Parks & Rec

Raleigh Parks’ Moore Square, in partnership with @Get2KnowRaleigh, welcomes back the First Friday Market & Movie Night series for the 2026 season. This free monthly event brings the community together for local vendors, food trucks, live music, and a featured outdoor movie in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Join us on the first Friday of each month from May through November, with the market and food trucks beginning at 5 p.m., live music at 5:30 p.m., and the movie starting around 7:15 p.m. 2026 First Friday Movie Lineup May 1 - The Incredibles (2004) June 5 - Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) July 3 - Hamilton (2020)* "Celebrate America 250!" (movie will begin at 6 p.m.) Aug. 7 - Zootopia 2 (2025) Sept. 4 - Remember the Titans (2000) Oct. 2 - Ghostbusters (1984) Nov. 6 - Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)* (movie will begin at 6:30 p.m.) Details Market & Food Trucks: 5 - 9 p.m. Live Music: 5:30 p.m. Movie: 7:15 p.m. Ages: All Cost: Free Presented in partnership with Get 2 Know Raleigh. Movie sponsored by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance.

Swing by and get creative! We’ll have free crafting and collaging supplies ready for you to play, experiment, and make something uniquely yours. Plus, the City of Raleigh Museum is joining the First Friday fun with extended hours! Details Location: City of Raleigh Museum Date: Friday, May 1 Time: 6 - 9 p.m. Ages: All Cost: Free

Mark your calendars for a fun-filled family sneaker ball! This family-friendly event is sure to knock your socks off! Come dressed in semi-formal attire and your coolest kicks. This event will have an awesome DJ, games, arts and crafts, and food trucks. Let us see your sneaker game while you dance the night away. Location: Green Road Community Center Ages: All Cost: Free Register on RecLink

Get ready to ride, roll, and have a blast! Join Oaks & Spokes, Wake County Safe Routes to School, and John Chavis Memorial Park for an exciting Community Bike Rodeo and Traffic Garden Event. This fun-filled afterschool celebration brings together active movement, safe streets, Bike Month, and Bike & Roll to School Day. At the Kids Bike Rodeo, children will build confidence on two wheels while learning important bike safety skills. They’ll zoom through an obstacle course and explore a Traffic Garden, a child-sized streetscape where kids can practice road safety through hands-on play and imagination. Details Location: John Chavis Memorial Park Ages: All Cost: Free No Registration is Required

Don't miss an unforgettable evening with the authors of Lost Raleigh: Exploring the Oak City's Architectural History, Ian F. G Dunn and Mary Ruffin Hanbury! This book is a comprehensive look at the city’s cultural and architectural past and a plea to protect and preserve the landmarks that make our cities unique, connecting us to our shared history. Grab your copy, get it personally signed, and walk away with an exclusive, limited edition bookmark absolutely free. Details Location: City of Raleigh Museum Ages: All Cost: Free

Music played a central role in American family life during the 19th and early 20th centuries, long before the advent of television and cellphones. African American households embraced music as a powerful means of self-expression.  Through gospel, jazz, blues, and classical music, African Americans found a way to share their stories, joys, and sorrows. 'Black Joy in the Springtime' beautifully highlights this rich musical heritage at one of Raleigh's historic African American homes. Enjoy a delightful musical performance by Shenette Swann. Details Location: Pope House Museum Date: Saturday, May 9 Time: 2 - 3 p.m. Ages: All Cost: Free

Join us for a screening of the 2023 documentary REFUGE. The film follows a former white nationalist leader as he begins to confront his beliefs after connecting with a Muslim refugee doctor and the community in Clarkston, Georgia. Through their experiences, REFUGE looks at the roots of hate and what it can take to move past it. The screening will be followed by a discussion with local and national experts on how people and communities work through division, build trust, and find common ground. Learn more about the REFUGE Film Screening and Panel Details Location: City of Raleigh Museum Date: Thursday, May 7 Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Ages: All Cost: Free Register for Tickets via Eventbrite

We’re excited to welcome select Live After 5 performances to Moore Square as part of Downtown Raleigh's summer concert series, presented by Downtown Raleigh Alliance. Join us for free live music, food trucks, and an unforgettable evening downtown. Shows begin at 7 p.m. Live After 5 Moore Square Dates and Lineup May 14: Fireside Collective June 4: River Shook July 30: Fancy Gap August 13: Harvey Street Learn more about Live After 5 Details Location: Moore Square Park Dates and Time: Select Thursdays at 7 p.m. Ages: Family-friendly Cost: Free

Free outdoor Shakespeare comes to Raleigh! All the world’s a stage! This fourth annual free-to-the-public event brings Shakespeare’s madcap story of love, mistaken identity, and finding oneself, As You Like It, to five locations around the Triangle. When the spirited Rosalind is exiled by her usurping uncle, she dons a male disguise and flees to the forest, only to find it crawling with fellow refugees—including her crush, the farmer-poet Orlando. What follows is a masterclass in romantic chaos as Rosalind, acting as "Ganymede," mentors a lovesick Orlando in the art of wooing while juggling mismatched shepherds and searching for her long-lost father. Through wit, bad poetry, and high-stakes matchmaking, the group of outcasts proves that reconciliation is possible, and that finding love is the greatest adventure of all. Set in a fictionalized North Carolina and infused with local music, this abridged version is the perfect way to experience the magic of Shakespeare under the open sky or on your busy schedule. Tickets are free but reservations are recommended. Location: Fred Fletcher Park Performance Time: 2 p.m. Ages: All Cost: Tickets are free, but reservations are recommended. Reserve Your Tickets

Come out and show off your best hat at Top Greene. This special Hat Show honors and celebrates Black culture and the rich tradition of hat-wearing through style, creativity, and self-expression. Please join us for The Hat Show Contest, a celebratory event honoring creativity, style, and cultural expression on Sunday, May 17, from 3 – 6 p.m. We will feature a special guest, Dr. Donna Corbett, and The Mary Corbett Hat Collection will showcase a timeless collection of her mother’s vintage hats, highlighting the enduring elegance and cultural influence of classic millinery. From refined silhouettes to bold statements, this presentation honors the legacy of style passed from one generation to the next, and Erica Kendrick, a ceramic artist, sculptor, and educator Best Hat Contest Everyone who attends will be entered into the contest and have the opportunity to showcase their hat for a chance to win a FREE 3-hour rental at Top Greene. Bring your confidence, your culture, and your crown — because the hat makes the statement. Come out, show love, and help us make this a night to remember! Details Location: John P. Top Greene African American Cultural Center Ages: All Cost: $15 (All attendees are automatically entered […]

Calling all plant lovers! Join us for an exciting plant swap event. Bring your favorite house and garden plants or homegrown vegetables to trade with fellow plant enthusiasts. We ask that you bring only healthy, pest-free plants to ensure everyone’s enjoyment. This event is free and open to the public! Details Location: City of Raleigh Museum Date: Saturday, May 23 Time: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Ages: All Cost: Free

Bring you game face, your lawn chair, and your summer spirit-let's make memories under the summer sky at our Big Screen Bash! Families will enjoy a variety of competitive and carnival-style games, including tug-of-war, relay races, classic carnival games, and bingo. As the sun sets, folks will gather in the gym for a showing of Zootopia 2 on the big screen, complete with drinks and snacks to close out the evening in comfort and style! Be sure to bring chairs, blankets, and your own food and beverages. Drinks and snacks provided will be limited. Spots are limited! Details Location: Lions Park Community Center Age: All Cost: $5 Register on RecLink