We’ve got your weekend lineup, Raleigh! Check out these local things to do to keep you busy this weekend!
Every week, we curate a list of local things to do in and around Raleigh. Our goal is to uplift local businesses and connect you with fun, community-driven experiences.
We prioritize events from our Shop Local Raleigh members, offering you the best local experiences. Want to add your event to our list? Consider becoming a Shop Local Raleigh member or contact us for collaboration opportunities.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and X(Twitter) to stay in the loop on all things local. Let’s get out and show some local love to our community!
Thursday, Nov. 20
🩰 La Valse by Carolina Ballet 11/20-23
An evening where romance meets mystery, and elegance gives way to the unexpected. La Valse shimmers with Balanchine’s haunting glamour, while Robert La Fosse’s Concerto in Five Movements dazzles with inventive flair. Zalman Raffael’s B for Ballet pays homage to the art form’s discipline and beauty, and Michel Fokine’s Le Spectre de la Rose and The Dying Swan remind us of ballet’s timeless power to move and enchant. With its rich patterns, intricate formations, and lyrical pas de deux, La Valse is a masterful celebration of ballet’s expressive power. Every performance of La Valse will feature the score performed live by orchestra.
For the best rates, contact the box office (919) 719-0900 or boxoffice@carolinaballet.com. More info. Get tickets
😂 Michael Che at Goodnights 11/20-22
Check out SNL’s Michael Che at Goodnights Comedy Club this weekend! Michael Che can be seen on his 11th season of Saturday Night Live as “Weekend Update” Co-Anchor alongside Colin Jost, and in his HBO series That Damn Michael Che, a comedy sketch series which he stars in, wrote and executive produced. More info.
🎸Harry’s Concerts: Pierre Bensusan 11/20
Pierre Bensusan is a French-Algerian guitarist, vocalist, and composer known for his captivating sound and unique fusion of many different genres. Signing his first contract at just seventeen, Pierre Bensusan has garnered many awards in his time, including being named Best World Music Guitarist by Guitar Player Magazine and winning the Independent Music Award for his triple live album “Encore”. Doors open at 8pm. Show starts at 8:30pm. More info.
😂 Ted Alexandro at Goodnights 11/20-22
Check out Ted Alexandro at Goodnights Comedy Club this weekend! Ted has performed on David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Craig Ferguson, The View and two half-hour specials on Comedy Central as well as opening for Louis C.K. at Carnegie Hall. More info.
Friday, Nov. 21
🎄 Downtown Raleigh Tree Lighting In Moore Square 11/21
Watch as the Raleigh Christmas Tree comes to light, get free pictures with Santa Claus, shop for presents at the local vendor market, enjoy festive performances by local artists, and so much more all in downtown’s historic Moore Square park. 5:30pm-8:00pm. More info.
🏈 FSU vs. NC State at Carter-Finley 11/21
The Wolfpack take on FSU at Carter-Finley Stadium. 8pm. More info.
🌜 Cary Night Market Holiday Market 11/21
Head to Downtown Cary Park for the Cary Night Market featuring local handmade artists, food trucks, games on the lawn, entertainment, and fun for the whole family! Friendly dogs are welcome on leash. Presented by The Night Market Co. 327 S Academy St, Cary. 5pm-9pm More info.
🌕 Moonlight in the Garden 11/21-22
Stroll through the garden at the JC Raulston Arboretum, listen to a live band, grab a bite to eat from a food truck, roast a marshmallow or two at the fire pits, and sip a cup of hot apple cider. This year, they’re mixing it up with fresh lighting designs and inviting guests to explore new areas of the gardens. Each turn offers a different perspective, ensuring that both returning guests and first-time visitors will discover something new to delight in at every step. More info.
Saturday, Nov. 22
🎅 Raleigh Christmas Parade 11/22
Kick off the holiday season at the 81st Annual ABC11 Crossroads Ford Apex Raleigh Christmas Parade brought to you by Shop Local Raleigh! Get ready for:
🎉 Festive floats
🎈 Giant balloons
🎺 Marching bands
🐴 Horse groups
🚘 Classic cars
🎄 Grand Marshal Dereck Whittenburg with the NC State Marching Band
🎅 Santa and Mrs. Claus
🎁 And SO much more!
Watch at home on the official broadcast by ABC11. Coverage starts at 9:00 AM. Parade steps off at 9:30 AM in downtown Raleigh – Hillsborough St. to Fayetteville St. Follow @RaleighChristmasParade for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes, and live coverage! More info.
