August marks the end of the summer (although it might not feel like it) and the beginning of the school year for many kids. There’s still lots to do in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and the rest of the Triangle, in August.
Read on for some of the top events in the Triangle in August. Then keep reading for a day by day calendar of everything on Triangle on the Cheap’s calendar in August, 2024.
We focus on the “free and cheap” so many of these events will be easy on your wallet.
Top August Events in Raleigh, Durham & the Triangle
Family First Friday at Kidzu Children’s Museum
Family First Friday at Kidzu Children’s Museum
Date: Friday, August 2, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Place: Kidzu Children’s Museum, 201 S Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Free admission to the museum, plus a range of facilitated STEMonstrations by real world scientists, artists and makers.
First Friday Market and Movie Night at Haven Farm
First Friday Market and Movie Night at Haven Farm
Date: Friday, August 2, 2024
Time: 5 to 9 p.m.
Place: Haven Farm, 8521 Buffaloe Road, Knightdale, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Free monthly event presented by Pop-Up Carolinas, with live music, a market, food trucks, and a movie. This month the movie is Finding Nemo.
First Friday Raleigh
First Friday Raleigh
Date: Friday, August 2, 2024
Time: 6 to 9 p.m. (although venues may have different hours)
Place: Downtown Raleigh
Cost: Free
Features: Visit art galleries, studios, alternative art venues and more.
First Friday Under the Stars
First Friday Under the Stars
Date: Friday, August 2, 2024
Time: 8:30 to 11 p.m.
Place: Three Bears Acres, 645 Beaver Dam Road, Creedmoor, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Raleigh Astronomy Club hosts a monthly sky viewing session at one of Triangle Land Conservancy’s private sites. Registration is required.
First Friday at Eno Arts Mill in Hillsborough
First Friday at Eno Arts Mill
Date: Friday, August 2, 2024
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
Place: Eno Mill, 437 Dimmocks Mill Road, Hillsborough, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Open artist studios, live music, art activity, kids’ activities, food truck, local beer.
Outdoor Concerts
Outdoor Concerts
Date: Various dates
Time: Various times
Place: Various places
Cost: Mostly free
Features: June is prime season for outdoor concerts. They are happening everywhere, and most are free. Just follow the above link for a round-up of many concert series, as well as a day-by-day list of outdoor concerts.
Hillsborough Street $5 Food Walk
Hillsborough Street $5 Food Walk
Date: Every Wednesday from June 5 to August 14, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Place: Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free to participate
Features: Participating merchants will offer $5 small plates and drinks. Ther ewill also be live music at some venues from 6 to 8 p.m.
Outdoor Movies
Outdoor Movies
Date: Various
Time: Various
Place: Parks, grounds of hotels, shopping centers, farms, more.
Cost: Most are free
Features: As the sun goes down, enjoy outdoor movies throughout the Triangle! Follow the above link for a day by day list.
Bands, Bites and Boats
Bands, Bites and Boats
Date: Friday, August 2, 2024
Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
Place: Bond Park Boathouse, 801 High House Road, Cary, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Enjoy live music from Mysti Mayhem Duo, a food truck and a brewery. Experience the music from land or from the lake, if you rent a boat.
Friday Friday Market and Movie at Moore Square
First Friday Market and Movie: Barbie
Date: Friday, August 2, 2024
Time: 5 p.m.
Place: Moore Square, 200 S Blount Street, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, food trucks and an outdoor movie. This month the movie is Barbie.
Back to School Bashes
Back to School Bashes
Date: Various dates
Time: Varies
Place: Varies
Cost: Free
Features: Check out our list of back to school bashes, many with free school supplies.
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival
Date: August 2 and 3, 2024
Time: 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday
Place: Koka Booth Amphitheatre, 8003 Regency Parkway, Cary, NC
Cost: $45 per day for General Admission, but use promo code TRICHEAP20 for 20% off.
Features: “All you care to drink” bourbon and beer. Plus, all kinds of BBQ for purchase.
