1. Celebrate Independence Day with the Wake Forest Fireworks Spectacular at Heritage High School on July 3, opt for an Olde Fashioned Fourth of July in downtown Apex on July 3–4, or hit up the celebration at Dix Park on July 4.
Wake Forest Fireworks Spectacular
2. Held at the Raleigh Convention Center on June 24–25, the BrickUniverse Raleigh LEGO Fan Expo is the show where LEGO fans of all ages enjoy live builds, the Building Zone with thousands of bricks for attendees to build with, and select galleries of amazing and life-sized models. brickuniverseusa.com
BrickUniverse
3. Enjoy all-you-can-eat blue crabs at the Southeast Crab Feast on Saturday, July 1, at Lake Wheeler Park. This event celebrates the Low Country coastal heritage of cooking fresh seafood outdoors against a backdrop of music and a family-friendly environment. Tickets are $38 for adults, $17.50 for kids. southeastcrabfeast.com
4. Stroll through 28 acres filled with more than 30,000 native perennials, exotic plants, rare delights, and an array of incredible and unusual specimen trees and shrubs you won’t see anywhere else in the world at the Juniper Level Botanic Garden Open Nursery and Garden Days on July 14–16 and 21–23. The garden is only open to the public eight weekends each year, so don’t miss out! jlbg.org
Juniper Level Botanic Garden
5. A four-day festival for fans of pop culture, superheroes, science fiction, fantasy, anime, cartoons, and video games, this year’s GalaxyCon Raleigh from July 27–30 features fan favorites such as William Shatner, Danielle Fishel, Joey Fatone, and many more! Fans are encouraged to dress up! galaxycon.com/raleigh
Galaxycon
6. The NC Theatre presents Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, the must-see musical of the season, from July 25–30. Believe in the magic of Mary Poppins and discover a world where anything can happen if you let it! nctheatre.com
7. Head to Moore Square on August 2 for the Raleigh Night Market to find locally made goods and enjoy an evening filled with music and entertainment with Triangle area artisans, food, and drinks. raleighnightmarket.com
8. Enjoy live local music, food trucks, a beer garden, and more than 300 artists from 16 states at the Town of Cary’s Annual Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival! This popular two-day event has something for the whole family, so don’t miss it! Saturday, Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. & Sunday, Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Downtown Cary. townofcary.org, search “Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival.”
Laze Daze Arts & Crafts Festival. Photographed by Jonathan Fredin.
9. A Raleigh tradition since 2002, the Kirby Derby is coming back to Dorothea Dix Park on August 19. With Holidazed & Confused as this year’s theme, this quirky, fun, and completely free event features costumes, an offbeat parade, a kids’ competition of pinebox cars, a soapbox derby, and much more! Saturday, Aug. 19. Dorothea Dix Park, Raleigh. kdd.gamil.com
10. Last but not least, the Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival is set for the beginning of August, so mark your calendars! The event includes two big days with 60+ beers, 40+ bourbons, and LOTS of BBQ! Friday, Aug. 4, 6–10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, noon to 6 p.m. $39 and up. Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary. cary.beerandbourbon.com
- Out & About in Wake County: July / August 2023
- Erica Chats: Embrace Summer
- Small Business Spotlight: TheMixx
- Hey There, Hot Stuff
- Worth the Drive: Rustic Roots
- Summer Recipes from the Garden
- Pay it Forward: Inter-Faith Food Shuttle
- Flavor at Your Fingertips: Viv’s Fridge
- On Trend: Edible Flowers
- Lechon Latin BBQ & Bar
- Celebrated Spirits: Roman Holiday
- Celebrated Spirits: La Surfeza
- Garden Adventurer: Fall for Loose-Leaf Lettuce