🎉 State of Beer Christmas Parade Party 11/22
Breakfast burritos, yummy drinks, and good vibes to kick off this holiday season. 7am. More info.
🎅🏽 Parade After-Party at Origami Styling 11/22
Heading to the Christmas parade? When it wraps up, walk on over and warm up with Origami Styling! They’ll have free hot chocolate, cookies, Christmas music, a one-day-only $10 rack, and all the festive vibes waiting for you. The store will be decorated for the season and fully stocked with holiday sweaters, sweatshirts, and cozy gifts. 11:30am-6pm. More info.
🎄 Candy Cane Lane Downtown Zebulon 11/22
Celebrate the holiday season in Downtown Zebulon. Spend the evening strolling Arendell Avenue visiting downtown businesses, participating in Christmas activities, enjoying live performances, and celebrating with community members. Activities will include visits with Santa, Free Holiday Crafts, Letters To Santa, Games, Hot Chocolate, Food Trucks, and so much more. 4pm-8pm. More info.
🎁 Holiday Open House at NOFO 11/22
Join NOFO for an afternoon full of shopping, fun, food, and raffles. Get your Christmas shopping done early and soak up the festive spirit at 5 Points’ Shops! 12pm-4pm. More info.
🎉 American Indian Heritage Celebration 11/21-22
Celebrate American Indian communities in NC with live performances, crafts, food vendors, exhibits, and more. 11am-4pm. More info.
⛸️ The Rink at Red Hat Amphitheater 11/22-1/4
Enjoy the thrill of ice skating in a winter wonderland in the heart of Raleigh at Red Hat Amphitheater. Reserve your holiday fun at The Rink today!
Winter Wonderland-themed Ice Rink
Cozy Stations featuring outdoor lounging furniture and heat warmers
Fire pits that are perfect for warming up
20ft Decorated Holiday Tree
Decoration stations for a holiday photo opt, including a 6ft lighted bulb display
Snack Bar to purchase refreshments including hot cocoa, beer, wine, sweet treats, and more
Giant Jenga and cornhole game boards
Special community partner nights with local organizations
Tickets and info.
❄️ Holiday Block Party Day Market 11/22
Bring the family to prep for your holiday gatherings. Shop with the best bakers, sauce makers and artisans in the Triangle. 11am-3pm. More info.
🧙🏼♀️ A Day at Hogwarts at The Studio 11/22
Join The Studio in Apex for a day celebrating all things Harry Potter! Drink a butterbeer, take your photo in the Daily prophet, shop plants from the Herbology classroom, grab a snack from Honeydukes, see who is the biggest fan in Trivia, get your stars read by Professor Trelawney, shop local artists handmade merch and experience so much more magic!
This Harry Potter themed day will include:
🍺 Harry Potter themed mocktails
🔮 Get a Tarot reading from Professor Trelawney
🪴 Shop the Herbology classroom with Plant Therapy
🍏 Grab a sweet treat from Honeydukes with Lizzee’s Apple
🏆 Harry Potter Trivia at 2pm
📸 Take your photo in our Harry Potter themed photobooth
🪄 Shop handmade Harry Potter merch from local artists
🎨 Plus shop from 25+ other local handmade artist will have tons of unique gifts and treats to shop!
👚 7+ Vintage vendors with expertly curated clothing and homewares
Bring a friend and spend the day with us relaxing and enjoying the perfect fall weather from 10:30-3:30 pm in Downtown Apex at The Studio and get sorted into your house! Please know that Harry Potter fans of all ages are welcome but this event will be geared more towards adults. 106 W Chatham St. Apex. More info.
🎄 Christmas Tree Lighting at North Hills 11/22
Tree lighting, music, a Vendor Village, children’s crafts, food trucks, Santa, and more at North Hills. 4pm-7pm More info.
🧑🌾 Midtown Holiday Market at North Hills 11/22
Save the Date for this season’s Holiday Market. Shop local for all of your Thanksgiving prep and holiday gifts! The Commons, 4191 Main at North Hills Street. 10am-12pm. More info.
🛍 Seaboard Station Holiday Market 11/22
Join Community Pop-Ups NC for the Seaboard Station Community Market! Shop from some amazing local small businesses, enjoy live music, check out the kids zone, and more! It’s free to attend, family and pet-friendly. 10am-1pm More info.
