Celebrate the Fourth of July

Whether you’re planning a party or looking for local events, we have everything you need to make your Independence Day celebration great!

Recipes Events Tips

Star Spangled Recipes

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America’s Birthday Cake

Carolina Country style

Let Freedom Ring Deviled Egg Dip

Barbecue Burger

Red, White & Blue Watermelon Parfait

Barbecued Hot Wings

Honey Baked Bean

Red, White & Blueberry Pie

Buffalo Chicken Burger Salad

Red, White and Blue Watermelon Cake

Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Wings

Ribeye Steak Kebabs

Taco-Flavored Chicken Wings

Cool Summer Minty Rainbow Wraps

Grilled Korean Ribeye Steak Sandwiches

Celebrations Around the State

Oct 17
Piedmont

36th Annual Taylorsville Apple Festival

The streets of Taylorsville

Oct 17
Piedmont

Autumn Art & Plant Festival

Gardens of the Wake Forest Historical Museum

Oct 17
Coast

6th Annual Crystal Coast Highland Games

Newport Flea Mall Inc.

Oct 17
Piedmont

NC Liver Mush Festival

Uptown Shelby

Oct 17
Mountains

36th Annual Taylorsville Apple Festival

Streets of Taylorsville

Oct 17
Piedmont

Fayetteville Marksmen Hockey: Opening Night!

