Festivals, Free Museum Days, Live Music, Black History Month Celebrations & More Across the Triangle

Looking for the best things to do in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, Apex, Carrboro, Hillsborough, and beyond this weekend? The Triangle is packed with film festivals, Black History Month celebrations, live music, comedy, markets, food festivals, and dozens of FREE events.

Here’s your DoRaleigh Weekend Edition Guide for Friday, February 27 through Sunday, March 1, 2026.

🎬 All Weekend Highlights

20th Annual Carrboro Film Festival

📍 Drakeford Library Complex, Carrboro

💵 $8 | Various times

Celebrate independent cinema at the 20th Annual Carrboro Film Festival, featuring curated screenings and community-driven storytelling all weekend long.

Apex Restaurant Week

📍 Various locations

💵 $15–$30 prix-fixe menus

Explore special menus from Apex’s top restaurants throughout the weekend.

Winter Open Nursery & Garden Days

📍 Plant Delights Nursery, Raleigh

💵 FREE | 9 AM – 5 PM (Fri–Sun)

A beautiful way to explore rare plants and winter garden inspiration across Raleigh.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27

Art, Culture & Community

Black Expressions — Art Exhibit & Live Showcase

📍 Holly Springs Cultural Center

🎨 Reception: FREE (6–7 PM)

Live Performance: $10 (7:15 PM)

A powerful celebration of art, voice, and performance to close out Black History Month.

Final Friday Cary Art Loop

📍 Cary (Various Locations)

💵 FREE | 6–9 PM

Explore galleries, studios, and creative spaces during Cary’s monthly art walk.

Fourth Friday Fire

📍 West Point on the Eno, Durham

🔥 FREE | 6–7:30 PM

Family-friendly outdoor gathering with Durham Parks & Recreation.

Live Music & Nightlife

From Raleigh to Wendell, Friday night is stacked:

Vinyl Night — Sneaky Penguin Brewing (Raleigh)
Evenings at O’Kelly — O’Kelly Chapel (Durham)
Live Music: Jennifer Alvarado — Compass Rose Brewery (Raleigh)
#BackToThe2010s DJ Night — Wendell
Karaoke Bingo — Cary
Stand-Up Comedy — Raleigh & Durham
RuPaul’s Drag Race Watch Party — Garner

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28

🎉 Black History Month Celebrations

25th Annual African American Cultural Celebration

📍 North Carolina Museum of Art

💵 FREE | 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM

One of Raleigh’s largest Black History Month events featuring music, dance, art, food vendors, and cultural education.

Black Genius Fest

📍 Black Wall Street, Durham

💵 FREE | 11 AM – 5 PM

A high-energy celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship, and Black excellence in Durham.

Black Out Loud: Our Culture & Contributions Will Not Be Silenced

📍 Southeast Raleigh YMCA

💵 FREE | 2–5 PM

A powerful community-centered Black History Month program in Southeast Raleigh.

Markets, Makers & Family Fun

Durham Craft Market — Durham Central Park
Coffee + Craft Maker’s Market — Sir Walter
Coffee (Downtown Raleigh) Cary
Really Really Free Market — Walnut Street Park Wake Forest
Community Garden Fair Raleigh
Retro Gamer Market Kickoff — Triangle Town Center

Arts & Performance

The Willie Hinton Collection — RISE (Cary Arts Center)
Women’s History Month Poetry Reading (Carrboro)
Slasher Horror Movie Trivia (Raleigh)
Art Market & Fire Spinning Jam (Durham)
Aprés Ski Party — Boxcar Bar and Arcade

SUNDAY, MARCH 1

Free Museum & Cultural Experiences

Durham Community Day

📍 Museum of Life and Science

💵 FREE for Durham County residents | 10 AM – 5 PM

A perfect Sunday family outing.

PJ Purim at NCMA

📍 North Carolina Museum of Art

💵 FREE | 1–3 PM

Celebrate Purim with family-friendly programming.

Artspace Open Studio

📍 Artspace

💵 FREE | 1:30–3:30 PM

Meet local artists and explore open studios in downtown Raleigh.

Sunday Live Music & Open Mics

Bluegrass Open Jam — Cary
Holy Trinity Concert Series — Raleigh
Open Mic Jam — Fuquay-Varina
Sunday Open Mic — Durham
Elsewhere Shakespeare’s As You Like It Punk Theatre — Raleigh

Why This Weekend Matters

This weekend showcases what makes the Triangle special:

Independent film in Carrboro
Black History Month celebrations across Raleigh & Durham
Garden days & community farms
Live music in nearly every town
Free markets & cultural festivals
Free museum access

Whether you’re exploring Raleigh’s arts scene, Durham’s food festivals, Cary’s creative loop, or Chapel Hill’s farm visits — there’s something happening in every corner of the Triangle.

Stay connected with DoRaleigh for hyper-local coverage, civic engagement updates, and the best events across Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Wake Forest, Apex, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and beyond.