May Events in North Carolina: A Comprehensive Guide

May is one of my favorite months in North Carolina because of the endless farmer's markets, Mother's Day events, live music, strawberry picking, flowers, and baseball games from the Durham Bulls, Charlotte Knights, and Kannapolis Cannonballers almost DAILY. The warm weather brings festivals and outdoor events that bring life and excitement to North Carolina throughout the month. Find your perfect NC event below to enjoy May here as much as I do...

To look out for...

Daniel Stowe Botanic Garden in Belmont is expanding and reintroducing itself as Daniel Stowe Conservancy. This rebrand will include sustainability-based events and a new restaurant called Big Leaf Cafe, opening this May.

May is also Bike Month! The bolded events in the calendar are all fun ways to celebrate and practice eco-friendly transportation this month.

Topsail Beach, NC

Day-by-day events...

1

Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, Pittsboro 1st-4th

Bright Star Musical, Raleigh 1-4

Opening Day of Art is for All, Wake Forest 

26th Annual Herbfest, Wake Forest 1st-4th

Kimberly Akimbo Musical, Durham 1st-4th

Opening Day of BYO Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades, Durham

2

Troutfest, Boone 2nd-4th

Heritage Home Tours, New Bern 

Vanceboro Strawberry Festival 2nd-3rd

Thunder in The Smokies, Maggie Valley 2-4

Lovin Life Music Festival, Charlotte 2nd-4th

Charlotte Ballet: Carmen 

Fuquay Varina Chorale Spring Concert 2nd-3rd

Holly Springs International Food Festival 

Music in the Park, Morrisville

Northeastern Piedmont Chorale Concert, Raleigh 2nd-3rd

Spring Garden Party at Juniper Level Botanic Garden, Raleigh 2nd-18th

PLAYlist Opening Night, Durham

Ackland Art Museum: A Closer Look at Triple Take Art Tour, Chapel Hill

Live on The Roof Cloud 9, Wilmington

Lovin Life, Charlotte

3

Blowing Rock Trout Derby, Blowing Rock 

Sunny Days Vendor Market at Shoppes on Parkway, Blowing Rock

Burlington Carousel Festival, Burlington 

Ocean Fest, Surf City 

Crowder's Mountain Flower Farm Opens, Crowder's Mountain

Paddle for the Border, Dismal Swamp

Bike the Banks, OBX 

Town Day, Davidson

Carolina Home and Outdoor Expo, Troutman 3rd-4th

Winnie The Pooh Kids, Charlotte

Carolina Blue Zone Tailgate Kendrick Lamar, Charlotte 

Annual Adult Recess Triangle Festival, Raleigh

Apex Peakfest, Apex

Coppelia by Cary Ballet, Cary

Garden Story Walk at Arboretum at NC State, Raleigh 3rd-11th

Ma and Pa Festival, Raleigh 

Meet in The Street Festival, Wake Forest 

Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr, Raleigh 3rd-11th

Durham Greek Festival, Durham 3rd-4th

Durham Farmers Market 

Cars and Coffee, Durham 

Bull City Madness, Durham

Strawberry Festival, Durham

Make your own body fragrance at Bright Black, Durham

Bull City Bike Stampede and Afterparty, Durham 3rd-31st

Handcrafted DURM Mother’s Gifts and Women's Health Fair, Durham

Butterfly Ball Museum of Life and Science Fundraiser, Durham

Annual River to Sea Bike Ride, Wrightsville

Airlie Gardens History Tours, Wilmington 

Astronomy Adventures, Carolina Beach

Battleship Alive!, Wilmington

Bird Bonanza, Wilmington

CB100 Sandcastles  Competition, Carolina Beach

Inclusive Spring Gift Market, Chapel Hill

Saturday Slowdown at Ramblerill Farm, Chapel Hill 

Strawberry Jamboree at the Carrboro Farmers Market, Carrboro

Wings Over Wayne, Goldsboro

4

Folk Infused Classical Music at Broyhill, Boone 

Mothers Day Market at the Mayton, Cary 

Craft Fettuccine and Fresh Marinara with Chef Anthony at Incendiary Brewing ends, Raleigh

Duke Chapel Free Tour, Durham

Carrboro Day Celebration, Carrboro

Lavender Lunch, Chapel Hill

Frank Featured Artists Exhibit, Chapel Hill

May the 4th Be With You Dog Costume Contest Cary Park, Cary

5

Saving Grace Animals for Adoption, Raleigh 

6

Durham Community Day, Durham

Toddler Tuesday Mother’s Day Cookies Cary Park, Cary

 Chapel Hill Midweek Farmers Market, Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC

