North Carolina, United States — Events
Artsplosure
Artsplosure is Raleigh’s acclaimed annual spring jazz and art festival. Each year, thousands of people gather in lovely Moore Square downtown to enjoy more than 250 visual and performing artists, street performers, musicians and children’s activities. Booths display blown glass, hand-crafted jewelry and woodwork, while vendors tempt visitors with every type of food imaginable, from beer to falafel to cotton candy.
Shindig on the Green
On Saturday evenings throughout the summer, the Folk Heritage Committee stages Shindig on the Green in an effort to continue the preservation of the unique culture of southern Appalachia. Guests bring lawn chairs or blankets and settle down for an evening of big circle mountain dancing, clog dancing, bluegrass and old-time string music, ballad singing and storytelling.
Bele Chere
Each year, during the last full weekend of July, downtown Asheville is transformed into the largest free street festival in the southeast. Streets are barricaded against traffic, and hundreds of booths crowd the pavements. Visitors can stroll along and admire diverse arts and crafts, from pottery to photography to jewelry, or sample Asheville’s finest fare, from Southern to Cajun to sweets. Live music as well as community events, including a scavenger hunt, a softball tournament, a 5K and fun run, poetry and mural walls and a Clydesdale parade, round out the lively festival.
International Festival of Raleigh
This entertaining and informative festival has become a major local highlight, showcasing the region’s cultural and artistic talents with culinary specialties, cultural exhibits and ethnic crafts on offer. The festival hosts both international and traditional dance performances, as well as naturalization ceremonies for new American citizens.
North Carolina State Fair
The North Carolina State Fair is a massive celebration of Southern culture and family fun. The fair has remained true to its agricultural roots, with exhibitions that promote the preservation of farmland and natural resources, allow fairgoers to try their hand at picking peanuts or milking cows, and enable visitors to view and learn more about the cattle, sheep, pigs and other animals raised on North Carolina farms. But the fair has also evolved to become a spectacular festival with amusement park rides and games, a demolition derby, top musical performers and much more.
