What’s Happening Now!
A curated list of upcoming community events, activities, and gatherings happening in Raleigh and the surrounding area.
August 2026 Events
Durham Rescue Mission
August 19, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm | Free
Back To School Party | Durham Rescue Mission
Back-to-School Community Event! Doors open at 11:00 AM and the event begins at 12:00 PM. Every child in attendance will receive a backpack filled with school supplies
Cary’s Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival
August 22 and 23, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day | Free
Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival | Town of Cary
Celebrate the 50th Annual Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival! Browse more than 250 artists, enjoy live music on four stages, sample local food and drinks, and relax in the beer garden or new Lazy Lounge. Families will love Kid Daze, featuring hands-on activities and the popular Kid Collectors Market. Join us for a fun-filled weekend celebrating art, community, and summer!
Durham Community Days
Sunday, August 9 and Thursday, August 27 | Free
Come and explore the Museum of Life and Science for free! 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.”
Free movie nights at downtown Cary park
Friday, August 7 | 6 pm to 10:30 pm Pirates of the Caribbean (The Curse of the Black Pearl)
Saturday, August 15 | 6 pm to 10:15 pm How to Train Your Dragon
Downtown Cary Park Movie Night Calendar
Join Downtown Cary Park for a family-friendly outdoor movie nights! Bring blankets, cushions or lawn chairs for comfortable seating. Food trucks will be available on-site
North Carolina State Capitol Tours
Saturdays | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE
N.C. State Capitol
One East Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC
North Carolina State Capitol Visitor Information
Enjoy free guided or self-guided tours of the historic State Capitol. Visitors can explore the building weekdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm or Saturdays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Daily | Times Vary | Free
11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Explore a free, family-friendly museum featuring exhibits and educational experiences for all ages.
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!
Summer Meals 4 NC Kids
Summer Months (May–August) | Free
Summer Meals 4 NC Kids
When school is out, free meals are available for children and teens ages 18 and under through North Carolina’s Summer Nutrition Programs. Families can find free, nutritious meals at community locations such as schools, parks, libraries and community centers.
No application is required for children to receive free summer meals. Families can use the NC Site Finder Map to locate meal sites nearby. Meal site information is typically available from late May through August and is updated regularly during the summer.
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
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