50+ Triangle events to check out this May
Looking for festivals and events this May in the Triangle? We have your guide to the must-do events including tons of festivals!
May 1-6
May 2: The Movement, an a capella musical - “The Movement, an a capella musical,” an original work composed by Kathy D. Harrison tells the story of the children and teens in Alabama who stood against racial injustice in 1963 – and changed American History. See the show on stage at Carolina Theatre of Durham.
May 2-6: NC Strawberry Festival - Chadbourn celebrates this tasty fruit each year. There will be seed spitting contests, a parade and more.
May 3-14: Moulin Rouge! The Musical - Pop the champagne, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is the winner of 10 Tony Awards — including Best Musical! This show has so many songs and lots of mashups! See it on stage May 3-14 at DPAC.
May 4-6: North Carolina Symphony presents Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - Don’t miss one of the most popular films of all time, shown on the big screen as the North Carolina Symphony performs John Williams’ legendary score live. The shows are May 4, 5 and 6 at Meymandi Concert Hall.
May 4-7: Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival - Enjoy four days, four stages and over 50 bands in Chatham County.
May 4-6: Josh Wolf - See this comedian, actor and New York Times Bestselling author on stage at Goodnights.
May 4: Live @ Lake Raleigh - Enjoy this free, family-friendly concert series on the shore of Lake Raleigh. Food trucks will begin serving at 5 p.m. Bring picnic blankets, lawn chairs and non-perishable foods that will be donated to Feed the Pack’s food pantry. Parking is free. Laurelyn Dossett will perform at 6 p.m.
May 5: Invent the Night Gala: The Magic of Science - Spend an evening exploring a side of the Museum of Life and Science you haven’t seen before. Uncover the magic of science mingling in the newly renovated Play to Learn exhibit. Bid for silent auction items among the Lunar Module. Sip on imaginative cocktails while uncovering the nighttime mysteries of Carolina Wildlife. The party doesn’t end there as the crowd moves outside to dance under the stars and explore more of the magical wonders of science around the Museum. Tickets are $150.
May 5: Corks for Kids - Head to the North Carolina Museum of Art's West Building for this annual wine tasting benefiting the North Carolina Children's Hospital. Wines from various regions of the world with be featured and available to taste. Catering Works will be serving heavy hors d'oeuvres. Tickets are $175.
May 5: Holly Springs International Food Festival - Celebrate different cultures from around the world without a passport during this event Friday at the Holly Springs Cultural Center. Enjoy a variety of food, beverages and entertainment representing more than 12 countries. Admission is free.
May 6: Smithfield Ham and Yam Festival - Thousands flock to downtown Smithfield for this annual event, which features inflatables and more.
May 6: Spring Chicken Festival of Siler City - This annual event is planned from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and typically attracts more than 5,000 attendees. The 5th-annual festival will feature live music, a variety of vendors, and lots of fun attractions for festival patrons and guests to enjoy.
May 6: 2023 Komen Triangle Race for the Cure - Help raise money for the fight against breast cancer with this annual walk at The Boxyard RTP .
May 6: 10 Year Anniversary Celebration Gizmo Brew Works - Enjoy a day of entertainment, live music, food and craft beer at Gizmo Raleigh Brewery and Taproom from noon to 11 p.m.
May 6: Strawberry Festival - Enjoy this family-friendly event at Old North Durham Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be arts and crafts, strawberry treats, a silent auction, food and live music.
May 6: 2nd Annual Kids in Nature Day - This event at Lake Benson Park helps connect kids with nature through a wide variety of fun, interactive and hands-on activities. There will be 20 different activity centers, including live animals, pond exploration, nature crafts, scavenger hunts, and much more! Ranger Rick will be there to greet the kids, there will be fanciful music and fresh-cooked food will be available onsite.
May 6: 42nd Annual Apex PeakFest - This arts and crafts festival started as a small community day in a school parking lot. It now draws hundreds of vendors and over 22,000 people to the streets of downtown Apex each year. The festival will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Salem Street and will include live music, artists, entertainment and food.
May 6: 7th Annual Fest in the West - This free community festival in Western Cary features two stages of entertainment, food trucks and a beer garden. There will also be a free children's area with activities specifically for families, including a petting zoo.
