November Events 2023: What’s happening in Raleigh this month?

Just when you thought things would begin quietening down in Raleigh after the busy September/October Fall months closing out the warm weather, November arrives and begins the Holiday Season!

I am both excited and overwhelmed by all the fun events happening this month in Raleigh, most with some kind of Christmas or Holiday season vibe. There are many concerts and theater productions with a Christmas theme, big sporting matches on (a few college rival clashes) and a marathon!

We do have a separate post on Christmas and Holiday events in Raleigh which we will be updating over the next couple of days.

If you have an event you want to submit? Check our submission guidelines and options here. 

Join our email community below so you don’t miss an update and to get access to our free printable Holiday bucket list. It will help you keep on track for planning an awesome festive season in Raleigh.

Sports & Concerts in November

• Nov 3: Lil Uzi Vert – PINK TAPE TOUR, PNC Arena
• Nov 7: Canes Vs Buffalo Sabres PNC Arena
• Nov 9: Eagles – The Long Goodbye, PNC Arena
• Nov 11: North Carolina Tar Heels Football vs. Duke Blue Devils Football, Kenan Stadium
• Nov 14: Rod Wave – Nostalgia Tour, PNC Arena
• Nov 15: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Philadelphia Flyers, PNC Arena
• Nov 18: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, PNC Arena
• Nov 22: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Edmonton Oilers, PNC Arena
• Nov 24: Martina McBride Christmas Tour, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
• Nov 24: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, PNC Arena
• Nov 25: North Carolina State Wolfpack Football vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Football, Carter Finley
• Nov 26: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, PNC Arena
• Nov 26: Rocky Mtn High Experience: A John Denver Christmas with Rick Schuler, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
• Nov 30: Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders, PNC Arena

WEEK 1: November 1 – 5, 2023

Craig and I will be attending the Wolfpack VS Miami game this weekend on military appreciation day.

ACC Women’s Soccer Championship Semifinals + Finals, Nov 2 & 5, 2023

• Where: WakeMed Soccer Park
• Time: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• Cost: $10 | under 18 free
• Website:

We don’t know what teams are in the playoffs yet, but it’s looking good for UNC. This is a great opportunity to close out the season and support our local college soccer teams! We really enjoy the experience.

See our complete guide to the WakeMed Soccer Park. Watch last’s year’s semi-final in the video below:

7th Annual Day of the Dead Celebration, Nov 3, 2023

• Where: City of Raleigh Museum
• Time: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• Cost: Free
• Website:

This family friendly Día De Los Muertos event will feature the Annual Day of the Dead Altar; live music and dancing; crafts and face painting; Day of the Dead bread samples; and traditional hot chocolate.

First Friday, Nov 3, 2023

• Where: Various locations downtown
• Time: 5pm onwards
• Cost: Free.
• Website

Support Raleigh’s great artisan community on the First Friday of every month. Art galleries and studios are open late with rotating exhibits and artist talks. We love wandering around the Artspace studios in the City Market area.

This months’ featured movie at Moore Square is Coco. Read our full guide to First Friday in Raleigh here.

North Carolina International Festival, Nov 3 – 5, 2023

• Where: NC State Fairgrounds Expo Building
• Time: Friday 9-9, Sat 10-9, Sun 11-6
• Website: Purchase your tickets here
• Cost: $5-$15

Let’s celebrate holidays around the world with cultural performances, an international Dance competition, a holiday market and delicious food and drinks. Over 30 cultures represented. Sheila’s Aussie Bakery truck will be there! Go eat a meat pie. You won’t regret it.

PAW Patrol Live! “The Great Pirate Adventure” Best Deal” Nov 3 – 5, 2023

• Where: Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts 
• Time: Various
• Cost: $20+
• Tickets

Young children will be thrilled this November in Raleigh to welcome Paw Patrol into town! It’s Pirate Day in Adventure Bay, and Mayor Goodway is getting ready for a big celebration! But first, Ryder and his team of pirate pups must rescue Cap’n Turbot from a mysterious cavern.

