Parks & Rec

Feed your belly and your brain! Bring your lunch to the City of Raleigh Museum and listen to a captivating lecture every third Thursday of the month. This program is in partnership with the City of Raleigh Active Adults Program. Ages: All Cost: Free Previous slide Next slide 1 2 Dr. Anna Julia Cooper Dilip and Anuragini Barman Thursday, Dec. 18 Dilip Barman is the founder of the Mathematics Institute of the Triangle in Chapel Hill. His daughter, Anuragini, is a high school junior and a tutor at the Mathematics Institute of the Triangle. They will speak on Raleigh's own Dr. Anna Julia Cooper, mathematician and scholar.

Thursday nights just got a whole lot merrier! Get ready to put on your most creative holiday sweater and join the North Carolina Black Women Empowered 50+ group for a holiday open house at the John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Center! Enjoy music, games, and yummy snacks with hot chocolate and apple cider. Craving dinner? A Food truck will be on site for purchases! Details Location: John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Center Ages: All Cost: Free No registration required

Please join us for our annual Breakfast with Santa! This event will have free food, activities, gift raffles, and an appearance from a special guest. We will have toys for ages 5- 11 (while supplies last), but all ages are welcome! Feel free to bring your friends and family for a morning of fun! Location: Tarboro Road Community Center Ages: All Ages Cost: Free Register on RecLink

Visit the Pope House to enjoy period-accurate holiday decorations, music, and games! Relax with the Popes as you learn about 20th-century holiday traditions. This guided tour will also feature delicious treats! This is a free event. Date: Saturday, Dec. 20 Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Ages: All No Registration Required

'Tis the season for family fun! Bring the whole family and join Women Who Care and the Worthdale Community Center for a cozy Pajama Party. Come dressed in your favorite pajamas and enjoy an afternoon filled with carnival games, face painting, arts and crafts, tasty food, a warm cocoa station, and a toy giveaway while supplies last. It’s a celebration you won’t want to miss! Registration isn't required but encouraged Location: Worthdale Community Center Ages: 5 - 12 Cost: Free Register on RecLink

Oberlin Village was a vibrant African American community established after the Civil War. Celebrate Emancipation Day by joining local historian Carmen Wimberly Cauthen and Cheryl Williams for a guided tour of Oberlin Village. Details Time: 10 - 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Ages: All Cost: Adults $15, Children $6 Register for Tickets

Travel back in time to see United States Colored Troops and allies as they tell stories of real-life Black soldiers and their lives in the camps and on the front lines. Details Location: Pope House Museum Age: All Cost: Free No Registration Required

Join us on Sunday, Jan. 18, the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2026, as we come together to celebrate unity and community through music, dance, and art. In honor of our ancestors, we invite you to wear African or Afrocentric attire to show your solidarity and pride. Enjoy light refreshments and be inspired by the power of community. No registration needed - just bring yourself and your beautiful attire! Location: John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Center Ages: All Cost: Free This event is hosted by the North Carolina Black Women Empowered 50+ Group.