Are you looking for fun things to do in Raleigh this weekend? This weekly update, hand crafted by us, will help you plan for memorable moments with your friends, family, or even just by yourself.
We update this post every Tuesday to share the weekly events in Raleigh this weekend and until the following Monday. We try to cover a wide range of interests and will include suggestions on things to do that aren’t event based, like visiting a museum, or taking a hike!
Our weekly list offers a variety of options, including events, festivals, concerts, activities for both kids and adults, sports and seasonal events. We have something for everyone!
And if the event is good enough, we’ll share fun activities in the surrounding areas of the Triangle, including Durham, Chapel Hill and our close municipalities like Cary and Wake Forest.
Fun things to do in Raleigh This Weekend
The St Patrick’s Day celebration continues this week. We’re excited to attend the popular block party at Doherty’s this weekend! And will be cheering on the Irish as they take on England in the Six Nations Rugby.
Here is our full list of St Patrick’s Day events in the Triangle.
But it’s not all St Patrick’s Day this weekend in Raleigh. There are flowers in artistic bloom, unplugged artists in art studios, homegrown festivals, gamers galore, and monster trucks.
Don’t forget to continue help you support the incredible women in your life and Raleigh community for Women’s History Month.
READ MORE:
We do our best to check information for each event is current. But please do your due diligence before visiting each event to check it’s not sold out, been cancelled, details changed, and of course, always check current prices!
Check below for more ideas.
Fun Events in Raleigh this weekend
FEATURED EVENT: 2023 lebanese Festival, Sat 18th & Sun, 19th March
Paid Listing
- Where: Triangle Lebanese American Center, 241 Horizon Drive, Raleigh
- Time: Sat, 11am-7pm; Sun, 12 – 6pm
- Cost: FREE
- Website
This month in Raleigh we have a great opportunity to connect with the heritage and culture of our Lebanese community in Raleigh.
The Triangle Lebanese American Center is putting on their 23rd annual Lebanese Festival. There will be lots of delicious Lebanese food, Lebanese beer and wine, and desserts, live entertainment (Dabke, Belly dancing, etc.), a fortune teller, raffle tickets, and activities for the kids. See more photos and videos here.
Featured Event: LuminoCity Festival Pullen Park
Paid Listing
- Where: Pullen Park, Raleigh
- When: February 23 – April 9
- Cost:
- $25 (age 12+)
- $18 (age 3-12)
- $2 amusement ride
- Purchase Tickets
Immerse yourself in an illuminating world of art and color. LuminoCity heads to Raleigh for the first time, lighting up Pullen Park for the next 8 weeks.
Follow Lumi, the magical lightbulb, through luminated worlds to discover glowing art installations, motion dinosaurs, displays, the historical carousel ride, and cherry blossom festival at night. Bring your family, friends, camera, and best selfie smile!
- Who loves art and flowers? Get ready for five days of floral arrangements from world-class designers and florists at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Art in Bloom features 43 installations, some more than 10 feet tall. March 15-19, 2023. Get tickets here.
- Ready for live music in the intimate Artspace Studios in City Market. Artspace Unplugged will feature Relay Relay on Thurs, March 16, 2023 at 8pm. Purchase tickets in advance. $15
- The Doherty’s Irish Pub St Patrick’s Day Block Party is on Fri March, 17 @ 12pm in Cary and Apex. It’s one of the best Paddy’s Day parties in the Triangle.
- St Patrick’s Day at O’Malley’s will be on Friday, March 17, 11am – 1:30am with live music, Irish food and drink specials.
- Another event in Durham is the popular Bull McCabe’s St Patrick’s Day Party on Fri, March, 17. 11am- midnight. They have a fantastic beer garden for this outdoor party.
- Event In A Tent At Trali Irish Pub is on Friday, March 17 in North Raleigh with live music and creamy pints of Guinness.
- St Patrick’s Day Celebration On The Old Mill Farm in Durham is on Sat, March 18 at 12pm. Fun for the whole family with live music, games, dancing and food. $12 or $40 for family pack.
- St Patrick’s Paddy On The Green Festival (Lafayette Village) on Sat, March 18, 12-4pm. Irish dancers and tribute bands! You can shop while here.
- There are three St Patrick’s Day bar crawls happening on Fri, 17th & Sat, 18th. Lucky’s starting at 4pm at Zenith Raleigh; Bar Crawl Live at 9pm at Whiskey Rose, and Tri-Sports at 3pm on Glenwood Ave.
- Free Birdwatching is on at Dorothea Dix Park on Sat March 18 at 8am with Deja Perkins, Naturally Wild. Learn about the resident and migrant birds of Dorothea Dix Park and sharpen your bird identification skills as we practice birding by sight and by ear to prepare for spring migration.
- The NC Symphony pays tribute to pop icon Phil Collins with In the Air Tonight: The Music of Phil Collins & Genesis on March 17 & 18, 2023 at 8pm. $53+
- Bowstring Pizza and Brewery are having their Homegrown Beer & Music Festival on Sat, March 18, 1pm-10pm in their outdoor beer garden. Good for all ages. $25-$30
- Gamers will want to head to the Playthrough Gaming Convention, the largest in North Carolina all weekend at the Raleigh Convention Center. $30+
- Monster Jam is on at the PNC Arena on Sat & Sun. It will be action packed adventure as they compete and tear up the dirt. $15+
- The annual Raleigh Roasts is on at Moore Square on Sat, March 18. Raleigh’s vibrant cafe culture and Raleigh’s coffee roasters. Visitors receive a collectible Raleigh Roasts mug, swag bag and a wristband to complete a TasteTest card. Local Coffee and taste treat vendors located throughout. Tickets cost $5- $10
- St Patrick’s Day with the Goats continues at Spring Haven Farm, March 8-19. Why not cuddle goats to celebrate the Irish?
