Family events in Raleigh, NC

A free kids storytime at the Haven Shoppe welcomes children of all ages. Each session highlights fresh story themes to keep little listeners engaged. The shop offers coffee and tea, as well as juice boxes, lemonades, and ice cream for purchase. After the reading, visitors can enjoy the playground or stop by to see the goats.

Stop in to explore Garner’s rich history, from the people who built the community to the stories that have shaped the town’s identity. Enjoy a welcoming, low-key visit that may leave you discovering something new about Garner.

This free program is reserved for children with disabilities and their families, offering a more peaceful, quieter way to experience Marbles. Offered each month, it creates time and space to explore in a relaxed setting. This session also features an IMAX screening with lights on and sound lowered, presenting Flight of the Butterflies. Attendees must register to participate.

The McCullers Ruritan Club is bringing back its BBQ sale, offering savory barbecue, friendly faces, and a strong sense of community. Newcomers and longtime supporters are equally welcome to share in the tradition. Additional details will be announced closer to the event.

Front Porch Friday is a weekly gathering featuring a changing lineup of performers and musicians, plus food trucks, workshops, and activities for all ages. Each week brings a new theme. Magic the Gathering campaigns take place every Friday. Adults can explore flower offerings from Haven Herb and order a drink at the bar, while kids can enjoy the playground and visit the goats. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

Agri Supply in Garner hosts a friendly farm swap that brings together farmers and homesteaders from across North Carolina. Set outdoors in the store’s parking lot, the event spotlights local growers and small business owners. Expect a variety of animals available for trade or purchase, including chickens, roosters, turkeys, quail, sheep, pigs, goats, and hatching eggs, with all animals kept healthy and securely enclosed. Dogs and cats are not permitted for sale. Alongside the animal swap, local producers offer fresh plants, seasonal crops, fruit, and homemade items such as eggs, sourdough, and canned goods. Several food trucks provide a range of meal options, and parking in the lot is free. Vendor participation is free as well, with selection and confirmation managed by the Garner store team, and the team will reach out if additional participation dates open. Plans may shift due to weather, so scheduling is subject to change.

This kid-friendly farm club invites children ages 5 and up to experience everyday farm life while building friendships with others who love animals, nature, kindness, and being outdoors. Participants help feed and care for farm animals, spend time gardening, pitch in with farm chores, create art, and enjoy unstructured play. Sessions are led by Farmer Jules with occasional special guests. The fee is $15 per session, with a discount for multiple children and need-based scholarships available. To avoid processing fees, select the “Cash or Scholarship” ticket and pay at drop-off. The location is convenient to Raleigh, near Knightdale and I-540. Planet Peace Farm is an all-volunteer community organization focused on helping youth reduce stress, find inner peace, and develop confidence and compassion through meaningful farm experiences, and it also offers horsemanship and gardening lessons, meditation and mindfulness, family and homeschooling farm visits, outdoor yoga, one-on-one youth mentoring and internships, birthday parties, and picnic space.

Explore the Garner History Museum to delve into the community’s past. Exhibits share the stories of the people who built Garner and the moments that shaped its identity. Browse the displays and uncover something new about the town’s heritage.

Pokémon League play offers a relaxed, community-focused session for battling, trading, and connecting with other fans. Led by Pokémon Professor Kristine Freeman, who serves as both TCG judge and tournament organizer, the league prioritizes the trading card game while also welcoming the video games and Pokémon Go. League games may use Legacy format, allowing cards from any set, and the focus is on having fun over strict deck limitations. Proxies, World Championship cards, and non-English cards are permitted when both players understand their effects. Newcomers to the TCG can get one-on-one guidance from Kristine, along with resources to continue practicing at home. Younger participants or those less interested in gameplay can enjoy coloring and activity pages that earn stickers. On tournament days, sessions take place at East Coast Gaming.

At United Skates of America Raleigh, a lively SpongeBob themed skate brings cheerful energy and plenty of rink action for kids, families, and fans of all ages. Roll with the theme on the floor or cheer from the sidelines, and enjoy cartoon worthy excitement throughout the session. Admission is $13 online or $15 at the door. Regular skate rental is $6, rollerblade rental is $7, and Skatemate rental is $6. Non-skating spectator admission is $4. A waiver is required for all guests entering the facility, and adults must include the names of all children they are bringing on their waiver.

This in-person seminar supports families with dogs as their babies move into the mobility phase and continue through the toddler years. The presentation explains how to arrange the home and help the family dog adapt during these changes, with strategies that extend well beyond early childhood. It examines everyday scenarios that can endanger young children and place pets at risk of losing their homes, and shows how a thoughtful plan can prevent many of these issues. Topics include understanding canine communication, considering space and movement within the home, recognizing developmental stages in young children, and observing how each dog responds to a surge of new sights, sounds, and activities. The aim is to reduce miscommunication and conflict that could escalate to growling or biting and to foster a safe, positive bond between child and dog. Attendees receive practical tips they can use right away when setting up their homes for success. The class is designed for families with babies preparing for mobility, families with toddlers, caregivers who manage dogs and children together, and anyone seeking a clearer grasp of the challenges that arise with dogs and babies from about 3 months to 3 years. Babies grow and dogs age, so plans should be adjusted at every stage. This session is for people only, and dogs should remain at home. Family Paws has supported families with dogs since 2002.

Explore the Raleigh edition of the Black Farmers Market, a family friendly, community supported marketplace that runs weekly and welcomes the public. Browse goods from Black-owned farmers, food producers, and small businesses across the Triangle. Angelica Wellness Shop, a Raleigh herbal tea brand, will offer wellness focused beverages for shoppers, including herbal tea blends in tea bags and sachets, premium bottled spring water, and canned sweet tea, with an unsweetened canned option planned. Suitable for a family visit, a casual stop, or a weekend outing, this rotating market highlights local vendors and fresh finds.

A historian leads a guided tour through downtown Raleigh, visiting several nationally recognized historic sites that trace the city’s journey from a modest rural settlement to the center of state politics. Along the way, hear about the roles that hotels, plantations, skyscrapers, and mansions played in shaping Raleigh’s past.

Finley Day Camp is marking four decades with a celebration that honors the people and memories that shaped it. Friends connected to FDC from 1986 to today are invited to reconnect and share stories. With so many years behind it, contact lists may be out of date, so spreading the word to fellow FDC friends is helpful. For details and ways to contribute your memories, including if you are not able to attend in person, email Jordan.Black@YMCATriangle.org.