May 6: Cary Dog Daze and Pet Expo - This year’s event will be held May 6 at the Cary Police Department from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Families and their well-behaved pets are invited to enjoy food trucks and shop for pet-related items.
May 6-7: 5th Annual Spring into Trains Show - Head to the Kerr Scott Building at the N.C. State Fairgrounds for this event that celebrates all things trains. There will be 20,000 square-feet of railroading and vendors.
May 6: Geek and Grub Night Market (May the 4th Be With You Edition) - Dress up in your favorite Jedi attire and enjoy fun themed competitions and activities at this market May 6 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Mordecai Historic Park.
May 6: Meet in the Street Festival - This annual arts and crafts festival will be held in downtown Wake Forest on May 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be more than 100 artisan booths featuring handmade items for sale, dozens of food trucks, live music throughout the day, a children's village filled with activities for kids and more. Admission is free.
May 6: Satyre Festival - Satyre festival is a satirical experience for the audience to enjoy the oddity and comedy of a festival gone sour. The audience will experience all the fun of a normal local music festival with great food and great fun but with a twist of comical embrace of festival faux pas and shortfalls. Admission is free.
May 7: Children's Pop-Up Market - Hosted by The Studio School of Durham. All children age 6-17 are welcome to participate. The Children’s Pop-Up Market is a marketplace for young entrepreneurs to sell goods and services that they have created. Each vendor will have their own booth where they can market and sell their goods. They will learn and experience the ins and outs of selling to the public and making a profit. Think of your childhood lemonade stand, but better.
May 7: Jewish Food Festival - Jewish for Good is excited to host this event on their campus to feed the community on May 7 from 2 to 5 p.m. All attendees must purchase an event ticket at the Jewish Food Festival store, where you can also buy raffle tickets and event swag. Capacity is limited.
May 7: Kevin James: The Irregardless Tour - Comedian and Emmy-nominated actor Kevin James, known for the sitcom The King of Queens, will be bringing The Irregardless Tour to Raleigh Memorial Auditorium on May 7.
May 8-14
May 9: Keb’ Mo’ - In the nearly 30 years since the release of his critically acclaimed, self-titled debut, “Keb’ Mo’” has topped the “Billboard” Blues Chart seven times. See him on stage at Carolina Theatre of Durham.
May 10: Lizzo - This Grammy and Emmy award-winner will play PNC Arena on Wednesday, May 10.
May 12-29: The Family Days Super Carnival - Enjoy rides, games and family fun at the Carolina Premium Outlets on weekdays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and weekends from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
May 12-13: Longleaf Film Festival - The North Carolina Museum of History will host this festival which highlights independent films with a North Carolina connection. The festival is free to attend.
May 12: Stevie Nicks - See this music legend on stage at PNC Arena on May 12.
May 13: Mid-Town Square Spring Festival 2023 - Bond Brothers Beer Company will host this event starting at noon. Admission is free with new beer releases, vendors and crafts tents, food trucks and live music. A dedicated kids zone will also be open until 4 p.m.
May 15-21
May 16: Sabrina Carpenter - See this singer on stage at The Ritz on May 16.
May 17 and 20: Disney-Quest Film Series presents The Rescuers - Enjoy a screening of this classic film on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $8.84 plus taxes and fees.
May 17: Crowded House: ‘Dreamers Are Waiting’ North American Tour With special guest Liam Finn - Crowded House is a long-standing and much-loved vehicle for the songwriting talents of Neil Finn. See them on stage at Carolina Theatre of Durham.
May 17: Durham Bulls' Bark in the Park - Dogs are welcome to join their owners at the DBAP in outfield reserve seats or on the outfield berm.
May 18: Life @ Lake Raleigh - Enjoy this free, family-friendly concert series on the shore of Lake Raleigh. Food trucks will begin serving at 5 p.m. Bring picnic blankets, lawn chairs and non-perishable foods that will be donated to Feed the Pack’s food pantry. Parking is free. Caique Vidal and Batuque will perform at 6 p.m.
May 18: Hari Kondabolu - See this comedian, writer and podcaster on stage at Motorco.
