April marks the true beginning of spring, and that means that spring festivals and outdoor concerts are in full swing in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and the rest of the Triangle region of North Carolina.
Plan the beginning of spring with this list of the top things to do April, 2025, in the Triangle.
We’re highlighting 29 events this month. But then, keep reading for our huge calendar of things to do in the Triangle in April. This calendar will be updated all the time. You can jump right to the calendar if you’d like.
Of course, we focus on the “free and cheap” here, so most of these events are absolutely free.
April Highlights in Triangle
Fest in the West
Fest in the West
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Place: Mills Park, 441 Mills Park Drive, Cary, NC
Cost: Free
Features: This is West Cary’s signature festival. Includes a petting zoo, youth dance, activities from jump rope to robotics, and much more. Fest in the West is an active day of learning and fun for kids.
Beyond the Book Children’s Book & Art Festival
Beyond the Book Children’s Book & Art Festival
Date: April 5, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Place: Fletcher Park, 820 Clay Street, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: outdoor celebration of storytelling, creativity and community. The festival is geared toward children ages 8 and under, and their families. It will feature performers, collaborative art installations, vendors, and more.
North Carolina Science Festival
North Carolina Science Festival
Date: All month
Time: Various times
Place: Multiple locations
Cost: Many events are free
Features: North Carolina Science Festival is a month-long celebration of science. Some events in the Triangle include Astronomy on Tap, Jane Goodall’s Birthday Celebration, UNC Science Expo, NC State Earth Fair, multiple star parties and more.
Earth Day
Earth Day Events
Date: Earth day is April 22, 2025, but events take place various dates
Time: Various times
Place: Multiple venues, both inside and outside
Cost: Varies. Most events are free.
Features: The Triangle goes all in for Earth Day, with multiple festivals in the region.
National Burrito Day
National Burrito Day
Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
Time: All day
Place: Multiple locations
Cost: Varies
Features: Celebrate National Burrito Day with several money-saving deals.
Revolutionary War Living History Day in Hillsborough
Revolutionary War Living History Day in Hillsborough
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Hillsborough, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: Historical reenactment, colonial dancers, colonial crafts, cooking demonstrations, much more.
Tarheel Antiques Festival
Tarheel Antiques Festival
Date: April 5 and 6, 2025
Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days
Cost: $5/day, or $7/weekend. Free for kids 12 and under.
Place: Lloyds Farm, 226 North Lloyd’s Dairy Road, Efland, North Carolina
Features: Simple antique appraisals, shopping from antique vendors, entertainment, auctions.
Holi Celebration in Apex
Holi Celebration in Apex
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Place: Apex Nature Park Amphitheatre, 2600 Evans Road, Apex, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, colored powder, performances, food vendors, more.
UNC Science Expo
UNC Science Expo
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: This annual celebration of science features more than 100 hands-on activities and science demonstrations lead by STEM students, researchers, and practitioners from UNC-Chapel Hill.
NC State Earth Fair
NC State Earth Fair
Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Place: Stafford Commons, 2610 Cates Avenue, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Display of sustainable items, educational exhibits about the environment, student groups and university-affiliate departments.
Outdoor Concerts
Outdoor Concerts
Date: Multiple
Time: Varies
Location: Many locations
Cost: Mostly free
Features: Many of the Triangle’s summer concert series start in April and continue through the summer or fall. Follow the above link for a list of outdoor concert series and a day-by-day list.
Bone Suckin’ Sauce Peak City Pig Fest
Peak City Pig Fest
Date: April 11 and 12, 2025
Time: 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday
Place: Downtown Apex, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: Chefs compete in BBQ contest. Also, music and more.
Pimento Cheese Festival
Pimento Cheese Festival
Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Downtown Cary Park, 327 S Academy Street, Cary, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: Purchase pimento cheese dishes from food trucks and vendors. Also, enjoy a pimento cheese sculpting contest, live music, crafts with Scrap Exchange, pimento cheese samples and more.
Fairgrounds Southern Ideal Home Show
Fairgrounds Southern Ideal Home Show
Date: April 11 to 13, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday
Place: Exposition Center and Jim Graham Building, 4285 Trinity Road, Raleigh, North Carolina
Cost: $12, but save 50% with promo code CHEAP
Features: Great deals and new ideas for your home. Talk to trusted local experts. Meet HGTV stars Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb from Unsellable Houses.
Durham Central Park Spring Food Truck Rodeo
Durham Central Park Spring Food Truck Rodeo
Date: Sunday, April 13, 2025
Time: 12 to 4 p.m.
