Family events in Cary, NC

The Appalachian Festival is a two-day community event in Raleigh celebrating Appalachian culture and entertainment. It’s expected to draw a large crowd, with plenty of programming over the course of the weekend.

At United Skates Raleigh, this morning event is created for toddlers and their caregivers with music, movement, and glow-filled fun. Children can dance, skate, and explore ride-on toys, with activities set in a bright, light-up atmosphere. Admission is $12 per child and includes entry for one adult at no additional cost. The ticket covers a glow stick, time on the skating floor, access to ride-on toys, a kid-friendly dance party, a station for glow activities, and a snack of five nuggets with a juice box. Skate rentals are available for $6.

Experience a three day consignment marketplace that covers all seasons and sizes, featuring boutique, sustainable, and high end designer finds for adults and kids. Browse like new and gently used clothing for women, men, and children, along with shoes, accessories, purses, toys, infant gear, indoor and outdoor play equipment, and nursery furniture, all contributed by hundreds of families. A limited selection of premium housewares will also be available. Sponsored by Kids EveryWEAR, this sale extends well beyond children’s items. It has been voted the Triangle’s best consignment sale year after year. Tickets are required for crowd control and to secure early access to deals, with both free and paid presale options.

A walking tour delves into tales of slimy creatures said to inhabit the sewers, the eerie rumble of a train disaster, and the unsettled histories of haunted antebellum mansions. Led by a professional historian, the Raleigh Ghost and Urban Legend Walk explores where documented facts meet enduring folklore, separating myth from reality in accounts drawn from Raleigh’s ghostly past. The storytelling centers on careful research, featuring historical figures, specters, and urban legends that are independently verifiable and presented without fabricated elements.

Celebrate local agriculture at the South Durham Farmers' Market at Hub RTP, a weekly gathering focused on connecting the community with fresh, locally grown food. The market supports sustainable farming that preserves farmland and cares for the local environment. Shoppers can meet the farmers who grow the fruits and vegetables they buy and explore one-of-a-kind items from local artisans. Whether searching for peak season ingredients or aiming to support local businesses and sustainable practices, there is something for every taste. Weekly vendor lineups and special happenings are shared on the market’s website calendar.

Fit + Flow at Fenton expands a growing fitness and wellness festival that began in Apex in 2023, bringing its community spirit to Cary. Created to welcome every body, the experience blends movement, yoga, art, and creativity to make Fenton a true wellness destination. The setting offers fun, play, food, and opportunities to move and stretch in one vibrant space. Organizers are aiming to host the largest fitness and wellness festival in North Carolina, and this edition is the eighth in the series. Participants can sweat, vibe, and stretch while connecting with a supportive community. Updates are shared by @peakfitevents.

Simple Gifts Community Garden hosts a community work day that supports its 2026 growing season, which began in March. Beds are planted with cool season favorites like potatoes, onions, kale, carrots, cabbage, and broccoli, and the raspberry and strawberry patches are expected to begin flowering and fruiting. Most of the harvest is shared with local food banks to support neighbors. Families can become members for $20 per year and may take home produce on days they help in the garden. Opportunities are available for anyone who needs to complete service hours.

Spend time indoors with puppies and dogs who are hoping for forever homes. Enjoy a beverage while lending support to a local taproom and the dog rescue Pawfect Match.

Now in its fourth year, the Volleynati Charity Tournament returns to Jaycee Park in Raleigh with a focus on volleyball, community, competition, and giving back. The tournament features 20 teams competing in a 5v5 format, and teams receive jerseys. The event also includes a live DJ, giveaways, and photo and video coverage on Instagram. Team registration is open on the event website.

Durham Parks and Recreation presents a free and family friendly Summer Concerts in the Park performance at Rock Quarry Park with live music and food trucks. This stop in the series features Ally J, blending country, soul, R&B, Motown, and funk. Attendees can bring a blanket or chair and relax on the grass with family and friends. The event is rain or shine, and alcohol and smoking are not permitted.