Fall Arts Fair, Nov 4, 2023

• Where: Fred Fletcher Park
• Time: 10 a.m – 5 p.m.
• Cost: Free
• Website

The fair will feature over 50 local artist vendors, live music, food trucks, and hands-on arts activities and demonstrations led by Pullen and Sertoma Arts Center teaching artists.

City of Oaks Marathon, Nov 5, 2023

• Where: Downtown Raleigh
• Cost: Depends on how long you run
• Website:

Lace up Runners! Raleigh’s Hometown Race is returning for the 17th Annual City of Oaks Marathon. It’s a beautiful run through the college campuses, downtown, and the beautiful greenway trails and ends with a post run party celebration. I’ll skip the run part and meet you there with my pom poms! You can run various lengths starting with a 5K. There’ll be music along the routes.

Magic and Mischief: A Wizard’s Market, Nov 5, 2023

• Where: Fred Fletcher Park
• Time: 10am-3pm
• Cost: Free
• Website: 

Dress in your house colors and shop for enchanting homemade items, enjoy family-friendly performances, encounter mysterious characters and fantastic beasts, create magical crafts, and practice spells with professors from a certain famous wizarding academy.

This is a family event full of wizarding fun for children – no horror, gore, weapons, or full-face masks please.

Week 2: November 6 – 12, 2023

Triangle Vegan Week, Nov 1 – 11, 2023

During this week, participating restaurants in the Triangle area of North Carolina will be offering exceptional vegan food for their customers. See participating restaurants here.

And we have a list of top Vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Raleigh and the Triangle.

Moonlight in the Garden, Nov 9- 18, 2023

• Where: JC Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University
• Time: 5:30-9:30 p.m.
• Cost: Members, $20; Nonmembers, $30; Children, $5
• Tickets: – they sell out fast!

What better way to see one of Raleigh’s best gardens than illuminated at night with magical art and light installations. With this event you can stroll through the garden, 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.

Video JC Raulston Arboretum

See how beautiful these Raleigh gardens are on a normal day! Read our guide to the JC Raulston Arboretum

BBQ Blues & Brews Festival, Nov 11, 2023

• Where: Fuquay-Varina
• Time: noon-4pm
• Cost: Free

What a fun way to explore Fuquay-Varina’s historic downtown. Sample BBQ, enjoy live blues music and locally craft brew. It’s a family-friendly event.

Women’s History Trolley Tour, Nov 12, 2023

• Where: Mordecai Historic Park
• Time: 1pm, 2pm, & 3pm
• Cost: $12
• Tickets

Hop on the Historic Raleigh Trolley for a special women’s history tour! Celebrate the influential women who shaped Raleigh’s history and explore their stories throughout the city, from the women who broke barriers in North Carolina politics to those who fought for equality during the Civil Rights Movement.

ACC Men’s Soccer Championship Finals, Nov 12 2023

• Where: WakeMed Soccer Park
• Time: Noon
• Cost: $10 | Under 18 free
• Website:

We celebrated the women’s finals, now time to support the Men’s soccer championship with the finals played in Cary! Let’s hope we have a local college team in it!

Week 3: November 13 – 19, 2023

Pepper’s Sing-a-Long Party, Nov 13, 2023

• Where: DPAC, Durham
• Time: 6pm
• Cost: $29+
• Tickets

Time to jump in muddy puddles. Peppa Pig’s Sing-Along Party! will be bringing back the loveable, cheeky little piggy in a brand-new interactive production filled with dancing, singing, and puddle jumping.

Peppa, George, Mummy Pig, and Daddy Pig will be singing along to some of their favorite songs, and they invite children and families alike to join in the fun. Dance, clap, and sing with Peppa and her family along with Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep, and Gerald Giraffe

North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival, Nov 17, 2023-Jan 14, 2024

• Where: Koka Booth Amphitheatre
• Time: Mon.-Sun., 6-10pm; performances: 7pm, 8pm and 9pm, nightly
• Cost: Start at $11
• Website: BoothAmpitheartre.com

The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival has exploded in popularity over recent years. So plan well and buy your tickets in advance. The festival has hundreds of larger-than-life lanterns on display creating an incredible, colorful adventure for you to walk through during the holiday season. 

