The Best Summer Events in Raleigh 2022

If you’re looking for a way to spend the rest of your sunny summer days, don’t miss these Raleigh events.

There are plenty of places to see live music in Raleigh, from brand new local acts to globally recognized talent. Here are a few places to see some incredible musicians this summer.

Rhythm & Soul is a legacy concert showcasing North Carolina R&B music legends and inductees into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Artists include Chairmen of the Board, The Catalinas, and Clyde McPhatter's Drifters. General admission is $45. A VIP ticket is $55 and includes a meet & greet with the artists at 6:00 PM and priority seating.

Head over to Pullen Park or Fred Fletcher Park for this free concert series this summer featuring a wide variety of genres and styles. These family-friendly shows start at 6:00 PM. Catch SWAG on July 17th at Fred Fletcher Park, Raleigh Concert Band on July 30th at Pullen Park, and then head back to Fred Fletcher on August 14th for Thelonious.

Enjoy a magical day of live R&B, games, and local art at the Secret Garden Soiree in Fred Fletcher Park. Eat delicious food from some of Raleigh’s favorite food trucks, and get yourself a VIP ticket to sip complimentary champagne from the Secret Garden Champagne wall.

The event starts at noon and goes until 8:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased in advance.

Flowers Crossroads at Flowers Plantation is hosting a summer concert series with a Raleigh local band each month! In July, don’t miss Spare Change on July 24th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Next month, come back for the Band of Oz on August 28th from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM.

Have an artistic side? Now is the time to explore it!

About 20 minutes outside of Raleigh, the town of Cary has hosted the Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival since 1977. Come for art from over 300 artists from 16 states, delicious food, live music, and a great time. It takes place the last weekend in August at Cary Town Hall Campus. Other cool features include a beer garden, interactive art activities, live demonstrations from professional craftspeople, and a kid’s world area.

Come check out the work of some of the most popular tattoo artists in the trade at Raleigh’s first annual Tattoo Arts Festival. Get a tattoo onsite, or shop apparel and stick around for death-defying sideshow entertainment.

This event will be held at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds and is $20 for a day pass or $40 for the three-day weekend. Event times are as follows: Friday 2:00 PM - 1:00 PM/Saturday 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM/Sunday 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM. Kids under 12 get in free.

Visit Raleigh’s Asian-inspired tea house every second Saturday and third Sunday June through September for an art market featuring local artists, bubble tea, and live music. Enjoy free samples and peruse wares from jewelers and craftspeople from right here in Raleigh.

Upcoming dates include July 17th, August 13th, August 21st, and September 10th.

Rounding out the end of summer, check out Raleigh’s underground pop-up art show! Who could say no to all-you-can-eat free pancakes? Enjoy live performances from live DJs and live body painting while you sip a drink and peruse art from local artists.

Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door. The event is 21+ and runs from 7:00 PM to midnight.

Trying to stay active this summer and still have fun? These are the events for you.

Oak City Yoga and the Dogwood Bar & Eatery come together to bring you this invigorating yoga flow class followed by mimosas on the patio every Saturday this summer. Bring a yoga mat, towel, and water, and expect to work up a sweat. Class starts at 11:00 AM and all are welcome. The cost is $13 and includes one mimosa (for those 21+).

Tri Sports Social Club invites everyone out to The MAC for Friday night volleyball, music, and drinks! BYOB is allowed. A $15 early-bird ticket includes four hours of free play plus two drinks—beer, Gatorade, or soda. Tickets the day of are $20. Get yours here.

Head over to Lake Crabtree County Park in Morrisville for community sailing dinghy racing on July 20th, August 3rd, and August 7th. Whether you’re new to sailing or highly experienced, these races have a spot for you. There is no charge to participate, and boats are provided. Registration is required. For more information, email Dana from NC State Sailing at [email protected].

Have kids in your life? Here are some fun things for them to do or for you to do together this summer.

No matter your kids’ age, Oberlin Regional Library has something for them this summer. The calendar includes reading, learning, and adventure programs for babies and caregivers, toddlers, school-aged kids, and teens. For days, times, and details, visit the Oberlin Regional Library events page.

Bring your little skater out to United Skates of America every Saturday at 10:00 AM for skating and Kidz Bop music. Kidz Pop Skate admission is $9.50 for skaters and $3.00 for non-skating chaperones. Skate rentals are available.

Kids outgrown Kidz Bop? Try the Friday Public Skate or Family Skate Night instead, which features Top 40 music.

Kids 15 and younger are invited to create their very own terrarium with live plants at Urban Pothos Houseplant Shop—for free! Supplies are limited so you’ll have to sign up in advance, and parents must stick around in order for kids to participate.