Led by resident Pokémon Professor Kristine Freeman, this relaxed league focuses on community play and trading. She serves as the TCG judge and tournament organizer and is available to teach newcomers the basics of the trading card game, including resources to practice at home. Participants can enjoy the trading card game, the video game, and Pokémon Go, with the strongest support devoted to the TCG. House rules emphasize fun and flexibility. Legacy format is welcome, so cards from any set may be used, and proxies, World Championship cards, and foreign-language cards are allowed when both players understand the effects. For kids or anyone less interested in playing, there are coloring and activity pages with stickers as rewards. On tournament days, league sessions are held at East Coast Gaming.

Summer Craft Week fills each day with color, creativity, and hands-on projects designed for kids. Campers dive into pottery painting, canvas art, and a mix of unique crafts that encourage new techniques, self-expression, and friendships, all while creating pieces they will be excited to take home. The lineup features a variety of pottery and canvas activities throughout the week, culminating in a fan-favorite session in the Mad Splatter Room. Project details may vary slightly from the posted plan. Pack a snack and a drink for each day, or choose to add snacks for the week at checkout. Please share any allergy information in advance to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.

At the North Carolina Museum of Art, families can enjoy a nature-focused story time that begins with a shared book and continues with hands-on activities exploring themes from the natural world. Activities may extend to other parts of the museum campus. Participants should dress for the weather and be prepared to walk, and most routes will accommodate strollers. This free program is designed for children ages 7 and under, and everyone is welcome. Participants will meet near the Welcome Center.

An unofficial Family Preschool playdate takes place at Trinity Park Playground in Durham as part of a summer series that rotates through local parks and playgrounds. There is no cost and no registration. Bring snacks, a filled water bottle, and a towel. This relaxed meetup is also a simple way to connect with the Family Preschool community, ask questions, and get a feel for the supportive village they describe.

The Wild Robot screens for free across four days at Triangle Cinemas at Six Forks in Raleigh, presented by Linda Craft Team, REALTORS as part of an ongoing family movie series. Admission is free with no tickets required. All ages are welcome and concessions will be available. With multiple showings, it offers an easy outing for families, summer camps, and grandparents with grandkids. Trolls is slated as the next film in the series.

Memphis visits Durham for Homestand 11 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, featuring a range of themed promotions throughout the series. Highlights include Tendies & Tallboys, Dollar Dogs, Friday Night Fireworks with a COPA celebration, and Augtoberfest paired with Saturday Night Fireworks along with an appearance by Champ the Bat Dog. The homestand concludes with Princess & Pirates Night and Kids Run the Bases.

Step inside a rare Gothic Revival cottage in the Downtown Cary Historic District for a brief, docent-led look at the Ivey-Ellington House. During this drop-in program, visitors learn about the home’s distinctive architecture and former residents, hear how preservation efforts safeguarded the property, and discover a surprising piece of history revealed during restoration. Recognized as a Local Historic Landmark and situated near the former Raleigh and Chatham Railroad, the house represents the spread of architectural ideas from cities to rural communities and reflects national movements in housing reform and the influence of pattern books from the late nineteenth century. The house opened after a careful restoration by the Town of Cary, strengthened by long-standing advocacy from the Friends of the Page-Walker. Admission is free and no tickets or appointments are required.

This casual trading session brings together fidget fans to swap extras like pop its, spinners, cubes, and squishies and find new favorites. It welcomes both laid-back collectors and serious enthusiasts, offering an easy way to refresh a collection while connecting with others who enjoy fidget toys. The event features plenty of chances to spin, pop, squish, and trade at Learning Express.

This six week flipped classroom childbirth series combines self paced video learning at home with weekly in person small group discussions and hands on practice, led by two veteran perinatal professionals. The curriculum focuses on current, evidence based information that helps participants make confident, informed choices. Enrollment provides three months of access to Evidence Based Birth class videos, bonus newborn care videos, and a workbook with practical guidance for pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. Participants also receive access to a comprehensive PDF and video library on key topics such as eating and drinking during labor, vitamin K, due dates, and more. Registration includes the birthing person and a support person.

Fenton Square hosts a dinosaur-themed celebration filled with hands-on activities for children. The festivities feature Diggery Digger’s Dino Adventure, an interactive performance with fossils, magic, music, and giant dinosaur characters, followed by creative crafts and activities that spark curiosity. This family-friendly gathering is free and designed for kids of all ages, with registration requested to help ensure enough supplies for everyone. After the activities, plan for lunch at restaurants in Fenton Square, and consider bringing school supplies to contribute to the collection for local schools in Wake County.