More than 15,000 LED lights make up 40 distinct displays, including a 200-foot-long, 21-foot-tall mythical creature that sits on Symphony Lake. Hopefully this is the year we finally attend! Read more information about the NC Chinese Lantern Festival in our guide.

Downtown Raleigh Tree Lighting Celebration, Nov 17, 2023

• Where: Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
• Time: 5:30-8pm
• Cost: Free
• Website

A great way to kick-off the holiday season is the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in Downtown Raleigh at the Performing Arts Center. 

The tree will be surrounded by the Triangle Pop-Up holiday market and a stage with live performances. You can do some Christmas shopping, have photos with Santa, and dance to a few Christmas tunes. 

Portions of this event will be televised live on ABC-11. Check your local municipality for their annual tree lighting celebration as well. North Hills and Cary have popular ones (you can of course visit them all).

The Dessertery, Nov 17 – Dec 23, 2023

• Where: Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts 
• Time: Various
• Cost: $15 (ages 2-6) $28 (Ages 7+)
• Tickets

This new Holiday experience in Raleigh is a family friendly holiday themed dessert café. which features elaborate holiday decor, all you can eat sweets and hot cocoa, plus live entertainment (on select nights). We have a full post sharing all about the Dessertery in Raleigh.

79th Annual Raleigh Christmas Parade, Nov 18, 2023

• Where: Hillsborough to Fayetteville St, downtown
• Time: 9:30am
• Cost: Free
• Website: GRMA.org

We were quite impressed with Raleigh’s Christmas Parade, the largest Christmas Parade between Washington, DC and Atlanta. It has been a much-loved community event since it began in 1939.

This year, the parade will be a little different without any motorized float due to the tragic accident that happened in 2022, which resulted in the death of a young girl.

It’s incredible to see the extent people go to present their businesses or creative ideas on dozens of floats that include marching bands, twirlers, elaborately costumed Mexican dancers, cowboys and cowgirls riding through, and of course, Mr. and Mrs. Claus. 

The parade covers 1.4 miles beginning at Hillsborough Street at the intersection of St. Mary’s Street and ending at the bottom of Fayetteville St. 

If you live in one of the smaller Wake County communities, check to see what your municipality is offering by way of Christmas parades. We know Cary and Apex both have a fun filled Christmas parade event. 

If you don’t want to deal with the cold and crowds (60,000+), you can watch from home starting at 9:30 AM by tuning in to channel 11, or online at ABC11.com.

Video of Raleigh Christmas Parade 2021

Time to honor our Indigenous Peoples. This annual event has been held in honor of American Indian Heritage Month in North Carolina for over 25 years.

The festival includes multiple demonstrations, presentations, and performances highlight the traditional and contemporary artistic, scientific, historic, and cultural contributions of American Indians in North Carolina for over 14,000 years. 

Ice skating at THE RINK at Red Hat, Nov 18 – Jan 15

• Where: Red Hat Amphitheater
• Time: Various days and times
• Cost: $15 includes skate rental | $6 for non-skaters
• Event website and Get your tickets here.

The Winter Wonderland returns to downtown Raleigh with The Rink for the third year in a row. The rink is quite small, so time your session to beat the crowds.

It’s a lovely ambiance with the Christmas music and chill out areas surrounding the rink with comfy chairs, fire pits, games and beverages. There are themed nights, special events, and igloos for rent!

Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Event, North Hills, Nov 18, 2023

• Where: Common Area of North Hills
• Time: 4-7 p.m. | Santa 6 p.m.
• Cost: FREE
• Website:

This year’s Tree Lighting event will feature a live Christmas band, kids’ crafts and activities, food trucks, a vendor village and live music. The 41-foot Christmas Tree is lit amidst a joyous chorus of “Santa Clause Is Coming to Town.”

