Weekend best bets: Lazy Daze, Packapalooza and more
This weekend is filled with festivals and live music!
Festivals
Aug. 26-27: Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival - Held the last weekend in August, this Cary festival features nearly 300 artists from 16 states, plus a beer garden, interactive art activities, a children's area and more. The event is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.
Aug. 26: Dix Park Inter-Tribal Pow Wow - The community is invited to experience a day of competition dancing, music and vendors showcasing the incredible legacy and culture of Indigenous communities living in North Carolina today. The event will be held Aug. 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Aug. 26: Packapalooza 2023 - Enjoy this all-day block party and street festival capping off Wolfpack Welcome Week at the start of the academic year. There will be great music, activities throughout the day and fun entertainment for the whole family from 2 to 10 p.m. on Hillsborough Street.
Aug. 26-27: The Secret Garden Soiree Festival (The Ultimate R&B Experience) - Enjoy a magical weekend of R&B, food trucks and vendors at Fred Fletcher Park in Raleigh. Tickets start at $40.
Music and comedy
Aug. 23-Sept. 17: Wicked - This Broadway sensation looks at what happened in the Land of Oz, but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin – smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships, until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.” See the show through Sep. 17 at DPAC.
Aug. 25-27: Bill Bellamy - Bill Bellamy started doing stand-up while he was a student at Rutgers University. In less than two years, Bellamy earned a spot on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. You can see him on stage at Raleigh Improv Aug. 25 to 27
Aug. 26: 3 Doors Down - Away from the Sun Anniversary Tour - The band will play Red Hat Amphitheater with special guest Candlebox.
Aug. 26: An Evening With Ariana DeBose - Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose will perform two sold-out shows at Theatre Raleigh.
Food, shopping and more fun
Aug. 25: Team Spirit Scavenger Hunt - Get your best game day face and explore N.C. State’s campus during this Search in the City scavenger hunt from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tickets start at $32 for adults. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Aug. 26: NC Vintage Bazaar - North Carolina's biggest vintage and thrift convention returns with more than 130 vintage vendors at the Raleigh Convention Center.
Aug. 26: Night Nation Run - Experience a music filled course with live DJs, bubble zones, light shows, neon and black lights at Booth Amphitheatre.
Aug. 27: Erika Council’s Biscuit Tasting, Celebrating Still We Rise - Join Erika Council for the release of her new cookbook, Still We Rise: A Love Letter to the Southern Biscuit. Erika will be in conversation with Bill Smith followed by a small sweet and savory sampling from the cookbook in The Fearrington Barn from 3 to 5 p.m.
Family Fun
Aug. 26: Disney-Quest Film Series - Head to the Carolina Theatre in Durham for Disney's "The Jungle Book." Tickets are $10.
Aug. 26: Back-2-School Block Party - Head to Athens Drive Magnet High School in Raleigh for a back-to-school event for the family. Enjoy free food, school supplies, and a movie under the stars. The School Supply Giveaway will begin at 6:00 pm. The movie will begin around 8:00 pm.
Aug: 26: Art in the Park: Paint with a Hero - This is a special program in Wake Forest at Joyner Park. There are two sessions. Children, ages 6-11 can paint with Wake Forest Police Officer(s) in the morning. Youth and adults, ages 12 and older can paint with Wake Forest Firefighter(s) in the afternoon. Pricing ranges from $15-$25 depending on age and online registration is available for the first 60 people.
Aug: 26: Fresh 4 Success at Marsh Creek - The Marsh Creek Community Center in Raleigh is partnering with All Embracing Barber to offer this back-to-school event for children of all ages. Featuring haircuts, school supplies, and book bags. Pre-register online.
Aug. 26: Sunsets on the Prairie - Prairie Ridge Eco Station in Raleigh will stays open after hours the fourth Saturday of every month now through September! Bring a picnic dinner, plan an evening walk or just watch the sun go down. On these days, Prairie Ridge will be open until 9:00 p.m.
Aug. 27: Touch-a-Truck - Celebrate Old North State Food Hall's first anniversary in Selma (right off I-95) with a Touch-a-Truck event! Explore fire trucks, emergency vehicles, construction equipment and more. A portion of food sales from the day will support Backpack Buddies.
Now-Sept. 24: Paperhand Puppet presents: Where our spirits reside - The show takes place August 4th through September 17th at the Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill and September 22-24 at the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh. Tickets range $10-20.
