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.
Festivals
2026 Pimento Cheese Festival | Saturday, April 11 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Downtown Cary Park | Free+ | If you can imagine it, someone’s putting pimento cheese in it at this one-of-a-kind festival. Plus, expect a pimento cheese sculpting contest, a performance by The Embers, and the crowing of the best pimento cheese at the fest.
Tacos ‘N Taps | Saturday, April 18 | 12-4:30 p.m. | Booth Amphitheatre, Cary | $50 | Your ticket includes unlimited tastes of over 60 craft beers, mezcals, margaritas, and tequilas. Plus, every taco vendor will feature at least one $3 or less taco.
Brewgaloo | Friday, April 24-Saturday, April 25 | Times vary | Fayetteville Street | $35+ | This local craft beer festival is one of the largest in the country.
Y’all Means All NC Beer Festival | Saturday, April 25 | 12-5 p.m. | Raleigh Brewing Company | Free+ | This new craft beer festival will welcome over a dozen local craft breweries with food trucks, live music, and more at Raleigh Brewing.
Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival | Friday, April 24 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fred G. Bond Metro Park, Cary | Free+ | Explore crafts from over 170 artisans across North Carolina.
Raleigh Anime-Fest 2026 | Sunday, April 26 | Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh, Cary | $20+ | Meet voice actors, shop geeky vendors, spot cool cosplays, and more at this fun convention.
Earth Day
Earth to Raleigh: 4th Annual Earth Day Festival | Saturday, April 11 | 2-7 p.m. | Clouds Brewing | Free | Climate Action NC and RUMAH are teaming up for this Earth Day festival with everything from food trucks and henna to community organizers and live music.
Earth YAY! 2026 | Saturday, April 18 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Coastal Credit Union Music Park | Free | Celebrate the earth with The Great Raleigh Cleanup. Start with a morning yoga movement, an amphitheater cleanup, eco experts, and a market full of eco-friendly vendors.
Try This
Copperline Plant Co. 4th Anniversary Party | Friday, April 3 | 5-9 p.m. | Copperline Plant Co. | Free | Cheers to four years of this local favorite plant shop.
The 37th Annual Oakwood Garden Tour | Saturday, April 11-Sunday, April 12 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Historic Oakwood | $25 | Explore the most stunning gardens in Raleigh with a curated selection of teas.
Raleigh Geek and Grub Market – Anime Edition | Saturday, April 11 | 12-4 p.m. | Martin Middle | Free | Shop local vendors for nerdy wares and participate in a fun scavenger hunt.
21Marbles: PARTYology | Friday, April 17 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | Marbles Kids Museum | $15+ | This 21 and up party will have you feeling like a kid again with arts and crafts, science demonstrations, and games like hockey and laser tag.
15th Annual Bearthday Celebration | Friday, April 24 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Raleigh City Farm | Free | This fundraiser + birthday party celebrates sustainability with eco-friendly demonstrations, City Farm tours, and hands-on art activities.
Live music
Don’t miss The Pit’s ‘Cuegrass Festival on April 15.
Photo provided by The Pit Authentic Barbecue
Live at Lake Raleigh | Thursday, April 9 + Thursday, April 23 | 5-7:45 p.m. | Centennial Campus | Free | See NC-based musicians at this family-friendly show on the lake.
Cardi B – Little Miss Drama Tour | Saturday, April 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Lenovo Center | $250+ | Jam out to hits like “Bodak Yellow,” “I Like It,” and “Up” with this energetic rapper.
The 16th Annual North Carolina ‘Cuegrass Festival | Saturday, April 18 | 12-10 p.m. | Downtown Raleigh | Free+ | Ain’t nothing like this true Southern festival with plenty of barbecue and bluegrass to go around.
Live events
Carolina Hurricanes | Various dates | Lenovo Center | $50+ | Watch the Canes take on the Blue Jackets, Islanders, and Bruins before the postseason starts.
Don Lemon & DL Hughley: DL+DL: “Anything Goes” | Friday, April 3 | 7:30 p.m. | Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts | $40+ | This unscripted live show features journalist Don Lemon and comedian DL Hughley talking current events, pop culture, and social issues in just four cities — including the 919.
Gabriel Iglesias: The 1976 Tour | Friday, April 3 | 8 p.m. | Lenovo Center | $48+ | Laugh along with this world-famous comedian.
North Carolina Courage vs. Portland Thorns FC | Saturday, April 4 | 6:30 p.m. | WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary | $30+ | The Courage is back — see the team against Portland.
David Sedaris | Saturday, April 18 | 8 p.m. | Raleigh Memorial Auditorium | $70+ | Watch this Raleigh-born humorist writer read his work live in his hometown.
(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.