- Winnipeg Jets vs. Carolina Hurricanes March 14; 7pm @ PNC
- NCFC Men’s soccer vs South Georgia, March 17, 7pm @ WakeMed Soccer Park. Starts at $10
Ongoing Weekly Events in Raleigh in February
- Moore Square History Tour on Sundays at 2pm This free tour shares the 230-year history of one of the original 5 public spaces in Raleigh. Must book in advance.
- FREE Yoga Class at the City of Raleigh Museum on Saturdays @10am
- Yoga in the Park is at Dorothea Dix every Monday at 6pm It’s free but register in advance!
- Game on is on every Friday in February at 10am. Enjoy a fun variety of giant games, lawn games, board games and MOORE!
- The Power of Women in Country Music, is at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh until April 9.
- James Cameron’s Challenging the Deep Exhibition is on until May 7 at the NC Museum of Natural Science.
- If you like walking tours, this Raleigh Ghosts and Ghouls walking tour may be a hit for couples who love to get their SPOOK on. Uncover the lurking ghosts and spirits of Raleigh on a guided paranormal walking tour. Stand as close as you dare to the Heck-Andrews House and listen to chilling tales of this city’s dark history.
- Midtown Winter Farmers’ Market at North Hills is on every Saturday in The Commons starting at 10am. See a guide to North Hill’s here.
- Holly Springs Farmers Market are on every Saturday 9:00-Noon at the Holly Springs Cultural Center
- Cary Downtown Farmer’s Market is on Saturdays, 9am – 12pm at 200 E Chatham Street
- Brookside Bodega in Mordecai area will have musicians on their patio every Tuesday, 5-8pm . They have great food and craft brews too!
Have an event you want to submit? Here are our guidelines for event submission.
If you find this helpful, please share with your friends. You can subscribe to our free email community and get a free PDF download of our top festivals and events for 2023 (great for planning your epic year).
But wait! We’ve got more ideas to help you plan your Raleigh weekend. If you can’t find things to do today in Raleigh, here are some more suggestions on things to do plus activities relevant for all year round.
Want to go for a hike?
Any day is a good day for a hike, especially in Spring! Below are a few of our favorite trails in Raleigh. All of these are great for kids too:
- FOR LAKE VIEWS: The easy 3-mile paved loop around Lake Johnson
- FOR A FOREST IMMERSION: Loblolly Trail, Umstead State Park
- FOR UNIQUENESS: Hemlock Bluffs in Cary
- ART, NATURE & CITY: Enjoy this ultimate combo on the 6-mile one way Art to Heart bike trail
If these ideas don’t warm up your heart, choose one from this list of 25 trails in Raleigh to suit all levels and styles.
Rain in the forecast? Try these indoor activities
Don’t despair, if there is rain in the air, there’s plenty of activities in Raleigh this weekend you can do indoors:
- RALEIGH’S BEST ATTRACTION: We think the free NC Museum of Art is Raleigh’s best foot forward. If the sun peaks out head to their fantastic sculpture park for some outdoor fun!
- NC’S MOST POPULAR MUSEUM: The free North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is perfect for a rainy day for all ages. Learn more about the world we live in through fun exhibitions and interactive displays.
- FOR SPORTS LOVERS: The NC Sports Hall of Fame celebrates excellence in athletics and commemorates and memorializes exceptional accomplishments in sports. It’s located on the third floor of the NC Museum of History. Here is a list of our favorite sports bars in Raleigh, if you want to catch a game with other sports lovers on the weekend!
- FOR KIDS: You can’t go past Marbles Kids Museum for younger kids. Defy Gravity, Urban Air, and are two fun indoor amusement zones. You also can’t go past the movies, and bowling (check out King’s in North Hills) Here’s a full list of things to do with kids in Raleigh.
Looking for places to eat in Raleigh this weekend?
- BRUNCH. It’s the weekend, of course you want a long lingering brunch with peeps you love. Check out these memorable Raleigh brunch spots.
- BREAKFAST: If you want to be more traditional, here are some of our favorite breakfast places in Raleigh.
- Looking for a date night restaurant? We love Crawford & Son and Second Empire Tavern. See more date ideas here.
- MORNING COFFEES have never tasted so good at these Raleigh coffee shops the locals love!
- Want a view with that cocktail? Try these rooftop bars with a view.
Feel like a day trip?
Who wouldn’t? Vacations don’t always have to involve a plane trip and overnight stay. They can be refreshing adventures just a short car ride away. If you’re looking for getaways from Raleigh this weekend, consider these:
- JOHNSTON COUNTY: At only 20-40 minutes’ drive away, you’ll find a unique cultural escape in Johnston County. Its not all farmland fun. There are vineyards, fantastic restaurants, and classy whiskey bars. Check out our date day experience in Joco and fun day out with kids. And don’t miss our 15 fun day trips from Raleigh.
- BEACH BREAK: A trip to the beach works all year long! Just one look at the ocean and smell of the salty air reduces your urban stress levels. Check out our one-day itinerary guide for Wrightsville Beach, or our winter trip to Wilmington. And here’s 12 great beaches near Raleigh.
- SMALL CITY BREAK: Full of art, culture, food, and local experiences, Durham is always a fun day trip from Raleigh. Here are some ideas on things to do in Durham.
Visiting Raleigh this weekend for an Event?
If you’re visit Raleigh from out of town for any weekly 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 itinerary guides to help you plan out your days exploring Raleigh:
There you have it, all the cool things to do in Raleigh NC this weekend. Leave us a comment below if you have any events this weekend in Raleigh we should know about?
Tell us what you’re doing this weekend in Raleigh? Anything we missed or can include next week for you!
