Raleigh, November 2026: the Fall Arts Fair Nov. 7, the tree lighting Nov. 20, the Christmas Parade Nov. 21, Fieldstream lights Nov. 27 and Messiah Dec. 4-5.

Last checked Nov. 3, 2026. This page covers the next six weeks and is retitled each month; dates and times are as each organizer publishes them. For this weekend, see things to do this weekend; for galleries, theater and concerts, the arts and exhibitions page.

November in Raleigh runs from the city’s free Fall Arts Fair on Saturday, Nov. 7, to the holiday weekend downtown: the tree lighting at Moore Square on Friday, Nov. 20, and the 82nd Raleigh Christmas Parade on Saturday, Nov. 21. Fieldstream Farm’s drive-thru lights open the day after Thanksgiving, and early December brings the NC Symphony’s Messiah and Carolina Ballet’s Nutcracker.

Before you go

This week

  • Acorn Affair, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, Optimist Community Center. Ages 10 and under, $8 (city fall events).
  • NCMA After Hours, 5:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, North Carolina Museum of Art. Free, with Nancy Baker Cahill’s videos projected on the West Building (NCMA).
  • Indigo Girls, 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, Raleigh Memorial Auditorium (event page).
  • Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, NC Symphony, 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, Meymandi Concert Hall (concert page).
  • Fall Arts Fair, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, Fred Fletcher Park. Free (city fall events).
  • NC State vs. Duke, military appreciation game, 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, Carter-Finley Stadium, on The CW (Wolfpack schedule).
  • “Common Ground” opening, 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, North Carolina Museum of Art. Free (NCMA).
  • Hurricanes vs. Chicago, 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, Lenovo Center (Hurricanes schedule).
  • “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” Raleigh Little Theatre, 301 Pogue St., closing Sunday, Nov. 8. Adults $33 (show page).
  • Dix Park, free: a drum circle 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at the Stone Houses Visitor Center, and an instrument petting zoo 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at Gipson Play Plaza (Dix Park calendar).

Later in November

  • Carolina Youth Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, and noon and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, Fletcher Opera Theater (event page).
  • Saturday, Nov. 14: Fall Family Fun Day, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., City of Raleigh Museum, 220 Fayetteville St., free (city fall events); NC State vs. Syracuse, senior day, Carter-Finley Stadium, kickoff noon on ACC Network according to ESPN’s schedule (Wolfpack schedule); and the Hurricanes against Seattle at 1 p.m. (Hurricanes schedule).
  • Midtown Makers Market, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, North Hills Innovation District (North Hills).
  • “Knock Knock,” a show for ages 5 and under, Raleigh Little Theatre, Nov. 18 to Dec. 4 (show page).
  • Hurricanes vs. Montreal, 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, Lenovo Center (Hurricanes schedule).
  • Carolina Ballet’s “Jewels,” Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Nov. 19-22 (show times).
  • Downtown tree lighting and holiday market, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, Moore Square, 201 S. Blount St., run by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance.
  • 82nd Raleigh Christmas Parade, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. The route runs from Hillsborough Street at St. Mary’s Street to Fayetteville Street, ending at Davie Street. Our parade page will carry road closures when they are posted (parade route).
  • Also Saturday, Nov. 21: the Midtown Farmers’ Market’s holiday market at North Hills (hours not yet posted); Music at the Market, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the House of Many Porches Market at Dix Park; the Hurricanes against Edmonton at 1 p.m. (schedule); and Christmas at North Hills, 4 to 7 p.m., with Santa’s arrival and the tree lighting (North Hills).
  • Cirque Holiday Pops, NC Symphony, Nov. 25-28, Meymandi Concert Hall (show times).
  • Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26: the Raleigh Turkey Trot 8K at 8:30 a.m. from Ridgewood Shopping Center ($37 through Nov. 17, race page); the Leesville Community Turkey Trot 5K at 8:30 a.m. from 12201 New Leesville Blvd. (registration); and the Trophy Trot 5K at Dix Park, kids’ race 8:45 a.m. and 5K 9 a.m., with road closures until 10:30 a.m. (Dix Park). Meals and closings are on our Thanksgiving page.
  • Fieldstream Farm’s drive-thru light show opens Friday, Nov. 27, at 8008 Old Stage Road and runs to Dec. 31. Tickets are $20 a car, booked for a date and time (Fieldstream Farm).
  • Christmas Carousel Holiday Gift Market, Nov. 27-29, Jim Graham Building, N.C. State Fairgrounds: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Adults $12, seniors and military $10, children 6 to 12 $5, according to Visit Raleigh’s listing.
  • Hurricanes vs. Ottawa, 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, Lenovo Center (Hurricanes schedule).