Place: Durham Central Park, 501 Foster Street, Durham North Carolina
Cost: Free to attend. Food and drink for purchase.
Features: There will be dozens food trucks to choose from, as well as a DJ, kids’ activities and more.
Festival Cultural Del Día Del Niño
Festival Cultural Del Día Del Niño
Date: Sunday, April 13, 2025
Time: 3 to 7 p.m.
Place: Raleigh Rose Garden, 301 Pogue Street, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Folkloric dances, music, art, crafts, and more.
ClydeFEST
ClydeFest
Date: Sunday, April 13, 2025
Time: 12 to 4 p.m.
Place: Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center, 1192 US-Bus, Pittsboro, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: The festival honors Chatham County folk artist Clyde Jones and celebrates creativity and kids. There will be tons of hands-on arts and crafts projects for kids, plus face painting, bubbles, hula hoops, carnival games, music and more.
Triangle Lebanese Festival
Triangle Lebanese Festival
Date: April 12 and 13, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday; 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday
Place: 241 Horizon Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: Music, dance, kids’ activities, Lebanese food and drink, fortune teller.
15th Annual ‘Cuegrass Festival
‘Cuegrass Festival
Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025
Time: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Place: Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Enjoy two stages of live music, a kids zone and plenty of good food to purchase. This event raises funds for local children’s causes, so donations are welcome.
Children’s Day Festival
Children’s Day Festival of Cary
Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025
Time: 1 to 7 p.m.
Place: Downtown Cary Park, 327 S Academy Street, Cary, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Make and take international crafts, performances by children, representing various cultures and art forms, face painting, balloon animals, food trucks and more.
Earth Day/Arbor Day at Dix Park
Raleigh Arbor Day / Earth Day
Date: Friday, April 25, 2025
Time: 4 to 9 p.m. with movie at 8:15 p.m.
Place: Dorothea Dix Park, 1985 Umstead Drive, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Free trees, crafts, hands-on activities, trivia, music and more. Outdoor movie at 8:15 p.m.
Mebane Dogwood Festival
Mebane Dogwood Festival
Date: April 25 and 26, 2025
Time: 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday
Place: Downtown Mebane, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: Rides, live music, movie night, car show, beer garden.
Brewgaloo Local Beer Fest
Brewgaloo
Date: April 25 and 26, 2025
Time: 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday; 12 to 8 p.m. on Saturday
Place: Fayetteville Street, Raleigh
Cost: Free admission both days. A tasting ticket on Friday is $45 in advance and $55 the day of the event, but use promo code TriangleontheCheap to save $15! The promo code is case sensitive.
Features: Craft beer and cider vendors. Live music.
Apex EarthFest
Apex EarthFest
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Time: 12 to 4 p.m.
Place: Apex Town Hall Campus, 73 Hunter Street, Apex, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Performances, Tinker Café, tree planting demo, clothing swap, more
Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festival
Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festival
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Place: Bond Park, 801 High House Road, Cary, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: 170 local artists. This event is also an Earth Day celebration.
Forest Fest
Forest Fest
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Place: Downtown Wake Forest
Cost: Free
Features: This family event focus on celebrating the heart and history of Wake Forest.
North Carolina Pickle Festival
North Carolina Pickle Festival
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Time: Check back for confirmation. Last year the time was 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Place: Downtown Mount Olive, NC
Cost: Free, but some activities will have a cost
Features: Pickle eating contests, live music, Cuke Patch 5K, car show, more. There are also activities Friday night.
Raulston Blooms
Raulston Blooms
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Place: JC Raulston Arboretum, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina
Cost: $5 per person. $10 per family. Admission is free for garden members and for college students.
Features: Plant sale, birdhouse competition, makers market, gardening talks, hands- on fun for kids, demonstrations, food trucks and more.
Magical Hill Festival
Magical Hill Festival
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Place: Chapel Hill Community Center, 120 E Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: Fairy house contest, art activities, adventure activities, face painters, archery, more. This event is also an Earth Day celebration.
Canine Field Day
Canine Field Day
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Place: Rock Quarry Park, 701 Stadium Drive, Durham, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Fun for dogs! Agility course, frisbee area, 50-yard dash, treasure hunt, more
Durham Earth Day Festival
Durham Earth Day Festival
Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
Time: 12 to 5 p.m.
Place: Durham Central Park, 501 Foster Street, Durham. NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, Earth Day parade, hands-on environmental education, kids’ activities, an Earth Day market and more.