Crown Complex

Oct 17
Mountains

History, Harmony, & 250 Years

Fort Defiance

Oct 17
Piedmont

Bikers with Boxes

Billy Graham Library

Oct 17 – Oct 18
Mountains

Woolly Worm Festival

Lawn of Historic Banner Elk School

Oct 13 – Oct 18
Coast

Columbus County Agriculture Fair

Columbus County Fairgrounds

Oct 18 – Oct 19
Mountains

Lake Lure Art’s and Crafts Festival

The Arcade Commerce Building

Oct 22
Piedmont

Bingo Night

Maywood Hall & Garden

Oct 24
Piedmont

The Barbecue Festival

Main Street, Lexington

Oct 24
Piedmont

Dark in the Ballpark

Burlington Athletic Stadium

Oct 24
Coast

12th Annual Emerald Isle Marathon Half Marathon & 5K

Emerald Isle

Oct 24
Piedmont

Lexington Barbecue Festival

Uptown Lexington

Oct 24
Piedmont

Fall Heritage Festival

Hart Square Village

Oct 25
Coast

Early Bird Christmas Bazaar

VFW Post 9960 Cedar Point

Oct 16 – Oct 25
Coast

Brunswick County Parade of Homes

Various locations county wide

Oct 24 – Oct 25
Coast

39th Annual Carolina Kite Festival

Fort Macon State Park

Sep 22 – Oct 25
Piedmont

There and Back

Hillsborough Gallery of Arts

Oct 25
Coast

Pamlico Musical Society Presents Solomon Eichner

Old Theater

Oct 21 – Oct 25
Coast

Brunswick County Agricultural Fair & Expo

Stump Hill Farms

Oct 29
Mountains

CoMMA presents Kevin Nealon

CoMMA Performing Arts Center

Oct 30
Piedmont

Of Blood & Bone by Donna Washington

Wake Forest Renaissance Centre

Oct 3 – Oct 30
Mountains

Pumpkin Fest

Silvermont Park

Oct 10 – Oct 31
Coast

Atlantic Beach King Mackerel Tournament

Chasin Tails Outdoors Bait & Tackle

Oct 30 – Oct 31
Coast

Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree

Berkley Manor grounds, Ocracoke

Oct 31
Coast

Annual Fall Fest

Cape Carteret Town Hall

Sep 25 – Oct 31
Mountains

Ghost Train®

Tweetsie Railroad

Oct 2 – Oct 31
Mountains

Tweetsie Ghost Train

Tweetsie Railroad

Oct 31
Mountains

Blowing Rock Halloween Festival

Memorial Park Gazebo

Sep 26 – Oct 31
Coast

12th Annual Garner’s Fall Festival

Garner’s Farm

Sep 26 – Oct 31
Coast

12th Annual Garner’s Fall Festival

Garner Farms

Oct 22 – Oct 31

August Wilson’s Radio Golf

Durham Arts Council

Oct 9 – Oct 31
Piedmont

The Original Hollywood Horror Show

Haunted House

Nov 1
Coast

Day of the Dead Festival

Backstreet Pub

Nov 1
Piedmont

7th Annual Tour of Historic Homes

Various locations

Nov 5
Mountains

Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra

CoMMA Performing Arts Center

Nov 6
Coast

Rock the Dock – The Michael Stephenson Jazz Trio

John G. Newton Memorial Park

Nov 6
Coast

Veteran and Senior Information Fair 10am-3pm

BEMC Meeting Room

Nov 7
Piedmont

Triangle Weaving Guild Annual Fiber Arts Show & Sale

Triangle Fiber Arts Center

Nov 5 – Nov 7
Coast

Beaufort Wine & Food Shuckapalooza 2026

Beaufort Hotel

Nov 7
Coast

106th Oldest Veterans Day Celebration in America

Warsaw Veterans Memorial Park

Nov 7
Coast

106th Oldest Veterans Day Tours

Duplin Veterans Museum

Nov 6 – Nov 7
Piedmont

Cozy Cottage Craft Show

Kernersville Community House

Nov 7
Mountains

WNC Pottery Festival

Sylva Bridge Park

Nov 7
Mountains

Tryon Beer Fest

Depot Garden Park

Nov 5 – Nov 8
Piedmont

59th Annual Holly Day Fair

Crown Expo Center

Nov 10
Mountains

Task Force Pineapple Productions presents 11 Days: The Story of Operation Pineapple Express

CoMMA Performing Arts Center

Nov 12
Mountains

MOMIX: Botanica

Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts

Sep 11 – Nov 13
Piedmont

18th Annual Field of Honor

U.S. Army Airborne Special Operations Museum

Nov 14
Coast

American Music Festival Concert Series – Erinys String Quartet

First Presbyterian Church

Nov 14
Coast

Breakfast with Santa

American Legion Fairgrounds

Nov 14
Coast

Dan Finch Potter’s Market

Downtown Spring Hope

Nov 12 – Nov 14
Coast

Crystal Coast Wine Expo

Carteret Community College

Nov 14
Piedmont

Caswell County Farm Tour

Various locations in Caswell county countryside

Nov 14
Piedmont

Adam Pascal: Broadway Unplugged

Wake Forest Renaissance Centre

Nov 14
Coast

American Music Festival: ERINYS QUARTET & OSKAR ESPINA RUIZ Concert

FIrst Presbyterian Church

Nov 14
Mountains

Living History Museum Day

Hickory Ridge Museum

Nov 14 – Nov 15
Coast

2026 Beaufort Pirate Invasion

NC Maritime Museum Gallants Channel Annex

Oct 27 – Nov 15
Piedmont

Orange County Artists Guild Open Studio Tour Preview Show

Hillsborough Gallery of Arts

Nov 15
Coast

Pamlico Musical Society Presents Lauren Jelencovich

Old Theater

Nov 21
Piedmont

Handmade for the Holidays

James W. Warren Citizens Center

Nov 21
Piedmont

79th Annual Burlington Christmas Parade

Downtown Burlington

Nov 21
Piedmont

New Hope Craft Show

New Hope Community Church

Nov 21
Coast

Bath Christian Church Bazaar & Yard Sale

Bath Christian Church

Nov 20 – Nov 21
Piedmont

American Indian Heritage Celebration

North Carolina Museum of Art

Nov 21 – Nov 22
Piedmont

44th Annual Seagrove Pottery Festival

Seagrove Elementary School

Nov 21 – Nov 22
Coast

35th Annual Scroogefest – Craft & Vendor Fair

Annunciation Catholic School

Nov 27 – Nov 28
Mountains

Christmas in the Park & Parade

Downtown Blowing Rock

Nov 28
Coast

Winter Wonderland at Hertford Supply

Hertford Supply

Nov 28
Coast

Emerald Isle Christmas Parade

Downtown Emerald Isle

Dec 3
Piedmont

Christmas By Candlelight

Textile Heritage Museum

Dec 3
Piedmont

Christmas with Sandi Patty

James W. Warren Citizens Center

Dec 4
Coast

Core Sound Chow Down

Core Sound Waterfowl Museum

Dec 4
Coast

Light up the night Christmas Parade

Atlantic Beach Circle

Dec 4
Piedmont

The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Sentimental for the Season

