Looking for things to do in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and across the Triangle this weekend? The Triangle Event Guide for Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19, 2026, features free markets, outdoor concerts, family movies, garden tours, food celebrations and World Cup watch parties.

Many activities are free, making this a great weekend to explore the Triangle without stretching your budget.

Saturday, July 18

All-day events

• Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week — Participating downtown Raleigh restaurants
• Free Dilly Bar with a $1 purchase — Dairy Queen locations; one redemption per customer

Morning events

• Tomato Day — 8 a.m.–12 p.m. | Durham Farmers’ Market | Limited-edition merchandise available
• Durham Craft Market — 8 a.m.–12 p.m. | Durham Central Park | Free
• Dog Day at Grace — 9–11 a.m. | Grace Lutheran Church, Durham | Free
• Free Watermelon at the UCAN Farmers’ Market — 9 a.m.–12 p.m. | Catawba Trail Farm, Durham
• The Raleigh Market — 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | NC State Fairgrounds | Free
• Summer Open Nursery and Garden Days — 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Garden | Free
• Black History Walking Tour — 10–11 a.m. | Pope House, Raleigh | $6–$10
• Intro to Invasive Species — 10–11:30 a.m. | Historic Yates Mill County Park | Free
• Millbrook United Methodist Church Food Pantry — 10 a.m.–12 p.m. | Raleigh | Free
• Mill Open House — 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Historic Yates Mill County Park | Free
• Open Farm — 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | Sunrise Community Farm Center, Chapel Hill | $8
• Retro Family Series: “Walt Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” — 11 a.m. | Carolina Theatre, Durham | Free
• Historic Raleigh Trolley Tours — 11 a.m.–3 p.m. | Mordecai Historic Park | $6–$10; four departure times
• NC State Capitol Guided Tours — 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. | Raleigh | Free
• Fenton Makers Market — 11 a.m.–4 p.m. | Fenton, Cary | Free

Afternoon events

• Summer Vendor Market — 12–4 p.m. | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh | Free
• Hot Dogs with Chad — 12–5 p.m. | D’s Bottle Shop and Craft Beer College | Free hot dog with a pint purchase
• Oaklyn Springs Brewery’s Eighth Anniversary Party — 12–10 p.m. | Fuquay-Varina | Free
• Durham Really Really Free Market — 12–2 p.m. | Orchard Park, Durham
• Pop-Up Raleigh Art & Vintage Market — 12–5 p.m. | Trophy on Maywood | Free
• Dog Adoption Event — 1–4 p.m. | Sneaky Penguin Brewing Company, Raleigh
• Dog Days of Summer — 2–8 p.m. | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh | Free
• “Pirates! A Boy at Sea” — 2 p.m. | Burning Coal Theatre Company, Raleigh | $10–$15
• Book Harvest’s Summer Block Party — 3–6 p.m. | Durham Central Park | Free
• Gypsy Railroad — 3 p.m. | Raleigh Brewing | Free
• Irish Music Jam — 3–5 p.m. | Moon Dog Meadery, Durham | Free
• American Craft Council Open Studios — 4–8 p.m. | Liberty Arts, Durham | Free

Saturday night events

• Plum Perfect Party — 5–9 p.m. | The Plant, Pittsboro | Free
• World Cup Watch Party — 5 p.m. | Fortnight Brewing, Cary | Free
• Saturdays in Saxapahaw Outdoor Concert Series — 5–8 p.m. | Haw River Ballroom area, Saxapahaw | Free
• Live Music — 5–8 p.m. | Gizmo Brew Works locations in Raleigh and Durham | Free
• Raleigh Twilight Market — 5:30–9:30 p.m. | Smoky Hollow, Raleigh | Free
• Live Music — 6–9 p.m. | Fortnight Brewing, Wake Forest | Free
• Beer Garden Concert Series — 6–9 p.m. | Glass Jug Beer Lab, RTP | Free
• Live Music — 6:30–9 p.m. | Southern Peak Brewery, Apex | Free
• Live Music Saturdays — 7–10 p.m. | Bombshell Beer Company, Holly Springs | Free
• Kevin Lee — 7 p.m. | Bearded Bee Brewing Company, Wendell | Free
• “Pirates! A Boy at Sea” — 7 p.m. | Burning Coal Theatre Company, Raleigh | $10–$15
• Family Movie Night: “Mufasa: The Lion King” — 7:30 p.m. | E. Carroll Joyner Park, Wake Forest | Free
• Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse Concert — 7:30 p.m. | Durham | Free
• Open Mic and Karaoke Night — 8–11 p.m. | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh | Free
• Movie Night — 8:30 p.m. | Steel String Brewery at Pluck Farm, Mebane | Free