The upcoming July 20th Free-rarium Day is all booked, but registration for the August 17th date opens on July 16th. Don’t miss it!

At Kid’s Paint & Parent’s Pint, let the kids take a painting class led by a Raleigh local artist downstairs while you enjoy dinner and drinks upstairs at Norse Brewing Company. The cost is $25 per child and includes a refillable soda or tea. Add on a kid’s meal for $10, and get there a little early so your blossoming artist can eat before painting. Food will be delivered around 6:00 PM, and class begins at 6:15 PM.

If you or someone in your life loves cars, these are the events for you.

This year’s Kirby Derby on August 20th is the event’s 20th anniversary—and it has a Roaring 20s theme! This event was inaugurated to inspire creativity, fun, silliness, and community togetherness. It kicks off with a pinecar race at 3:00 PM, continues with a quirky, themed parade at 5:00 PM, and finishes with the main event at 6:00 PM—the soapbox derby!

All these events are open, free, and everyone is encouraged to participate. Get creative! You’ll have to register in advance, but it’s sure to be a blast. Don’t feel like participating? Cheering spectators are also appreciated, and there will still be yummy food trucks and drinks to buy on site.

The Carolina Exotic Car Club holds an exotic car show for charity on the last Saturday of every month. Come check out some of the coolest cars you’ve ever seen, including exotics, supercars, and more. Whether you have an incredible car to showcase or you just love to look at them, purchase a ticket to raise funds for the Ride of Your Life Foundation.

See everything hot, new, and up-and-coming in the auto industry at the 35th Annual NC International Auto Expo. Self-driving, electric, performance, luxury—this convention has it all. A long list of brands and manufacturers will be in attendance, from national workhorses to exotic imports. The best part? You can test drive the vehicles right at the show.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. Kids under 12 get in for free with an adult.

If you’re planning a wedding in the Raleigh area, attend these wedding expos and venue open houses to get inspired.

Meet with trusted, local wedding professionals and plan your wedding at Raleigh’s largest annual wedding show. Vendors in attendance cover every aspect of your big day, from the big ticket items to the tiniest details. See the latest in fashion and design trends, sample cakes and food, and see the work of local photographers and videographers.

Tickets are $15 individually but can be purchased in packs of two, four, and eight for a discount. Ticket prices include both days, access to all exhibits, parking, and a $200 gift card to SymbolizeIt.com.

At this sweet celebration, tour the elegant Evermore wedding venue and meet with a selection of key vendors. This summer open house is a chance to sip champagne, sample hors d’oeuvres enjoy sweet treats, listen to violin and harp music, and take a look at the upcoming 2023-2024 wedding trends.

For a full list of vendors in attendance and to reserve your spot, register ahead of time. Attendance is free, but space is limited.

Celebrate the end of summer and The Dock’s first anniversary with a summer wind down and open house. Enjoy an afternoon of food and drinks, music, and dessert as well as the opportunity to connect with wedding professionals and venue representatives.

Attendance is free with a donation of school supplies or clothing for school-aged kids, which will be forwarded to Note in the Pocket. Register ahead of time to save your spot.

Who doesn’t love food? If your favorite thing to do is try delicious food, don’t miss these local events.

The party starts on Friday, July 22nd with a beer garden, live music, and some of Raleigh’s best barbecue at Peak City Pig Fest. Over the course of the event, 42 cook teams will compete for more than $12,000 in prize money cooking chicken, ribs, beef brisket, and pork. Attendance is free thanks to sponsorship by Bone Suckin’ Sauce.

On August 5th and 6th, the Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ festival makes a stop on its national tour in Cary, NC. Eat more delicious barbecue than you can imagine, and enjoy “all you care to taste” beer and bourbon tastings from your souvenir glass—included in your ticket. Dance to live blues and rock on the main stage, or try out the Cochon Carnival for yard games like giant Jenga, cornhole, and more.

General admission tickets start at $42 and are available on the festival website. Designated driver tickets are $25 and can only be purchased on site the day of the event.

Visit Academy Street in Downtown Cary on July 24th between 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM for a food truck rally featuring some of the best food in the Triangle. Enjoy cold beverages from craft beer and wine vendors and relax on the lawn to some great music at Cary’s Downtown Chowdown.

Jollof is is a one-pot rice dish native to many countries in West Africa. Some consider it the predecessor to the delicious cajun dish, jambalaya. The Jollof Festival celebrates jollof in its many forms. Festival participants get to enjoy these spectacular dishes and vote in the Jollof Wars, a head-to-head battle between representatives from each country for the title of Best Jollof Rice. Get tickets in advance.

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