Parking will fill up fast so come early or take the complimentary shuttle running from Rosewater to the Main District continuously from 3:30pm to 7:30pm to help transport guests.

Celebrate NC Artists + Art at Art Bash, Nov 18, 2023

• Where: Artspace, City Market
• Time: 6-11pm
• Cost: $150
• Tickets

To celebrate the breadth of art and artists in North Carolina. Artspace is hosting their inaugural Art Bash with gallery exhibitions, private and live collecting opportunities, art experiences, and culinary delights. 

Downtown Cary Park Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, Nov 19, 2023

• Where: Downtown Cary Park
• Time: 11am – 7pm
• Cost: Free

Finally, the downtown Cary Park is opening after months of delays. Cary Town Council will mark this historic occasion with a unique ribbon-cutting experience. Attendees can enjoy activities such as live performances, a Bandit Flight Team flyover, arts and crafts, synchronized light shows, food trucks, Park tours, and more surprises. 

Week 4: November 20 – 26, 2023 (thanksgiving week)

Eat Turkey. Drink Wine. Maybe some Beer. Watch Football. Spend time with loved ones. Is that all your focusing on during this Thanksgiving week? Are you brave enough to travel during what is the busiest travel week of the year – for flights anyway.

Be sure to read our Holiday travel tips and you can see our lovely Thanksgiving getaway to Boone last year for some of your own ideas!

North Carolina Symphony: Holidays at Hogwarts, Nov 22, 24 & 25, 2023

• Where: Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
• Time: Weds 22nd @ 4pm; Fri 24th @ 3pm Sat 25th @3pm
• Cost: $30+
• Website:

All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Join your North Carolina Symphony for selections from your favorite Harry Potter films.

A Magical Cirque Christmas, Nov 22, 2023

• Where: Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts (
• Time: 7pm
• Cost: $39+
• Tickets

Embrace the holiday spirit with A MAGICAL CIRQUE CHRISTMAS, a variety show full of nostalgia, charm, and awe-inspiring performances for all ages. Get ready to be dazzled, enchanted, and filled with holiday cheer as you witness the incredible talents of world-class entertainers performing to your favorite holiday music.

A Drag Queen Christmas, Nov 25, 2023

• Where: Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
• Time: 8 pm
• Cost: $35+
• Tickets

For the 9th consecutive year, Murray & Peter present, A Drag Queen Christmas, the longest running drag tour in America. Get ready for Host Miz Cracker plus your favorite queens performing live on stage.

Week 5: November 27- 30, 2023

Giving Tuesday, Nov 28, 2023

Giving Tuesday is simply a day to encourage people to do good. It was created in 2012 in the USA to counteract the insane spending of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

Giving Tuesday is always the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and the day directly after Cyber Monday. This year it’s Tuesday November 28, 2023. We have ideas on how to support the Raleigh community on Giving Tuesday.

Motown Christmas, Nov 28, 2023

• Where: Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
• Time: 7:30 pm
• Cost: $34+
• Tickets

A Motown Christmas is a powerful family-oriented show combining Motown’s greatest hits with everyone’s favorite holiday classics. This show features those famous Motown trademarks…dazzling choreography and unforgettable harmonies all performed in that memorable, soulful Motown style.​

We really enjoyed the Motown Christmas Show we saw on our Myrtle Beach Christmas vacation!

Hotels in Downtown Raleigh

If you visit Raleigh from out of town for any November events, here are our recommendations for accommodation in Downtown Raleigh.

•  Residence inn Downtown Raleigh – fantastic location and big suites
•  StateView Hotel – hidden away in a forest on NC State’s Campus
•  Check out 10 of our short-term rental favorites

If you are visiting from out of town and have a few extra days, here are some guides to help you plan out your days exploring Raleigh:

• 24 hour itinerary guide for Raleigh
• 48 hour itinerary guide for Raleigh NC
• 22 of our favorite downtown Raleigh restaurants
• 5 of the best rooftop bars in Raleigh

What events in Raleigh do you have planned for November? Leave a comment if we’ve missed something you know of!