What’s Happening Now!
A curated list of upcoming community events, activities, and gatherings happening in Raleigh and the surrounding area.
July 2026 Events
Raleigh Fire Museum
Saturday, July 11 | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE
105 Keeter Center Drive, Raleigh, NC
Raleigh Fire Museum Visit Information
The Raleigh Fire Museum is open to the public on the second Saturday of each month. Explore historic firefighting artifacts, see a modern fire truck, try a working fire hose and enjoy free parking and restrooms.
Raleigh’s All American Summer Festival
Saturday, July 11 | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
City Plaza
400 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, NC
Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a fun-filled day of community, culture and carnival fun! Enjoy live music, food, desserts, drinks and activities for the whole family.
Museum of Life and Science free for Durham residents
Monday, July 13 | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE
433 W Murray Avenue,
Durham, NC
Come and explore the Museum of Life and Science for free during Durham Community Day!
Please note: Durham County residents can receive free admission with current proof of residence. All adults must have Durham residency to receive free admission. Each adult can bring up to five children.
Movie Night at Downtown Cary Park – Finding Nemo
Friday, July 17 | 8:30 pm to 10:10 pm
DCP Great Lawn Pavilion
327 S. Academy St., Cary, NC 27511
Downtown Cary Park Movie Night Calendar
Join Downtown Cary Park for a family-friendly outdoor screening of Finding Nemo! 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
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
To look at our archive of past events, you can click the button below.