January
Blowing Rock Winterfest
Blowing Rock, Jan. 26-29
The winter festival has been a tradition for more than 20 years and features a polar bear plunge, chili cook-off, ice carving and more.
February
Carolina Hurricanes NHL Stadium Series Outdoor Game at Carter-Finley Stadium
Raleigh, Feb. 18
The Carolina Hurricanes host the Washington Capitals in this installment of the NHL’s Stadium Series. The event is years in the making as the Hurricanes were first awarded the game in 2020.
March
ACC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments at Greensboro Coliseum
Greensboro, Women’s March 1-5; Men’s March 7-11
The ACC brings both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to Greensboro for what could be the final time as the conference prepares to leave its headquarters in the Triad for Charlotte.
April
Dreamville 2023 Festival
Raleigh, April 1-2
Hip-hop superstar J. Cole brings his annual music festival to Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Park. The multi-staged event brings some of the biggest names in music for the Fayetteville native’s brainchild.
NC Azalea Festival
Wilmington, April 16-19
Spring in Wilmington means the return of the annual celebration of the Azalea. Each year, colorful parades, home tours and nationally known music build to the crowning of the Azalea Queen.
NC Pickle Festival
Mount Olive, April 28-29
A 5K, live entertainment and a car show will all serve as warmup acts for the star of Mount Olive’s annual celebration — the pickle! From a recipe contest to a pickle-eating contest, everyone’s favorite brined vegetable will be the start of the show.
May
Wells Fargo Championship
Charlotte, May 1-7
The PGA Tour returns to Quail Hollow Country Club for the Wells Fargo Championship.
NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race
North Wilkesboro, May 21
In a stunning turnaround for the historic racetrack, North Wilkesboro will host NASCAR’s annual All-Star Race following the revival of racing at the facility.
Coca-Cola 600
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Concord, May 28
The stars of NASCAR make their Memorial Day return to the Charlotte Motor Speedway in the series’ longest race of the season.
June
NC Black Bear Festival
Plymouth, June 3
The largest black bears on the planet are found in eastern North Carolina, and they’ll be celebrated at the seventh annual Black Bear Festival. The Albemarle-Pamlico peninsula is also home to the highest concentration of black bears in the world.
Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament
Morehead City, June 9-18
Last year, more than 750 boats entered Big Rock to compete, the most since 1999. Interest in the tournament has grown and even brought Michael Jordan out for a few days on the water in search of the week’s biggest blue marlin.
July
Savannah Bananas NC Tour
Kannapolis, July 12; and Durham, July 14
The Savannah Bananas experience is one that must be seen — unless you’re a baseball purist. The team makes a pair of stops in the state for its sold-out 2023 tour.
Luke Combs Stadium Show
Bank of America Stadium
Charlotte July 15
Country music superstar and North Carolina native Luke Combs hosts one of his biggest concerts of the year in Charlotte.
August
Wyndham Championship
Greensboro, Aug. 2-3
The PGA Tour’s annual stop in Greensboro took on bigger importance with the advent of the FedEx Cup.
Winston-Salem Open
Winston-Salem, Aug. 19-26
The Wake Forest University Tennis Complex plays host to the only major professional tennis tournament in the state in August. The yearly event is the last ATP World Tour 250 event prior to the U.S. Open in September and more than 40 of the world’s top 80 players compete for the trophy.
American Legion National Convention
Charlotte, Aug. 25-31
The American Legion’s largest annual meeting features members from each of the Legion’s 55 departments, and they’ll meet to determine the course of the Legion, electing a national commander and five national vice commanders.
September
Benson Mule Days
Benson, Sept. 21-24
More than 30,000 come to the town of Benson for a weekend packed with rodeos, a mule pulling contest, arts and crafts, vendors, street dances, carnival rides, camping, parades, bluegrass shows and more.
October
NC State Fair
State Fairgrounds
Raleigh, Oct. 12-22
The State Fair returns after a successful 2022 in which crowds came in large numbers for the food, livestock, shows and celebration of all things North Carolina.
Lexington Barbecue Festival
Lexington, Oct. 28
Returning last year, the Lexington Barbecue Festival is highly anticipated across the state and region, celebrating one of our state’s gems: pulled pork barbecue.
November
Carolina Renaissance Festival
Huntersville, Sept. 30-Nov. 19
History meets the present during the annual Renaissance Festival, bringing crowds to stroll through a 16th-century European village with an artisan market, jousting knights on horseback and more.
December
Christmas Town USA
McAdenville, Dec. 1-31
The Gaston County town of McAdenville transforms each year into Christmas Town USA for its display of Christmas lights, decorations and more.