7

Thrive NC Raleigh 7th-8th

Horton Grove Hike, Durham 

Build Your Own Terrarium Workshop Cary Park, Cary

Cakes and Cards Dessert and Game Night, Chapel Hill

Yoga at the Aquarium, Fort Fisher

8

Charlotte Ballet Carmen, Charlotte

Live at Lake Raleigh 8th-22nd

Beach Music Series, Raleigh

Behind the Scenes Aquarium Tour at Fort Fisher, Kure Beach

Birding at Airlie Gardens, Wilmington

9

Matthews Summerfest 9th-10th

Charlotte Ballet Carmen, Charlotte

Yesterday Tribute to the Beatles, Shelby

Friday Market and Movies: Tangled , Raleigh

Outdoor Movie Night featuring Solo: A Star Wars Story, Zebulon

Stravinsky the Firebird, Raleigh

25th Annual Cape Fear Disabled Sportsman Fishing Tournament, Wilmington

Outlander in the Cape Fear Walking Tour, Wilmington

Sea Witch Concert, Wilmington

 10

Fiber Frolic at Hickory Ridge History Museum, Boone 

Price Lake Full Moon Paddle Board, Boone

Boho Hippie Fest, Maggie Valley 

Whole Bloomin Thing, Waynesville 

Burlington Vintage Revival Market, Burlington 

Trail of History Mecklenburg County, Charlotte

Borrowing Something Sweet Honey Tasting and Hive Tour, Zebulon

Foraged Florals Crafting Bouquets for Mom, Raleigh 

Mother Daughter Spa Day, Zebulon

Mothers Day Market at Boxcar, Raleigh

Mothers Day Tea at the Raleigh Museum 10th-11th

Raleigh's Spring Festival: Spring in the City, Raleigh

Ritmo Latino Festival, Raleigh

Spring Market at Willow House Coffee, Raleigh

The Ultimate Boxing Showdown, Raleigh

Bald Eagle Search Paddle 10th-18th, Durham 

Mothers Day Brunch at The Durham 10th-11th, Durham

Plant Swap, Durham

Menopause The Musical, Durham

Bloom and Burn: a Bridgerton Themed Floral Design and Candle Making Workshop, Durham

Opening day of Elodie Farm Dinner, Durham

Battleship Ghost Hunt Tour, Wilmington

 The Sandspur Backyard Concert, Wilmington

USA Beach Wrestling Nationals, Wilmington

Ties Across the Tides: Separated by an Ocean but Inseparable from Impact at Cary Park, Cary

