Destinations › Raleigh
25 upcoming events in Raleigh on our checked calendar, next up: Dix Park: Instrument Petting Zoo (Nov 8); 82nd ABC11 Raleigh Christmas Parade (Nov 21); Dix Park: Trophy Trot 5k (Thanksgiving Day race) (Nov 26).
This list is rebuilt from our North Carolina events dataset (calendar last re-checked Oct 21, 2026). Every date and price was read on the organizer’s own page; “See event page” means the organizer does not publish one. Plans change, so check the organizer’s page before you drive.
Raleigh This Weekend (Oct 31-Nov 1, 2026)
No one-off events on our Raleigh calendar this weekend. See everything on this weekend in North Carolina.
Upcoming Raleigh Events
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dix Park: Instrument Petting Zoo | Sun, Nov 8 (2:00-4:00 PM) | Raleigh · Triangle | Free (free to the public thanks to Dix Park Conservancy donors); more prices on the event page |
| 82nd ABC11 Raleigh Christmas Parade Our guide | Sat, Nov 21 | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Dix Park: Trophy Trot 5k (Thanksgiving Day race) | Thu, Nov 26 (Kids' race 8:45 AM; 5K 9:00 AM; ends 10:30 AM) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Carolina Hurricanes vs Ottawa Senators (Thanksgiving week home game) | Sat, Nov 28 (Puck drop time not published in the team's schedule release) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Evening with Elves (Marbles Kids Museum) | Fri, Dec 4 (6:00-8:30 PM) | Raleigh · Triangle | $27 member | $30 general public; every attendee needs a ticket |
| Carolina Hurricanes vs Toronto Maple Leafs | Sat, Dec 5 (Time not published on this page on the venue list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Pentatonix: Christmas in the City Tour | Mon, Dec 7 (7:00 PM) | Raleigh · Triangle | Visit Ticketmaster.com for pricing (no dollar amount on the venue page) |
| Carolina Ballet: The Nutcracker | Dec 10-24 | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve (Raleigh) | Thu, Dec 10 (7:00 PM; doors 6:00 PM) | Raleigh · Triangle | Visit Ticketmaster.com for pricing (no dollar amount on the venue page) |
| Gingerbread Jamboree (Marbles Kids Museum) Our guide | Dec 12-13 (Sessions 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:30 PM each day) | Raleigh · Triangle | $18 member | $20 general public per attendee; reusable gingerbread house $25 |
| Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins (last home game before Christmas break) | Sun, Dec 13 (1:00 PM ET) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Disney On Ice presents Spotlight Magic | Dec 16-20 | Raleigh · Triangle | Visit Ticketmaster.com for pricing (no dollar amount on the venue page) |
| Carolina Hurricanes vs Nashville Predators (New Year's weekend home game) | Sat, Jan 2 (Puck drop time not published in the team's schedule release) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Carolina Hurricanes home games at Lenovo Center, Jan 2027 (Flyers Jan 15, Golden Knights Jan 17, Ducks Jan 23, Islanders Jan 28, Kings Jan 30) | Jan 15-30 (Puck-drop times not published on this page on the arena list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| The Red Clay Strays at Lenovo Center | Fri, Jan 22 (Time not published on this page on the arena list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| NC State vs Wake Forest at Lenovo Center | Sat, Jan 23 (12:00 PM; doors 11:00 AM) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Shen Yun | Jan 23-24 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Carolina Ballet: Giselle | Feb 4-14 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| NC Opera: Turandot | Feb 5-7 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| NC Symphony: Dancing in the Street, The Music of Motown | Feb 12-13 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Taylor Tomlinson | Feb 20-21 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| NC Symphony: Beethoven Symphony No. 9 | Feb 26-27 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Carolina Ballet: The Little Mermaid | Mar 4-21 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| NC Symphony: Totally 80s | Mar 12-13 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
Running for Weeks in Raleigh
Not checked for each date: these run for weeks, and some open only on certain days or nights.
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC Museum of Natural Sciences (downtown Raleigh) | Oct 24-Mar 31, 2027 | Raleigh · Triangle | Free general admission |
Raleigh Events by Month
- October 2026 1 in Raleigh
- November 2026 4 in Raleigh
- December 2026 8 in Raleigh
- January 2027 5 in Raleigh
- February 2027 5 in Raleigh
- March 2027 2 in Raleigh
Venues in Raleigh
- Lenovo Center Arena
- Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts Performing Arts Center
More nearby: Triangle NC Events: Oct 2026 to Mar 2027.
State Parks in Wake County
| Park | Where | Day Use |
|---|---|---|
| Falls Lake State Recreation Area Official page | Wake Forest, Wake County · Triangle | Partly free (see the park page) Free most of year; per-vehicle entrance fee on certain days (amount not on park page) |
| William B. Umstead State Park Official page | Raleigh, Wake County · Triangle | Free day use |
More State Parks in The Same Region
Same region as Raleigh (Triangle), not the same county: check the drive before you plan a day.
| Park | Where | Day Use |
|---|---|---|
| Eno River State Park Official page | Durham, Durham County · Triangle | Free day use |
| Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Official page | Apex, Chatham County · Triangle | Partly free (see the park page) Free most of year; per-vehicle entrance fee on certain days (amount not on park page) |
| Kerr Lake State Recreation Area Official page | Henderson, Vance County · Triangle | Partly free (see the park page) Free most of year; per-vehicle entrance fee on certain days (amount not on park page) |
| Lower Haw River State Natural Area Official page | Pittsboro, Chatham County · Triangle | Not confirmed Not published |
| Medoc Mountain State Park Official page | Hollister, Halifax County · Triangle | Free day use |
| Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area Official page | Hillsborough, Orange County · Triangle | Free day use |
| Raven Rock State Park Official page | Lillington, Harnett County · Triangle | Free day use |
State park facts come from our state park dataset (last checked Oct 27, 2026), read on each park’s own ncparks.gov page. Plans and rules change, so check the organizer or park page before you drive.
Keep Planning
- All state park guides
- Topic guides: things to do in North Carolina
- All destinations
- Dog-Friendly State Parks
- Free Things to Do
- Holiday Lights and Christmas Events
More Destinations
Map of Places in Raleigh
Full calendar: Raleigh events by date, with the venues and parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to do in Raleigh?
The lists above are built from our checked events dataset for the town or towns named, followed by the state parks in the same county and region. We name only what we have read on an official page.
Does this list every attraction?
No. It lists events we have checked and state parks we hold data for. Museums, gardens and landmarks will appear here once we have read their official pages; until then we do not guess.
How do I see what is on this weekend?
The weekend table above updates daily, and our statewide weekend page covers every region. The Triangle hub lists the whole region.
Sources
- Each event links to the organizer’s own page, where its date, hours and price were read; all rows are in the North Carolina events dataset with a checked date on every row.
- Park facts (hours, day-use cost, pet rule) were read on each park’s own ncparks.gov page; all rows are in the North Carolina state parks dataset.
How we check: editorial standards, verification log, corrections.
Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “Things to Do in Raleigh”, itsnorthcarolina.com/destinations/raleigh/ (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.