Below are some of the Eastern, North Carolina Fall events planned around the five county area and beyond. (Five Counties = Franklin, Johnston, Nash, Wake, and Wilson; beyond may include Edgecombe, Wayne, and others) Events are listed in reverse date order.
If a community event is missing, especially if it is free, please email our Editor.
A Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Ball (Durham NC)
Wednesday, October 31, 2018 @ 7-10pm
Join the fun and spend Halloween night at The Carolina Theatre of Durham, 309 W Morgan Street, Durham NC. Watch the film, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and enjoy audience participation. There will be “door prizes, grab bags, concessions specials, and more fiendish plots than a Transylvanian mountaintop village.”
Tickets are $12 per person and may be purchased here.
Clayton Harvest Festival: Halloween Night
Wednesday, October 31, 2018 @ 5-10pm
(Rescheduled from September due to Hurricane Florence) This is more than just a Halloween Night. Festival planners and Clayton Chamber of Commerce have loads of events planned, costumes, trunk-or-treat, hot dogs, contests, plus a free movie, plus a Midway carnival. Festival events span Halloween and several days following. See the Clayton Harvest Festival Facebook page for the event details and a number of posts describing the different parts of the festival, and what’s planned for each day.
Monster Movie Marathon (Wilson NC)
Saturday, October 27, 2018 @ 9am-6pm
This free event, no registration required, will be held at the Wilson County Public Library’s main library, 249 Nash Street W, Wilson NC. Celebrate Halloween early with the Wilson County Public Library with an all-day movie marathon of classic black-and-white horror films. Attendees may bring a lunch. The library will be serving free popcorn and lemonade to movie watchers. (Movie ratings: unrated due to age.) The library is online at www1.youseemore.com/wilsoncountypl.
Pilot Harvest Festival (Zebulon NC)
Saturday, October 27, 2018 @ 5-8pm
Enjoy games, inflatables, free sno cones, a free hot dog dinner, popcorn, and much more. Join in the cake walk, pumpkin pickup, trunk or treat, ride a pony, or visit the petting zoo area. This free event designed for community fun is organized by Pilot Baptist Church, 8103 NC-39 Hwy, Zebulon NC. Sign up (requested for planning) may be done via www.jotform.com/chrismoniz/PilotHarvest2018.
Foster Fall Festival (Goldsboro NC)
Saturday, October 27, 2018 @ 5-7pm
Join the fun at W.A. Foster Center, 1012 S John Street, Goldsboro NC, for a costume contest, dance off, games, refreshments, and more. Tickets are $5 per person (ages 7-14) and may be purchased online at www.goldsboroparksandrec.com/register (must have/make an account to register). For more information, call 919.734.4164.
Fall Fest and Movie (Nashville NC)
Friday, October 26, 2018 @ 4-5:30pm
The fun is happening at the HD Cooley Library, 114 W Church Street, Nashville NC, with this event. Enjoy games, trick-or-treating, a pet adoption event, and more. Get your face painted or a glitter tattoo. Once the sun sets, hunker down in the parking lot for a free movie showing: Hocus Pocus.
Halloween Spooktacular (Wake Forest NC)
Thursday, October 25, 2018 @ 4:30-8:30pm
The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department annual Spooktacular is a free, family-oriented festival designed for children ages 12 and under. Held at the Flaherty Park Community Center, 1226 N White Street, Wake Forest NC. Festival include face painting, a cupcake walk, ghostly games/activities, and a supply of free pumpkin. Costumes encouraged. For more details, visit www.wakeforestnc.gov/halloween-spooktacular.aspx.
Stagville Harvest Festival (Durham NC)
Saturday, October 20, 2018 @ noon-5pm
This year’s festival at Historic Stagville, 5828 Old Oxford Road, Durham NC, offers an opportunity to explore “the work, food, and craft of enslaved African-Americans during the harvest season on a massive plantation.” Come and learn, take a mule cart ride, watch brick making and wood turning, and much more. Small fee of $5 per person, which may be paid on entry by cash/check. This NC historic site has a website with more information at www.stagville.org.
Wilson’s Mills Pumpkin Festival
October 13, 2018 @ 10am-4pm
Enjoy this fun festival in the town of Wilson’s Mills, 100 Railroad Street, Wilson’s Mills NC. See more on the Wilson’s Mills Parks and Recreation web page.
Chestnut Roasting Festival (Louisburg NC)
Sunday, October 7, 2018 @ 1-6pm
Come join the fun at this first-annual festival at Rocky Ridge Farm, 135 Rocky Ridge Lane, Louisburg NC. Learn the history of the American chestnut tree and what Rocky Ridge Farm is doing to restore this treasured tree. Take part in roasting chestnuts, touring the farm, listening to live music, getting your face painted, shopping from vendors, or enjoying food available at the event site. See details at www.rockyridgefarmnc.com.
Sunday in the Park: Oktoberfest (Goldsboro NC)
Sunday, October 7, 2018 @ 1-5pm
Come out to Herman Park, Goldsboro NC, for free music (Shannon Baker and Sometime Soon), crafts, art, and food vendors to celebrate the “Oktoberfest-Edition” of Sunday in the Park. Food vendors will include 3 Stars Kettle Corn, Whats the Dilla Food Truck, and Brew Works Beer Wagon. This event offers fun in a family- and pet-friendly setting. This event is a joint venture by the by Goldsboro Parks & Recreation and Arts Council of Wayne County. See this event on the Parks and Rec website.
Wendell Harvest Festival
Saturday, October 6, 2018 @ 10am-10pm
Organized by the Wendell Chamber of Commerce, the event address is 115 N Pine Street, Wendell NC. The annual festival will kick off Saturday at 10am with a parade. Following the parade, visit the vendors for goodies or early gift shopping, explore downtown, eat in the food truck area, and let children expend their energy in the play area. Tickets for the kids’ ride may be purchased upon arrival. Enjoy stage entertainment, the pumpkin derby, a golf ball drop, and a children’s tractor pull. The night closes out with The Chairmen of the Board, featuring Ken Knox. See details, and vendor applications, on the Chamber website at www.wendellchamber.com/pages/harvest-festival.
Harvest Fest (Louisburg NC)
Saturday, October 6, 2018 @ 9am-3pm
Join the fun at First Fruits Farm, 1950 East River Road, Louisburg NC. Enjoy music, crafts, a pumpkin painting contest, inflatables, face painting, and more. Family-friendly event details may be found via the First Fruits Farm events page, wisdomforlife.org/events.
Spring Hope National Pumpkin Festival
October 5-6, 2018
This Spring Hope Area Chamber of Commerce festival returns to downtown Spring Hope NC in a two-day format. Come and join the Friday night street dance, with music featuring Motown and beach music by The Chairmen of the Board. The street dance is free. Saturday features local entertainers, a gospel group, vendors, food, the pumpkin weigh-in, a pumpkin recipe contest, and pumpkin decorating contest, along with the popular Saturday parade. (See our article with schedule here.)