11

NC Plein Air Festival 11th-18th, New Bern

Kite Festival, Morrisville

Peck and Plume Mother’s Day Brunch, Cary

The Willard Rooftop Lounge Mother’s Day Brunch, Raleigh

Womens Intro to Stand Up Paddleboarding, Durham

Mother’s Day Music and Pampering in the Park, Cary Park

Bloom and Brunch: A Mother’s Day Celebration at the Sheraton, Chapel Hill

Bird Islands Cruise, Wilmington

12

Outer Banks Soft Shell Crab Week 12th-17th, Manteo 

Sunrise Beach Yoga, Carolina Beach

Armed Forces Week at Mission BBQ, Wilmington

Mission BBQ, Wilmington

14

Zdayz 14th-18th, Boone 

Opening Day of Storytime on the Roof with Durham County Library, Durham

Music at the Stack Free Concert, Durham

Summer Jazz Series at the Bellamy Mansion, Wilmington

15

PGA Championships 15th-18th, Charlotte

Fm2vf Concert Series end, Fuquay Varina 

Beach Music Series, Raleigh 

Carolina Ballet Swan Lake 15th-18th, Raleigh

Follow Me to Fuquay Varina Concert: The Breakfast Club 

Park Play and Picnic Cary Park, Cary

16

Mount Airy Mayberry Farm Fest and Tractor Parade 16th-17th, Mount Airy 

NC Museum of Science Adult Night: Game On, Raleigh

Mozart Requiem NC Symphony 16th-17th, Raleigh

First Day of Phenom Hoops Live, Raleigh

Reptiles of Eastern NC at Little River Park, Zebulon

Opening day of Evening Eno Exploration Paddle, Durham

Orange County SeaFest, Chapel Hill

Freight Train Blues Free Concert, Carrboro

Greek Festival 16th-18th, Wilmington

17

Art in the Park starts, Boone

Boomerang Battle of the Bands, Boone 

Family Farm Day, Wilmington 

Atlantic Beach Music Fest, Atlantic Beach 

Gospel Fest, New Bern 

Bimbe Cultural Arts Festival, Durham

Red Rose Festival 17th-18th, Lancaster 

Springfest, Morrisville 

Artsplosure 17th-18th, Raleigh 

Got to Be NC 17th-19th, Raleigh 

Cheerwine Festival, Salisbury

Carolina Pig Jig, Raleigh

July 5th Independence Day Celebration, Holly Springs

Shakespeare in the Park Othello 17th-18th, Raleigh

Springfest, Morrisville

Wild About Nature, Holly Springs

Women's Kayaking 101, Durham

Preservation Durham Annual Home Tour Golden Anniversary 17th-18th, Durham 

Full Stream RPT Book Fair, Durham

Opening Day of Beer Garden Concert Series, Durham

CB100 Mural Fest, Carolina Beach

Family Farm Day Children's Museum of Wilmington, Wilmington 

Spring Pop Culture Fest, Wilmington

Stoked to Go Out Pier to Pier Swim, Wilmington

Surf Dog Experience, Kure Beach

18

Mt Airy Mayberry Cool Cars and Rods Cruise-In, Mt Airy

Brier Creek Spring Food Truck Festival, Raleigh

Getting Piggy With It, Raleigh

Amplifying Hope Music Fest, Durham

Duke Chapel Free Tour, Durham

Bike to the Park Cary Park, Cary

20

Springfest Community Event, Davidson

Les Miserables 20th-25, Charlotte

Back to the Future Musical 20th-25th, Durham

Toddler Tuesday Yoga and Mindfulness Cary Park, Cary 

21

Opening Day of Pride Documentary Photo Series: Origins of NC Pride, Cary

Dancing with The Carolina Stars Fundraiser, Durham

Kayak and Yoga Excursion to Masonboro Island, Carolina Beach

Monthly Bird Walk, Carolina Beach 

Botanicals in Pen and Watercolor with Cary Arts Center Cary Park, Cary

22

Last Day of Live in the District, Morrisville 

Adventure into Agave: Guided Mezcal Tasting, Raleigh

Durham Community Day

23

Hickory Furniture Memorial Weekend Sale, Hickory

White Squirrel Weekend 23rd-25th, Brevard 

Spring Nascar Weekend Cabarrus County 23rd-25th, Concord

Last Day of KidsWrite Festival, Raleigh

Movie Night Moana 2 Cary Park, Cary 

Fireworks by the Sea Boardwalk Blast,  Carolina Beach

Hickory Furniture Market, Hickory

24

Grandfather Mountain Rhododendron Rambles 24th-1st, Banner Elk

Lost at the Lake Live Music at Lost Worlds, Cornelius

Wildcat Lake Opening, Banner Elk

Water Lantern Festival, Charlotte

One Direction Best Song Ever Dance Party, Charlotte

Splash Pad Series starts, Knightdale 

Adult Science Fair, Durham

Taste of Soul NC, Durham

Orange Street Artsfest 24th-25th, Wilmington

Opening Day Carolina Beach Farmers Market, Carolina Beach

Carrboro Bluegrass Festival, Carrboro

Really Really Free Market, Carrboro

H2OBX Opening Day, Outer Banks

25

Boileryard Brunch Camp North End, Charlotte

NC Sugar Rush, Raleigh

Lower Eno River Discovery Paddle, Durham

Underground Market, Durham

Paws and Pals Adoption Event Cary Park, Cary

Carolina Beach Free Summer Movies Series at the Lake, Carolina Beach

Duke Chapel Free Tour, Durham

26 Memorial Day

Cary Memorial Remembrance Day, Cary

Memorial day Ceremony, Knightdale 

Memorial Day Observance, Garner 

Memorial Mile, Rolesville 

Battleship Memorial Day Observance, Wilmington

27

Walltown Children's Theatre 25 Year Celebration, Durham

28

Cape Fear Blue Marlin Tournament 28th-31st, Wilmington

29

Beech Mountain Guided Hikes, Beech Mountain

Premiere of the Lost Colony Outdoor Drama, Manteo

UNC Health Championship Presented by Stitch starts, Raleigh

30

Valle Crucis Music in the Valle, Valle Crucis

41st Raleigh Greek Festival 30th-1st, Raleigh

Wicked Sing Along, Garner 

Last Fridays and the Art Walk, Chapel Hill

31

BBQ Bubbly at Fenton, Raleigh

Mountain Alliance 35th Anniversary Concert, Boone 

31st Naturalist Rally, Beech Mountain

South Charlotte Ballet Sleeping Beauty, Charlotte

Carnival of the Animals, Raleigh

Downtown Raleigh Coffee Stroll, Raleigh

City of Raleigh Children's Day, Raleigh

Kayaking 101, Durham

Preservation Fest, Hillsboro 

Port City Highland Games, Wilmington

NC has options for you no matter where you are or what you like to do! In the feedback form at customcarolinatravel.com, let us know what events you would like to see that were not on the list and which of these you like and don't like.

Stay tuned for itineraries coming to customcarolinatravel.com in MAY! Your guides to NC are right around the corner, and we are so happy you are here, ready to explore!