You know we’ve now arrived at the time when Raleigh experiences only three temperatures: hot, hotter, and hottest. Yep, summer in Raleigh can be intense, but we personally love it.
You might be trading in the hiking boots and bike helmets for ice cold ales in an air-conditioned brewery. I kinda get it, but I’m still a crazy person that goes hiking looking like I just walked through a sprinkler and feel pretty darn good about myself!
There are still plenty of things to do in Raleigh, so don’t hide away! We’ve just published a Raleigh Summer Bucket List with lots of ideas to enjoy the rest of summer. (Leave a comment with your recommendations!)
Don’t forget evenings are the perfect time to get out. The intense heat disappears (kinda) a nice breeze could be blowing, and the summer skies are just beautiful. We recommend the Durham Bulls baseball or an outdoor concert at any one of our incredible outdoor venues.
It’s back to school month so good luck to all our families and a big Braveheart rallying “freeeeedom” cry to our parents. You can read more about navigating Wake County schools, or listen to this podcast with useful information about Wake County Schools and here are all our tips from years of homeschooling.
For this post, let’s dive into what’s happening in Raleigh in this month of August. We can’t include everything and some events we don’t know about so please leave your ideas in the comments below for those reading this post!
- Have an event you want to submit? Check our submission guidelines and options here.
- Get prepared for beyond August with our festival and events in Raleigh guide
- We also update our email community every Friday with more Raleigh events, news, cool finds and happenings, so be sure to join us. It’s FREE and the best way to keep connected.
We sometimes share personal things happening for our family during the month. Simply because our community loves following what we are doing (live on Instagram). Our lives are dedicated to exploring, discovering cool things to do in Raleigh and just living large.
Concerts in Raleigh, August 2022
To make it easy for you to find the cool music events happening each month, I’m creating a separate section to list them out. Leave a comment to tell me what’s missing from the list and what you’re most looking forward to:
- Fitz and the Tantrums & Andy Grammer, August 2, Koka Booth
- LANY, Aug 4, Red Hat Amphitheater
- Rick Springfield & Men at Work, Aug 7, Red Hat Amphitheater
- REO Speedwagon and Styz with Loverboy, Aug 12, Coastal Credit Union Music Park
- David Gray, Aug 13, Red Hat Amphitheater
- Keith Urban, Aug 13, Coastal Credit Union Music Park
- Greensky Bluegrass, Aug 20, Red Hat Amphitheater
- Jack Johnson (with Ziggy Marley), Aug 21, Coastal Credit Union
- Goo Goo Dolls, Aug 23 , Red Hat Amphitheater
- Jamey Johnson, Aug 26, Red Hat Amphitheater
- My Chemical Romance, Aug 26, PNC Arena
NCFC & NC Courage Soccer
- Where: Wake Med Soccer Park, Cary
- Website: www.nccourage.com and www.northcarolinafc.com
Time to support our local soccer teams (men and women). We are still yet to check this off our summer bucket list. It’s always a great evening out. Here are a list of games for the month of August:
- Aug 10: NCFC vs. Forward Madison
- Aug 13: NCFC vs. Central Valley
- Aug 13: Courage vs. Kansas City
- Aug 20: Courage vs. Chicago
- Aug 24: Courage vs. Portland
- Aug 27: NCFC vs. Tucson
Carolina Mudcats Baseball
- Where: Five County Stadium, Zebulon
- Website: www.milb.com/carolina-mudcats
Y’all know we love a baseball game at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Those living closer to East Raleigh will love the option of supporting the Carolina Mudcats who play in Zebulon.
- Aug 2-7: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Aug 16-21: Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Aug 30 – Sept 4 Columbia Fireflies
Week 1: Aug 1 – 7, 2022
Bands, Bites, & Boats, Aug 5, 2022
- Where: Bond Park, Cary, 6-8pm
On the first Friday of every month, Bond Park Boathouse hosts musicians, food trucks, and after-hours boat rentals. What a great sunset experience to kick off the weekend.
- Band: Garland Mason
- Bites: Off the Hog and Las Gringas
- Brews: Fortnight
First Friday, Aug 5, 2022
- Where: Downtown Raleigh (various locations)
Looking for events in Raleigh this weekend? First Friday is a great way to get to know the culture of downtown Raleigh.
It is celebrated on the first Friday of each month at locations throughout downtown. Art galleries and studios are open late with rotating exhibits and artist talks. First Friday is FREE and open to all.
- Sir Walter Coffee has drink specials, games on the patio and DJs for their Coffee House Sessions.
- State Of Beer hosts an artisan mini market.
- Taverna Agora has a Greek night with food, drink, songs and dancing!! Oompah!
- Designed for Joy offers tours of their studio on First Fridays where you can also shop their wonderful brand of leather handbags, jewelry and home décor in the Warehouse District.
- First Friday Night Markets is also on at Moore Square with local growers and makers plus entertainment and a free outdoor movie after sundown hosted by the City of Raleigh. The much loved Notebook will be the evenings movie!
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival, Aug 5-6, 2022
- Where: Koka Booth Amphitheater; Fri 6pm-10pm; Sat 12pm-6pm (VIP), 2pm-6pm (general)
- Website: Cary.BeerAndBourbon.com
Unbuckle those belts. Two days ahead of Beer, Bourbon, Barbecue, Boots, Bacon, Biscuits, Bluegrass and Smoked Beasts! Your admission buys you a souvenir sampling glass so you can enjoy an ALL-YOU-CARE-TO-TASTE sampling of beer and bourbon.
