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Our annual picks of the city’s must-do events.
Right now, all large events in Raleigh have been cancelled, postponed or suspended and it’s hard to imagine life getting back to normal—but it will. Our list of the city’s best events is a mix of Raleigh’s oldest and newest, events where you can give back and a couple that only happen once in a lifetime. Don’t worry, once life returns to normal, we fully expect these events to still be on the calendar.
Band Together
8/29/2020
bandtogethernc.org
Band Together NC, an organization that brings the community and nonprofits together through live music is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Band Together will celebrate the milestone with a big community concert honoring all of its partners from the last 20 years.
Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week
8/12-18/2020
downtownraleigh.org/restaurant-week
A great opportunity to indulge your palate and find a new favorite restaurant, this week-long event offers diners the chance to grab great lunches for $5-$10 and three-course, prix fixe dinners for either $20 or $30.
Black Crowes
7/4/2020
theblackcrowes.com
The Black Crowes are reuniting for a tour this year. The Robinson brothers haven’t played a show since 2013, but, luckily for fans, time seems to have healed all wounds and reported rifts. The tour will hit the Carolinas with dates scheduled for PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte on Friday, July 3 and Coastal Credit Union Music Park in Raleigh on Saturday, July 4.
Brewgaloo
8/14-15/2020
shoplocalraleigh.org/brewgaloo
Once again topping USA Today’s list as one of the biggest and best beer festivals in the country, Brewgaloo is North Carolina’s largest craft beer festival, celebrating everything local—local beer, local food trucks and local vendors. The Saturday festival includes a Friday night block party.
Election Day
11/3/2020
It’s a privilege, a right and a responsibility to cast your ballot for many offices but especially for the President of the United States. Please, read up on the issues; decide for yourself who will lead our country best and cast your ballot in service of the direction you’d like to see our country go. And, of course, don’t forget to cast a vote for who you’d like to represent you in Congress, in the U.S. Senate and in dozens of other state and local offices.
Artsplosure
10/10-11/2020
artsplosure.org
One of the Southeast’s premier arts festivals, Artsplosure celebrates fine visual art and live music. More than 80,000 people roam the streets of downtown Raleigh, viewing work in different mediums from more than 180 artists for free.
Evening of Hope
9/16/2020
walkforhope.com
Evening of Hope is a who’s who of Raleigh, an annual gala benefiting The Foundation of Hope for Research & Treatment of Mental Illness. The gala includes dinner with wine pairings at the Pavilion at the Angus Barn. This year’s speaker, country music singer LeAnn Rimes, talks about her battles with depression and anxiety.
2020 City of Oaks Marathon
11/1/2020
capstoneraces.com/city-of-oaks-marathon
Raleigh’s hometown race and the city’s 14th annual City of Oaks Marathon will offer distance races for everyone. Lace up your running shoes for the full marathon, a half marathon, a marathon relay, the Old Reliable 10K, the Acorn 5K or a mile with the kids. Afterwards, relax at the post-race party with live music and free beer.
Hopscotch Music Festival
9/10-12/2020
hopscotchmusicfest.com
Hopscotch returns to venues all over downtown Raleigh for the energetic music festival’s eighth straight year. More than 450 bands will perform for 60,000 fans; look for the festival lineup soon and get those wristbands early, because shows tend to sell out fast.
Midtown Beach Music Series
Summer
northhillsevents.com
While the kickoff for North Hills’ 13th season will likely be postponed to later in the summer, this is definitely a summertime must-do event. The series offers the best of Beach Music on warm summer nights and features shag dancing, a storied, time-honored tradition in the South.
Alanis Morissette
6/23/2020
alanis.com
Alanis Morisette is celebrating the 25th anniversary of her breakthrough album “Jagged Little Pill” with a tour. Morisette will play in Charlotte on June 21 and in Raleigh on June 23 at Coastal Credit Union Music Park.
World of Bluegrass
9/29-10/3/2020
worldofbluegrass.org
The largest free urban bluegrass festival in the world returns to Raleigh with eight stages of IBMA and GRAMMY Award winners, emerging artists, and traditional bluegrass tunes. The Main Stage at Red Hat Amphitheater is a fundraiser for the IBMA Trust Fund, a nonprofit that supports bluegrass music professionals.
N.C. State Fair
10/15-25/2020
ncstatefair.org
Get ready for fried foods of all of all kinds, gigantic pumpkins, exhilarating carnival rides, live performances and more at the annual N.C. State Fair. The event draws in 11 million visitors every year and is the largest event in the state of North Carolina.
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