Movies on the Lawn at Dix Park
Movies on the Lawn at Dix Park: Cars, plus Touch-a-Truck
Date: Saturday, August 3, 2024
Time: 7 to 11 p.m.
Place: Flowers Field at Dix Park, 1030 Richardson Drive, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Watch the movie, Cars, at Dix Park. Before the movie, enjoy a Touch-a-Truck and food trucks.
National Night Out
National Night Out Celebrations
Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Time: Various times
Place: Various places
Cost: Free
Features: National Night Out is a community-building event that is meant to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement. Each event is different, but all offer fun activities for kids, and, often, free food.
S’Morrisville
S’Morrisville
Date: Saturday, August 10, 2024
Time: 4 to 7 p.m.
Place: Morrisville Community Park, 1520 Morrisville Parkway, Morrisville, NC
Cost: Free
Features: A variety of vendors will be selling their versions of s’mores. The first 800 people get a ticket for a free s’more from one of the vendors. There will also be music, inflatables and activities from the Scrap Exchange.
Kirby Derby
Kirby Derby
Date: Saturday, August 17, 2024
Time: 3 to 9 p.m.
Place: Richardson Drive and Tate Drive, in Dix Park, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Parade, pinebox car competition, costumes, and the soapbox derby race.
CaribMask Caribbean Parade and Festival
CaribMask Caribbean Parade and Festival
Date: Saturday, August 17, 2024
Time: 12 to 8 p.m.
Place: City Plaza, 400 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: The parade starts at the NC State Capitol at noon and proceeds to the festival village at City Plaza, where there will be live entertainment, vendors and more.
Mud Day
Mud Day
Date: Saturday, August 17, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Place: Walnut Creek Wetland Center, 950 Peterson Street, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: A fun, messy, outdoor day for kids, with a mud kitchen, live animals, fort building, an obstacle course, crafts, water play, food trucks and more.
Wake Forest Comic-Con
Wake Forest Comic-Con
Date: Saturday, August 17, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Wake Forest Renaissance Center, 405 S Brooks Street, Wake Forest, NC
Cost: $5, and free for kids under age 12.
Features: 35 vendors with toys, comics, anime, Pokémon and more.
River Rat Regatta
River Rat Regatta
Date: Saturday, August 24, 2024 (this is a rescheduled date)
Time: 10 a.m.
Place: The race starts at the Boat Ramp on the Town Commons, at 295 Front Street Smithfield, and ends at the Hwy 70 Bridge
Cost: Free to watch and free to compete in
Features: Competitors race in the Neuse River in homemade cardboard boats.
North Hills Kids: Kidchella
North Hills Kids: Kidchella
Date: Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Time: 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Place: Midtown Park at North Hills, 4011 Cardinal at North Hills Street, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Festival-styled event with music, arts and fun. Craft stations and interactive activities.
Cary’s Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival
Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival
Date: August 24 and 25, 2024
Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Place: Cary Town Hall Campus, 316 N Academy Street, Cary, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Over 300 artists, live music, children’s activities and food and drink vendors.
Packapalooza
Packapalooza
Date: Saturday, August 24, 2024
Time: 2 to 10 p.m.
Place: Hillsborough Street, from Brooks Avenue to the roundabout near the Memorial Belltower, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: 9 activity zones, several stages of live music, and more.
Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo
Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo
Date: Sunday, August 25, 2024
Time: 12 to 6 p.m.
Place: Fayetteville Street in Raleigh
Cost: Free admission. Pay for your food.
Features: More than 50 food trucks to choose from.
Treasures of the Earth
Treasures of the Earth
Date: August 30 to September 2, 2024
Time: Noon to 6 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday
Place: Scott Building at the NC State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Blvd, Raleigh, NC
Cost: $8 (free for ages 16 and under.) Your ticket is good for the whole weekend
Features: Gem, mineral and jewelry show.
Hillsborough Last Fridays
Hillborough Last Fridays
Date: Friday, August 30, 2024
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
Place: Various locations in Downtown Hillsborough, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, art, poetry and more.
