1. Celebrate Irish and Celtic culture in downtown at the Raleigh St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival on March 11. The parade begins at 10 a.m., followed by a daylong festival with plenty of food, drink, and live music. raleighstpats.org
2. A perennial favorite among visitors to the NC Museum of Art, Art in Bloom runs from March 15–19 displaying the stunning creativity of floral designers who interpret works of art in the museum collection with more than 30 stunning floral arrangements. ncartmuseum.org/bloom
Art in Bloom
3. Do you like golf and dogs? Then combine the two at the Cause for Paws of NC’s Golf 4 Paws Charity Tournament. With a unique twist on traditional golf tournaments, this fun-for-all-ages event will be held at Drive Shack in Raleigh on March 29 at 7 p.m. Come out for night of tee-rific fun, prizes, and a little competition for a great cause. golf4paws.com
Cause for Paws
4. Get ready to put on your party sombrero and go south of the border for the Tacos ‘N Taps Festival at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre on April 1. Enjoy an all-you-care-totaste beer and tequila festival served alongside some of the Triangle’s best tacos and Mexican food, plus great music, margaritas, contests, and many surprises. cary.tacosntaps.com
Tacos ‘N Taps
5. Spend the morning shopping from local vendors at the Midtown Farmers’ Market, which begins Saturday, April 15, and continues every Saturday through Nov. 4. Vendors must live and produce their items within a 100-mile radius of Raleigh. 8 a.m. to noon in the Commons at North Hills. midtownfarmers.com
Midtown Farmers’ Market
6. Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street will come alive from noon to 6 p.m. on April 16 for the NC ’Cuegrass Festival with great barbecue, local brews, and toe-tapping bluegrass. While this is a free-flowing event, you can also enjoy a large covered area with draft beer options, plenty of seating and shade, and a comfortable place to enjoy the festival. Extra canned beer stations will be set up throughout the event. cuegrass.com
NC ’Cuegrass Festival
7. North Carolina’s largest craft beer festival returns! Brewgaloo runs from April 21–22, and the fun begins Friday night with a sampler event from 6–10 p.m. featuring limited releases, barrel-aged, and sour beers. Saturday’s street festival spans the length of Fayetteville Street and fills downtown Raleigh from 1–9 p.m. with more than 110 NC craft breweries, local food trucks, and vendors. With two stages featuring local bands all day long, this lively festival is sure to be a good time for all. shoplocalraleigh.org/brewgaloo
Brewgaloo
8. Twenty years ago, Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard were competitors on American Idol. Flash forward to April 29, and they will perform together again in at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre for Twenty | The Tour, a special night to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund as part of the 2023 Concert 4 Cancer Series. boothamphitheatre.com
Twenty | The Tour
9. Wake Forest’s premier arts and crafts event, the Meet in the Street Festival, returns to downtown on May 6. Browse booths filled with handmade items, eat from nearly two dozen food vendors, and listen to live music in the streets of the historic downtown. wakeforestchamber.org/meetinthestreet
Meet in the Street Festival
10. Head to Fayetteville Street on May 20–21 to celebrate spring at one of the area’s most popular events, Artsplosure – The Raleigh Arts Festival. Enjoy live music, local artists, and plenty of food and fun. artsplosure.org
Artsplosure
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- Celebrated Spirits: Bebesota
- Celebrated Spirits: In Bloom
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- Out & About in Wake County: March / April 2023
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- Beautiful Beaufort by the Sea
- Pay It Forward: Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
- On Trend: Eco-Friendly Outdoor Gear
- Erica Chats: Plenty to See in NC
- The Gatorbug Boutique
- Small Business Spotlight: Unorthodox Vintage