May 18-21: Carolina Ballet presents Sleeping Beauty - The Carolina Ballet presents this show at Memorial Auditorium with live music from The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle.
May 19: Get the Led Out - From the bombastic and epic, to the folky and mystical, Get The Led Out (GTLO) has captured the essence of the recorded music of Led Zeppelin and brought it to the concert stage. See them at DPAC.
May 19-21: Got to Be NC Festival - The annual Got To Be NC Festival takes place May 19-21, 2023 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. There will be carnival rides, tractor parades, music and food. Admission and parking are free.
May 20: Durham Blues and Brews Festival - The Durham Blues and Brews Festival is an annual fundraising event hosted by the Exchange Club of Greater Durham. The festival offers an evening of fun with unlimited 12 oz. pours from some of North Carolina's finest breweries, plus three great blues bands on stage.
May 20: 4th Annual Family Fun Day - Join the Haitian community for this event with a variety of Haitian cuisine for purchase from multiple Haitian food vendors. There will be a children's corner with game and activities. There will also be live music, a soccer tournament and local vendors. Each attendee gets a free raffle ticket with their admission ticket, giving you a chance to win prizes. Tickets are $10 for children ages 6 years and older. Children 5 and younger are admitted for free.
May 20: John Mellencamp - See this music legend on stage at DPAC.
May 20-21: Artsplosure - The Raleigh Arts Festival - This annual arts festival featuring an art market with 175 visual artists from around the country. There will also be live music, art installations and a Kidsplosure zone with free arts and crafts.
May 20: 6th Annual Victory Ride to Cure Cancer - Since the event’s inception, the Victory Ride has raised over $1.3 million for cancer research to benefit North Carolina-based research institutions. Join the ride at Knightdale Station Park on May 20.
May 20: YUNGBLUD: The World Tour - See Yungblud on stage with special guests The Regrettes at Red Hat Amphitheater.
May 21: Farm Day at Mystic - Mystic Farm and Distillery will host this event from noon to 4 p.m. Jireh Family Farm will set up a petting booth in the lot with goats, chickens, and rabbits and explainthe benefits of raising these animals as well as their agricultural and societal impact. Additionally, Mystic Farm and Distillery will have games, a bouncy house, music, and a food truck.
May 21: Wool E. Bull's Birthday - Celebrate the Greatest Mascot in the World's big day with surprise appearances by his mascot friends from around the Triangle area during this Durham Bulls game.
May 22-31:
May 23: The Beach Boys - See this classic band on stage at DPAC.
May 24: Dancing With The Carolina Stars - Dancing With The Carolina Stars brings together Durham’s best for a night of fun and fundraising. See stars from the Triangle paired with professional dancers to compete for your vote!
May 25: Movies in the Garden: Transformers - Enjoy a screening of this movie outside at Raleigh Little Theatre at 8:30 p.m. Pay what you can, starting at $1.
May 26-28: Animazement - Animazement is a volunteer, fan-run anime convention at the Raleigh Convention Center (Memorial Day weekend), celebrating popular Japanese visual culture in all of its forms.
May 27: Walk for the Animals - APS heads back to Duke’s East Campus for their annual Walk for the Animals, a 1.5-mile charity walk around Duke University’s East Campus to raise money and awareness for homeless and neglected pets throughout the Durham community.
May 27: Taste of Soul NC (Variety Edition) - Head to Durham Central Park for this food truck rodeo featuring seafood, Mexican food, barbecue, Jamaican food, Dominican food, pineapple smoothies and more. There will also be vendors, a DJ and bounce houses.
May 27-28: First Fruits Farm Memorial Balloon Festival - This Louisburg festival honors service members and salutes their families with balloon rides and festivities.
May 28: NC Sugar Rush - Enjoy this all-dessert food rodeo in City Plaza on May 28 from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
May 28: Triangle Wind Ensemble Concert: The Music of John Williams - John Williams has been called America's greatest living composer. Best known for his film scores, he has also composed music for the concert hall, theme music for TV series and NBC Sunday Night Football, The Olympics and presidential inaugurations. This exciting program of popular and exciting works will also include a patriotic tribute in recognition of Memorial Day weekend at Booth Amphitheatre.
