What’s Happening Now!
A curated list of upcoming community events, activities, and gatherings happening in Raleigh and the surrounding area.
April 2026 Events
Wake County Public Libraries Events
Daily |Times Vary | Free
Events | Wake County Government
Discover upcoming community events, programs, and activities hosted by Wake County Public Libraries. The calendar features a variety of free events for all ages and families throughout the year. Check the schedule often for new additions and details!
North Carolina Science Festival
Days & Dates Vary
North Carolina Science Festival – Science For All During the month of April 2026 the Festival features hundreds of amazing events. See the link for more information.
North Hills Kids
Spring: April 7 – May 12
Summer: June 16, July 21, August 18
Fall: Sep 22 – Oct 27 | 9:30 am to 11:00 am | Free
Spring & Fall: The Commons
Summer: Midtown Park
North Hills Kids – Family-Friendly Events – North Hills
A free, multi-season series for families to enjoy playful learning, movement, and outdoor fun. New in 2026, North Hills Kids now includes spring and fall events at The Commons, plus summer events at Midtown Park bringing 15 fun events throughout the year.
Museum of Life and Science
Friday, April 10 and Sunday, April 19 | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm| Free for Durham residents
433 W Murray Avenue,
Durham, NC
Durham Community Day – Museum of Life and Science
Come and explore the Museum of Life and Science for free (Durham residents). Please note that “On Durham Community days, Durham County residents get in free with current proof of residence. All adults must have Durham residency to get in free; each adult can bring up to five children.”
UNC Science Expo
Saturday, April 11 | 11 am to 4 pm | FREE
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
250 E Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC
UNC Science Expo – Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
A free, exciting day for all ages to learn about science in a fun and interactive way. One
of the biggest science events in the State.
25th Annual Children’s Day Festival of Cary: International Festival
Saturday, April 18 | 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm | Free
Downtown Cary Park
327 S Academy Street
Cary, North Carolina
Welcome | Children’s Day Festival of Cary
This festival is all about our kids, the next generation, and helping them grow up appreciating the rich mix of cultures in our community.
Durham Earth Day Festival
Sunday, April 19 | 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm | Free
Durham Central Park
501 Foster Street, Durham
Earth Day Festival | Durham Parks & Recreation, NC
Come celebrate Earth Day 2026 with us as we come together to care for our planet. This year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” is all about how each of us can make a difference.
Holly Springs, NC SpringFest
Saturday, April 25, 2026 | 10 am to 4 pm
Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce
Hosted by the Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce, this FREE, family-friendly event is
a fun way to spend the day with the community.
Cary’s Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festival
Saturday, April 25 | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | Free
Bond Park
801 High House Road, Cary, NC
Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festival | Town of Cary
Spend the day at beautiful Bond Park checking out unique art from 170+ local NC artists, listening to live music, grabbing some great food, and joining in on fun activities for all ages.
Apex EarthFest
Saturday, April 25 | 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm | Free
Town Hall Campus
73 Hunter Street
Apex, North Carolina
EarthFest | Apex, NC – Official Website
Apex EarthFest is a fun, hands-on festival for the community, where you can learn about, take part in, and celebrate our planet.
Opportunities to Join the Child Welfare Workforce
Tomeko Brown
North Carolina is one of nine states in the United States that operates as a federally mandated, state supervised, county administered social services system. This means that social services (including child welfare services and adult services) receive funding and authorization of programs at the federal level. The state (Health and Human Services) provides oversight and support while each county agency is responsible for the delivery and administration of necessary services and benefits to children and families across the state.
Since 2015, North Carolina Child Welfare Services has been working on agency-wide improvements in areas such as service provision, family and youth leadership, staff development, and improving services and support for youth in out-of-home care. Throughout these past eight years, the state has witnessed many positive impacts in communities across the state as a result of these improvements. While county-child welfare agencies continue to raise their standard of care and professionalism in service to their communities, one of the most difficult challenges they face in recent times is staffing shortages. Across the state of North Carolina, many county child welfare agencies are working at less than full capacity staff levels, which leaves the workforce and community feeling the strain. In the field of social work, there are many unique opportunities to assist family members, children, and youth. Social workers help families to tap into their strengths and build resilient support networks to work through personal challenges and make their families safer and healthier. Honoring the principles such as “families are experts about themselves,” “judgements can wait,” and “everyone has strengths,” child welfare staff work tirelessly with families to keep them together, increase access to resources for parents and youth, and engage other community agencies to actively support overall family, child, and youth, wellness. If you or someone you know may be interested in joining the child welfare workforce, please take a look at what opportunities may be available to you here!
For more information about child welfare jobs, visit the links below.
- https://www.ncdhhs.gov/childwelfareworks
- https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/social-services/about-dss/general-information
- https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/services.pdf
To look at our archive of past events, you can click the button below.