Early December

  • Holiday Express, Pullen Park, 5 to 9:30 p.m. nightly Dec. 1-17. Sold out; resale is at face value on Ticketmaster only. See our Holiday Express page (city page).
  • Hurricanes at Lenovo Center: Columbus, 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3; Toronto, 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5; the New York Rangers, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8; the New York Islanders, 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11; and Boston, 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13 (Hurricanes schedule).
  • “The Seafarer,” Burning Coal Theatre Company, Murphey School Auditorium, 224 Polk St., Dec. 3-20 (show page).
  • Handel’s Messiah, NC Symphony, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, and 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, Meymandi Concert Hall (concert page).
  • “Cinderella,” Raleigh Little Theatre, Dec. 4-20. Adults $38 to $42 (show page).
  • Jolly Raleigh Holiday Market, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, The Exchange Raleigh, 1000 Social St. (Shop Local Raleigh).
  • Carolina Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Dec. 10-24; every show time is on our Nutcracker page (Carolina Ballet).
  • Holiday Pops, NC Symphony, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, and 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, Meymandi Concert Hall (concert page).
  • Winter Lantern Walk, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA).
  • Midtown Makers Market, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, North Hills Innovation District (North Hills).

More holiday lights and Santa visits are on our holiday lights page, and store hours on our holiday shopping page.

Regular events

  • Dix Park: Yoga in the Park, 5:30 p.m. Mondays, and Pilates in the Park, 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, both at Gipson Play Plaza. Full list on the Dix Park calendar.
  • Midtown Farmers’ Market: Saturdays at The Commons at North Hills; Nov. 21 is its holiday market (market).
  • State Farmers Market: 1201 Agriculture St., open every day; see our farmers markets guide.
  • NCMA: free public tours at 1 p.m. on weekends, and Art on the Dot talks at 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays (NCMA events).

What this means for you

  • Nov. 20-21 is the busiest weekend downtown: tree lighting Friday night, then the parade Saturday morning and the Hurricanes at 1 p.m.
  • Fieldstream Farm sells timed tickets; the farm says Monday to Thursday nights are quietest.
  • Holiday Express is sold out; buy resale only at face value through Ticketmaster.

Send us your event

Running something in Raleigh before mid-December? Email hello@raleighnewsdaily.com with the date, time, venue, price and a photo. Listings are free, and they go on this page and in our diary.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Raleigh Christmas Parade in 2026?

The 82nd Raleigh Christmas Parade starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, on Hillsborough Street at St. Mary’s Street and ends at Fayetteville and Davie streets. Downtown’s tree lighting is 5:30 to 8 p.m. the night before at Moore Square.

When do the Carolina Hurricanes play at home in November?

At Lenovo Center against Chicago Nov. 7, Seattle Nov. 14, Montreal Nov. 19, Edmonton Nov. 21 and Ottawa Nov. 28, then Columbus Dec. 3, Toronto Dec. 5, the Rangers Dec. 8, the Islanders Dec. 11 and Boston Dec. 13, according to the NHL schedule.

When do the Christmas lights open in Raleigh?

Fieldstream Farm’s drive-thru show on Old Stage Road opens Friday, Nov. 27, and runs to Dec. 31 at $20 a car. Pullen Park’s Holiday Express runs Dec. 1-17 and is sold out.

What free things are there to do in Raleigh in November?

NCMA After Hours on Nov. 5, the Fall Arts Fair on Nov. 7, Fall Family Fun Day on Nov. 14, the downtown tree lighting on Nov. 20 and the Christmas Parade on Nov. 21 are free.

Where are the turkey trots in Raleigh on Thanksgiving?

The Raleigh Turkey Trot 8K starts at 8:30 a.m. at Ridgewood Shopping Center, the Leesville Community Turkey Trot 5K at 8:30 a.m. in north Raleigh and the Trophy Trot 5K at 9 a.m. at Dix Park, all Thursday, Nov. 26.