Life and Science) Durham Oct 24, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026 Weekends in October (hours not published) Tickets on sale; price not published on homepage Hay maze, pumpkin decorating, autumn games; only October weekends listed so Oct 24-25 and 31
Mrs. Doubtfire (WRAL Greatest Hits of Broadway, DPAC) Durham Oct 30, 2026 to Nov 1, 2026 not published Tickets start at $50 (+ tax) Broadway touring show; ages and family suitability not published
Boo! (Museum of Life and Science) Durham Oct 31, 2026 10 AM-3 PM Included with admission (admission price not published on homepage) Costumes encouraged; homepage heading also reads FREE EVENT, so re-verify
Dix Park: Instrument Petting Zoo Raleigh Nov 8, 2026 2:00-4:00 PM Free (free to the public thanks to Dix Park Conservancy donors); registration required to receive weather cancellations All ages, beginner-friendly; youth quartets perform then public plays boomwhackers, bucket drums, kazoos; painting old instruments; Gipson Play Plaza
82nd ABC11 Raleigh Christmas Parade Raleigh Nov 21, 2026 9:30 AM street-side and on ABC11 (telecast 9:30 AM-12:00 PM); lasts about 2.5 hours not published Route about 1.4 miles: Hillsborough St at St. Mary's St, past State Capitol, Salisbury St, Morgan St, Fayetteville St to Lenoir St; no registration or price to watch published
NC Chinese Lantern Festival Cary Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027 Daily 6-10 PM, closed Dec 25; gates 6 PM, arrive by 9 PM; Twilight Session gates 4:30 PM (arrive by 5:30); holiday hours vary not published on the festival page (Any Night, Twilight Session and Evening Session tickets; evening-of purchase costs more); children 2 and under free Sensory-Friendly Night Dec 1; Sun-Thu discounts for military, seniors 55+, college students with ID; groups of 20+ discounted Sun-Thu except blackout Dec 14-Jan 3; pet, bag, stroller and parking rules are on linked pages not published on this page
Dix Park: Trophy Trot 5k (Thanksgiving Day race) Raleigh Nov 26, 2026 Kids' race 8:45 AM; 5K 9:00 AM; ends 10:30 AM not published on event page (register on race website) Road closures until 10:30 AM; only Umstead Dr via Lake Wheeler Rd and S. Boylan Ave via Western Blvd entrances open 6-10:30 AM; afterparty at Trophy Brewing (alcohol); benefits Healing Transitions
Fuquay-Varina Town Tree Lighting Fuquay-Varina Dec 3, 2026 6:00-8:00 PM; ice skating 4-8 PM; artist night market 5-8 PM; tree and menorah lit 6 PM; Santa pictures 6:15-8 PM not published Downtown, Vance Street lot (205 S. Main St); road closures, detour map on page; sleigh rides by Fuquay-Varina Downtown Association
Evening with Elves (Marbles Kids Museum) Raleigh Dec 4, 2026 6:00-8:30 PM $27 member | $30 general public; every attendee needs a ticket Family holiday evening; non-refundable
Carolina Ballet: The Nutcracker Raleigh Dec 10, 2026 to Dec 24, 2026 Performances: Dec 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23 at 7 PM; Dec 12, 19 at 2 PM and 7 PM; Dec 13, 20 at 1 PM and 5 PM; Dec 18 at 2 PM and 7 PM; Dec 19 2 PM; Dec 22, 23 also 2 PM; Dec 24 12 PM (Raleigh Memorial Auditorium per the season page) not published; single tickets by Box Office 919-719-0900 (Mon-Fri 10am-5pm), in person at 3030 Stony Brook Dr, or Ticketmaster for an added fee Live orchestra; all sales final; ages and stroller rules not published
Gingerbread Jamboree (Marbles Kids Museum) Raleigh Dec 12, 2026 to Dec 13, 2026 Sessions 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:30 PM each day $18 member | $20 general public per attendee; reusable gingerbread house $25 Every attendee needs a ticket; museum admission not included; assembled house 6x8x8.5 in
Carolina Ballet: The Little Mermaid Raleigh Mar 4, 2027 to Mar 21, 2027 Thu-Fri Mar 4-5 7:30 PM; Sat Mar 6, 13, 20 at 2 PM and 7:30 PM; Sun Mar 7, 14, 21 at 2 PM (Fletcher Opera Theater per season page) not published; Box Office 919-719-0900 or Ticketmaster (added fee) Page says program is fitting for audiences of all ages; all sales final

Each event name links to the organizer’s page. Last checked 2026-10-18. Confirm the date and ticket price there before you go, because organizers change both.

Open daily, weekly or all season

Event Where Dates Hours Price (as published) Notes
NC Museum of Natural Sciences (downtown Raleigh) Raleigh Oct 24, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 Downtown Tue-Sun 10 AM-5 PM; e.g. Incredible Science Oct 24 12:30-1:00 PM Free general admission Calendar lists daily programs (live animal feedings, Science Detectives, story time); some programs separately priced or registered, not published on this page; adult nights are 21+ and excluded

Drive times

See drive times to 20 North Carolina destinations from Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh and Wilmington.

State parks in this region

For free days outdoors, see the North Carolina State Parks Passport: most state parks charge nothing for day use.

Frequently asked questions

How were these events checked?

Each row was read on the organizer’s or venue’s own page, not copied from a listings site. The link in the first column is that page and the check date is in the log. See our editorial standards and verification log.

What if a price says “not published”?

It means the organizer’s page did not show a price when we looked, often because tickets sit behind a booking widget. We leave it blank instead of guessing; use the event link to see current prices.

What is the next event in the Triangle region?

Howl at the View (Halloween family night), Oct 24, 2026, in Durham. Dates shift, so use the link in the table.

Where do I report a wrong date or price?

Use the contact page. Corrections are logged on our corrections page.

Sources

Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “Triangle NC Events: Oct 2026 to Mar 2027”, itsnorthcarolina.com/triangle-events/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.