Sunday, July 19

All-day and morning events

• Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week — Participating downtown restaurants
• Free Dilly Bar with a $1 purchase — Dairy Queen locations; one redemption
• The Raleigh Market — 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | NC State Fairgrounds | Free
• Summer Open Nursery and Garden Days — 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | Plant Delights Nursery | Free
• Yoga Flow & Chill — 10–10:45 a.m. | Weaver Street Market Raleigh | Pay what you can
• Mill Open House — 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Historic Yates Mill County Park | Free
• Live Music by Dr. Scott — 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | Lanza’s Cafe, Carrboro | Free
• Sunday Morning Yoga — 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh | Free
• Sunday Brunch Music — 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | Weaver Street Market Carrboro | Free
• Phone-Free Fun — 11 a.m.–9 p.m. | Glass Jug Downtown Durham Taproom | Free

Markets, music and National Ice Cream Day

Celebrate National Ice Cream Day at LocoPops’ Foster Street and Hillsborough Road locations in Durham from 12–8 p.m. Other Sunday afternoon activities include:

• Hillsborough Really Really Free Market — 12–2 p.m. | Gold Park
• Morgan Street Sessions — 12–4 p.m. | Morgan Street Food Hall, Raleigh
• Kanikapila Ukulele Meetup — 1–3 p.m. | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary
• Black Farmers’ Market — 1–4 p.m. | Durham Technical Community College
• Sunday Board Games — 1–5 p.m. | Guildhall Games at Boxyard RTP
• Free Air Hockey Tournament — 1 p.m. | Super Rad Retro Lounge, Raleigh
• Free Yoga — 2–3 p.m. | City of Raleigh Museum
• “Pirates! A Boy at Sea” — 2 p.m. | Burning Coal Theatre Company | $10–$15
• Cameron Nesbit — 3–6 p.m. | Crooked Hammock Brewery, Raleigh | Free
• Ryan Mullaney — 3–6 p.m. | Oaklyn Springs Taproom, Fuquay-Varina | Free
• Open Mic with Adam Lee Decker — 3–6 p.m. | Blackbird Brewery, Wake Forest

World Cup Final watch parties

Soccer fans will have several places to watch the World Cup Final beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday:

• Moore Square, Raleigh
• Tap Yard, Raleigh
• Raleigh Brewing
• Downtown Cary Park
• Fortnight Brewing, Cary
• West 94th Street Pub, Durham

These gatherings are listed as free, although food and drinks are sold separately.

More Sunday afternoon and evening events

• Oak City Locksport Meetup — 3 p.m. | Raleigh Brewing | Free
• Craft Club and Supply Swap — 3–5 p.m. | Glass Jug Downtown Durham Taproom
• Open Mic Night — 3–6 p.m. | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh
• Free Ice Cream Social — 4–6 p.m. | Fuquay Mineral Spring Park
• Bluegrass Open Jam — 4–7 p.m. | Bond Brothers Eastside, Cary
• Raleigh Concert Series: Thelonius — 6–8 p.m. | Fred Fletcher Park, Raleigh | Free
• Open Mic Night — 6–9 p.m. | Clouds Brewing Taproom, Raleigh
• Sundays at Sundown — 7–9 p.m. | Southern Village, Chapel Hill | Free
• Sunday Open Mic — 7–9 p.m. | Moon Dog Meadery, Durham | Free

Plan your Triangle weekend

Schedules, admission policies and weather-related plans can change. Check with each organizer or venue before leaving home, particularly for outdoor events.

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Published by Bryan Tomlinson | BTDesigns.pro |