🧑🌾 Farmers Market at Downtown Cary Park 11/22
Shop for freshly-harvested produce, humanely-raised meat, and artisan-made goods at Downtown Cary Park. Children can also get their very own Farmers Market Passport and participate in the Eat-A-Rainbow program, which encourages children to eat healthy, nutritious foods. 9am-12pm. More info.
🌺 Poinsettia Party at Homewood Nursery & Garden Center 11/22
Head to Homewood Nursery & Garden Center and enjoy live music, refreshments, photo ops, Homewood-grown poinsettias. More info.
❄️ Winter Market at Red Bird 11/22
Kick off your holiday shopping at Red Bird’s first Winter Market, conveniently located where the Raleigh Christmas Parade ends. It’s the perfect opportunity for parade-goers to stop in and shop for unique, local gifts for friends and loved ones. Explore a festive lineup of local vendors from across the Triangle, offering everything from handmade goods to seasonal treats. Entry is free and open to all, so come sip, shop, and soak in the holiday spirit! Special holiday perks:
🥂 Drinks available for purchase to keep you cozy as you browse.
🎅 Raffle entries for tickets to our Brunch with Santa event on December 13th.
Make a morning of it. Support local makers and enjoy the holiday vibes. 9am-3pm. More info.
Sunday, Nov. 23
🚲 Cranksgiving at Crank Arm Brewing 11/23
Cranksgiving is a fun choose-your-own-adventure event all about riding a bike and giving back to our communities in need during the holiday season. Oaks & Spokes will provide you with a list of essential food items to purchase, offer some challenges for bonus points, and give you a map of nearby grocery stores. However, how you choose to participate is entirely up to you! Whether you ride to just one store or visit them all, join as a team or go solo, they’re happy to see you on your bike doing some good!
They will be giving out points for weight, distance, and key items. So grab your cargo bike, panniers, backpack, and any and everything you can mount to your bike to carry a load.
This event is run by Oaks & Spokes and sponsored by Crank Arm Brewing. 1pm-6pm. More info.
🪴 Plantsgiving at Bloom Collective 11/23
Join Bloom in us for a cozy community plant swap — a day to share plant care tips, trade your favorite cuttings, and grow your plant family! All are welcome to give, take, and swap plants. Sip on complimentary drink tastings from our functional bar while you shop & swap. Every guest will receive a FREE propagated plant from Bloom Collective! More info.
😂 Best of Raleigh Showcase at Goodnights 11/23
Get ready for the best local comics, all appearing on one stage at Goodnights Comedy Club! 6:30pm. More info.
🎁 Holiday Pop-Up Market RTP 11/23
Pop-Up Raleigh is partnering with the Sheraton Imperial/RTP for a HOLIDAY Pop-Up Market this year. Check out over a hundred vendors inside a spacious Ballroom on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. It is the perfect time to kick off the 2025 holiday shopping season, while supporting local artisans, vintage curators, makers, bakers and more. 12pm-6pm. More info.
🍂 Family Craft Night with Cozy Panda Event Co. 11/23
Join Cozy Panda Event Co. for a cozy evening full of creativity and fall fun! Enjoy the charm of Old Mill Farm with adorable animals, fun games, and crafts for all ages. Including pottery painting you can take home the same day. Plus cozy s’mores by the fire pit and delicious bites from a local food truck! Come out and experience a fantastic, family-friendly fall afternoon on the farm! 4pm-6pm. More info.
🛍 The Raleigh Market at the State Fairgrounds 11/22-23
Find anything and everything at NC’s largest flea market! Vintage, collectible, antique, handcrafted, home grown, new, used, local, you’ll find it at The Raleigh Market! Each weekend, hundreds of indoor and outdoor vendors showcase an incredible range of items, from high-end antiques to power tools and everything in between. A rotating array of food trucks, fair food, and farm stands ensures you won’t leave hungry! Sat. and Sun. 9am-5pm. More info.
🎅 Sippin’ Santa at Wye Hill thru 12/28
Sippin’ Santa is BACK and serving up island vibes with tropical-influenced drinks and unforgettable festivities alongside the regular food menu at Wye Hill. This tropical transformation for the holidays features tiki cocktails, over-the-top decorations, and loads of holiday spirit on their beloved patio and in the taproom. Secure your tables early at Wye Hill. More info.
