Lucky you. You just found RALtoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events to plan for that are taking place throughout Raleigh each month.
Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading to this month. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back; we update our guide monthly.
Live events
ELVIS: In Person | Sunday, Jan. 11 | 7-8:30 p.m. | A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater | $35+ | See The King rock Raleigh with expert impersonator Matt Stone.
Rascal Flatts, Lauren Alaina & Chris Lane | Thursday, Jan. 15 | 7 p.m. | Lenovo Center | $70+ | This night of country music will have you on your feet singing “Life is a Highway” all night long.
Revolution: The Music of the Beatles | Friday, Jan. 16-Saturday, Jan. 17 | Times vary | Meymandi Concert Hall | $40+ | The iconic quartet’s music will be reimagined by the NC Symphony – you won’t wanna miss this.
Gabby’s Dollhouse Live! | Sunday, Jan. 18 | 4 p.m. | Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts | $40+ | Kids will love seeing their favorite TV characters in person at this special event.
The Great Cover Up 2026 | Friday, Jan. 23, Saturday, Jan. 24, Friday, Jan. 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Kings | $10 | This annual event showcases local musicians covering iconic songs.
Cinch: World’s Toughest Rodeo | Saturday, Jan. 24 | 7:30 p.m. | Lenovo Center | $50+ | Yeehaw! Grab your cowboy boots for this bull-bucking show.
Super Diamond: The Neil Diamond Tribute | Thursday, Jan. 29 | 7 p.m. | The Rialto | $40+ | This show is set to be so good, so good, so good.
North Carolina Opera presents “Madama Butterfly” | Friday, Jan. 30 + Sunday, Feb. 1 | 7:30 p.m. | Raleigh Memorial Auditorium | $35+ | Puccini’s beloved Italian opera is coming to NC with world-class singers and instrumentalists.
Learn
History That Doesn’t Suck | Friday, Jan. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts | $40+ | This podcast paints vivid portraits of true American stories – see it live.
National Day of Racial Healing | Saturday, Jan. 17 | Times vary | First Chronicles Community Church, Durham | Free | This annual event brings people together to reflect on shared humanity and inspire collective action toward a more racially just and equitable world.
25th Annual African American Cultural Celebration | Saturday, Jan. 31 | 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | North Carolina Museum of Art | Free | Commemorate African American history + kick off Black History Month with this celebration of the contributions African American people have made in NC.
Try This
Skate the Square | Wednesday, Jan. 7-Sunday, Feb. 8 | Fenton Square | $15+ | Before shopping at this expansive district, hit the ice. Plus, take advantage of Cheapskate on Mondays for $15 skating.
North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival | Thursday, Jan. 8-Sunday, Jan. 11 | Booth Amphitheatre, Cary | $16+ | Cary is aglow with countless lanterns celebrating the Lunar New Year.
Raleigh Chocolate, Wine & Whiskey Festival 2026 | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. | Kerr Scott Building | $60+ | The richest event of the year is nearly here. Try unlimited luscious chocolate, premium wine, and craft spirits – this event is 21+.
GLOW Under the Silver Moon Parade: Our Town | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Downtown Cary Park, Cary | Free | Wander Downtown Cary Park with illuminated lanterns, live performances, and more celebrating the quiet beauty of winter.
NC Vintage Bazaar | Saturday, Jan. 17-Sunday, Jan. 18 | 12-7 p.m. | Expo Center at NC Fairgrounds | $10+ | NC’s largest vintage + thrift market is back with two days of holy grail finds + hidden gems.
Triangle Restaurant Week | Monday, Jan. 26-Sunday, Feb. 1 | Raleigh | $15+ | This event is perfect for the foodie who wants to try everything, and save a little money, too.
(Don’t see anything you like? Check out our full events calendar.)
Have an event of your own you want to share with us? Follow these easy steps to add your events to our calendar:
- Go to our Events page.
- Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner.
- Make sure to include a link and fill out important information like the date, time, location, and price of your event.
- Click “Submit,” and you’ve just added an event to our website calendar.