Cummings High School Auditorium

Dec 5
Coast

Friends of the Maritime Holiday Flotilla

Friends of the Maritime Museum

Dec 5
Piedmont

Terri Clark Christmas

James W. Warren Citizens Center

Dec 5
Coast

Christmas Open House

Cypress Bend Vineyards

Dec 4 – Dec 5
Mountains

Holiday Sip & Shop

Grovewood Gallery

Dec 4 – Dec 5
Piedmont

Festival of Lights

Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre

Dec 4 – Dec 6
Coast

Annual Core Sound Waterfowl Weekend

Core Sound Waterfowl Museum

Dec 5 – Dec 6
Coast

38th Annual Core Sound Decoy Festival

Harkers Island Elementary School

Nov 27 – Dec 6
Coast

Christmas Holiday Laser Show

Carteret Speedway

Dec 6
Coast

51st Annual Newport Christmas Parade

Downtown Newport

Dec 8
Coast

A Taste of France on the Crystal Coast

Carteret Community College Hospitality & Culinary Arts Center

Dec 11
Mountains

Holiday Stroll

Downtown Blowing Rock

Dec 5 – Dec 11
Coast Piedmont

Highland Holidays: A Scottish Christmas Music & Dance Show

Various locations

Dec 12
Mountains

A Smoky Mountain Christmas Celebration

Downtown Waynesville

Dec 12
Piedmont

Holiday Open House at Sunshine Lavender Farm

Sunshine Lavender Farm

Dec 12
Coast

Morehead City Christmas Parade

Downtown Morehead City

Dec 12 – Dec 13
Coast

14th Annual Gingerbread Festival Magic of Christmas

Crystal Coast Civic Center

Dec 11 – Dec 13
Piedmont

Little Women by Firebox Theatre Co.

Wake Forest Renaissance Centre

Dec 12 – Dec 14
Mountains

Christmas at Lake Junaluska

Various locations

Dec 17 – Dec 19
Piedmont

Shaun Johnson & the Big Band Experience

Wake Forest Renaissance Centre

Nov 27 – Dec 30
Mountains

Tweetsie Christmas

Tweetsie Railroad

Nov 27 – Dec 30
Mountains

Tweetsie Christmas Opens

Tweetsie Railroad

Nov 27 – Dec 30
Mountains

Tweetsie Christmas

Tweetsie Railroad

Dec 30
Coast

Annual Smoke on the Water Bonfire

Atlantic Beach Circle

Oct 10 – Dec 31
Mountains

No Rain, No Flowers: The Art of Taylor Robenalt

Grovewood Gallery

Nov 14 – Dec 31
Mountains

Top of Their Game: Handcrafted Games by Master Makers

Grovewood Gallery

Dec 31 – Jan 1
Mountains

New Year’s Eve Extravaganza at App Ski Mountain

Appalachian Ski Mountain

Jan 1
Coast

23rd Annual Penguin Plunge

Atlantic Beach Circle

Jan 30
Piedmont

Gardens Begin with a Dream

Union County Agricultural and Events Center

Feb 6 – Feb 7
Coast

24th Annual Carolina Chocolate Festival

Crystal Coast Civic Center

Feb 27
Mountains

Chris Botti

Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts

Mar 19
Mountains

Cirque Mechanics: TILT!

Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts

Apr 8
Mountains

ST. Paul & The Broken Bones

Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts

Apr 15
Mountains

North Carolina Symphony: “Classical Favorites”

Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts

Sep 12 – Sep 13
Mountains

Biannual Grovewood Village Studio Tour

Grovewood Village

Tips for making your celebration memorable, delicious and safe

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On The House

Be an Energy Efficient Grill Master

Take the cooking (and the heat) outside

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10 Steps to Hostin’ a Pig Pick’n

Organizing a Carolina tradition doesn’t have to be complicated

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Baked beans for flavor fireworks!

Carolina Gardens

Bug Off with Mosquito-Repelling Plants

Plus Garden To-Do’s for May

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How to Deep Clean Your Grill

Boost that grill flavor with regular maintenance

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How to grill meats, fruits and vegetables

Grilling offers a convenient and heart-healthy way to prepare food, if done right.

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Celebrate with a Bang, Not a Burn

Enjoy fireworks safely this holiday season

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Be the Grill Hero

Master your next cookout with these ribs and kabobs

Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday

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Carolina Living

Breaking Barriers, Building Legacies

Hispanic American achievements continue to shape the nation

Carolina Adventures

Honoring 250 Years of Independence

Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with history, heritage and fun

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Where the Bison Once Roamed

An American icon’s return to NC

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North Carolina and the Founding of Our Nation

Test your know-how with NC Revolutionary War trivia