Apart from the overindulging you can shop for merch, play giant jenga and cornhole, and dance to rock, blues, and bluegrass music. All held within one of our favorite venues in Wake County, Koka Booth Amphitheater.
If you don’t know Koka Booth, it’s located next to Symphony Lake among 14 acres of hardwoods and pines making it the PERFECT venue for live music and festivals.
Week 2: Aug 8- 14, 2022
Cinema in the Square: Ghostbuster – the Afterlife, Aug 11, 2022
- Where: Moore Square, 7pm with an 8:30pm screen start
The series is FREE and open to the public with food, wine, and beer available to purchase on-site. Make your own slime and an interactive presentation from The Ghost Guild about Raleigh’s ghost stories, haunted history, and the guild’s findings from investigations around the city.
Skywatching: Perseid Meteor Shower, Aug 12, 2022
- Where: The Big Field, Dorothea Dix, 9-11pm
Morehead Planetarium & Science Center staff and volunteers from the Raleigh Astronomy Club will set up telescopes so guests can view the Perseid Meteor Shower.
Friday Night on White, Aug 12, 2022
- Where: White Street, Wake Forest, 6-9pm
- Website: wakeforestnc.gov/meetings-events
This summer monthly event is back with the Brickhouse Band performing live. Bring your chairs and blankets, grab some food from the food trucks, and a beer form the tent. You can even dine at one of the restaurants or wander through the downtown stores.
Week 3: Aug 15 – 21, 2022
CaribMask, Caribbean Carnival, August 18-21
- Where: Downtown Raleigh
- Website: www.caribmask.com/home
Six events held over four days to help celebrate the Afro-Caribbean culture in Raleigh, with the main day on August 20. Expect a parade, masquerade dress, live music, dancing and Caribbean food and drinks.
Raleigh Night Market, Aug 18
- Where: Moore Square
- Website: www.raleighnightmarket.com
Sliding into our Summer Bucket List this year is the Raleigh Night Market. Now is your chance to check it off. You’ll find more than 80 local artisans, food vendors, beer, wine and cocktails, and live music.
But wait, there’s more. The Raleigh Night Market spreads itself around Wake County.
Check these locations and dates for a neighborhood near you.
- Cary: August 19th
- Apex: August 11th
- Smoky Hollow: August 10th
- Durham: August 25th
Kirby Derby, Aug 20, 2022
- Where: Dorothea Dix Park
- Website: https://kdd.gamil.com/
‘I am thrilled this event has returned. We will never forget this experience we had back in 2009 when a friend told us we had to come experience the Kirby Derby party in a small neighborhood near Pullen Park. It was wild.
It’s now grown so big it will be held in Dorothea Dix Park. Come along to see all manner of handbuilt, gravity-powered cars disguised as everything from sharks to cake slices barrel downhill to the tune of cheering neighbors, all racing for the Kirby Cup
The Secret Garden Soiree, Aug 20, 2022
- Where: Fred Fletcher Park, 12pm – 8pm
- Tickets: www.eventbrite.com
Experience some of Raleigh’s favorite food trucks, local vendors, and favorite R&B vibes. Includes a complimentary glass of champagne from The Secret Garden Soiree Wall.
Kevin Hart: Reality Check, Aug 20, 2022
- Where: PNC Arena, 7pm
- Website: www.pncarena.com/events
One of the world’s best comedians is bringing the funnies to Raleigh. Kevin Hart. The Reality Check tour is his first event in more than four years!
Week 4: Aug 22-31, 2022
Cinema in the Square: Shrek, Aug 25, 2022
- Where: Moore Square, 7pm with an 8:30pm screen start
The series is free and open to the public with food, wine, and beer available to purchase on-site. A Heroes & Dragons Scavenger Hunt and DIY Dragon Eggs will be the pre-show fun!
Packapalooza, August 27, 2022
- Where: Hillsborough St, 2-7pm
- Website: packapalooza.ncsu.edu
Welcome back NC State students! There’s no better way to kick off the start of a new college year than a block party!
Packapalooza™ is an all-day block party and street festival capping off Wolfpack Welcome Week at the start of the academic year. They will have everything it takes to celebrate in NC State style, including great music, activities throughout the day, and fun entertainment for the whole family.
This year, Raleigh-based alternative country band American Aquarium will headline the event. Packapalooza is free and open to the public! There will be food and beverages available for purchase.
This fun event has been on hiatus since 2019 and this year will be the 10th anniversary of Packapalooza™
Lazy Daze Arts And Crafts Festival, Aug 27-28, 2022
- Where: Cary Town Hall Campus, Downtown Cary
- Website: TownOfCary.org
Earlier this year, we shared Cary’s annual Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival held in Bond Park (see video below). In August, they have a similar Laze Daze Arts & Crafts Festival.
Now in its 40th year, this Cary festival is held across two days and features more than 300 artists from 16 states. There are also multiple stages of live local music, a beer garden and food trucks.
READ MORE: A weekend Getaway in Downtown Cary
Night Nation Run 2022, Aug 27, 2022
- Where: Koka Booth Amphitheater, 6:30pm
- Website: nightnationrun.com/raleigh
I’ve been seeing Facebook ads for this Raleigh event for some time now. I’m definitely curious, and contemplating attending. A 5K run is in my wheelhouse, especially if it’s a course that has selfie stations, live DJs, neon lights, and bubble zones. At the finish line you can cool down with a concert featuring top headliner DJs.
The Night Nation Run is the World’s 1st Running Music Festival an ultimate blend of a Music Festival and a Fun Run.
Let us know in the comments any events in Raleigh you’re attending this month? What have we missed?
