By Kay Whatley, Editor

This list may include events from North Carolina counties of Edgecombe, Franklin, Nash, Johnston, Wake, Wayne, Wilson, and beyond (Inner Coastal Plains / Five County area of Eastern NC). Piedmont and Coastal events are sometimes included on the weekly list.

Events below range from free happenings (majority) to mid-level and ticketed events.

Contact information or RSVP deadlines, where applicable, have been included. Events may be rescheduled without our knowledge, so check with organizers as needed. Event information comes from organizers, event postings, and emailed announcements. Attempts are made to verify events from confirmed sources, or multiple sources when possible.

If you like film festivals, check out this list of NC film fests coming up in September-October 2017.

Events may be added/updated. Feel free to email event notices to the editor.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Food Truck Thursday (September 7, 2017 @ 11:30am & 6pm)

Stop by to purchase lunch (11:30am-1:30pm) or dinner (6-8pm) near the Knightdale Station Park Amphitheater, 810 N First Avenue, Knightdale NC. Food trucks arranged weekly at the park. See the full schedule on the town website here. Next date is September 14, 2017.

2017 Outdoor Movie Series (September 7, 2017 @ 7-9pm)

Held on the back lawn of the Garner Performing Arts Center, 742 W Garner Road, Garner NC. Free outdoor movie. Bring lawn chairs and blankets for comfort. No pets. Parents are asked to use discretion when deciding to bring children under age 13. In case of rain, the movie will be cancelled, so watch this event on Facebook for updates. See more about this event at downtowngarner.com/event/outdoor-movie.

Science in the Movies: Dinosaurs and Paleontologists (September 7, 2017 @ 7-8:30pm)

Learn about Hollywood’s take on dinosaurs, and what’s accurate, from a panel of paleontologists and film scholars. Free movie with popcorn is open to the public — all ages.  Held by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, W Jones Street, Raleigh NC. See details here.

Hopscotch Music Festival (September 7-10, 2017)

Enjoy the music at this eighth-annual event with 120 acts. Held at a cluster of venues in downtown Raleigh NC. Ticket fees range from $45 to several hundred dollars. Details at hopscotchmusicfest.com.

Friday, September 8, 2017

10 Plants That Are Deer Resistant (September 8, 2017 @ noon)

Part of the 10 Plant Tour series in the Nash County Arboretum, located at the Nash County Agriculture Center, 1006 Eastern Avenue, Nashville NC.  Tours are free; call call 252.459.9810 with questions. See all dates at nash.ces.ncsu.edu/2017/03/2017-ten-plant-tours. Next date is September 22, 2017 (10 Plants That Attract Pollinators).

Mill Music in The Garden (September 8, 2017 @ 7-10pm)

Come and enjoy Jazz with The MacLaughlin Quartet. Held at Rocky Mount Mills Beer Garden, 1442 Falls Road, Rocky Mount NC. See www.rockymountmills.com.

Concert at Clayton Town Square (September 8, 2017 @ 5:30-9pm)

Join the crowd for a free concert in Town Square, 110 W Main Street, Clayton NC. Event begins at 5:30pm with food trucks, inflatables, vendors, and more, with live music starting at 6pm. This Clayton Downtown Development Association (CDDA) concert series is on the town website here.

Friday Night on White (September 8, 2017 @ 6-9pm)

The Town of Wake Forest holds free outdoor concerts along S White Street, Wake Forest NC. See details and future dates on the town website here.

2017 Raleigh Greek Festival (September 8-10, 2017)

Music, dancing, cooking demonstrations, vendors, and Greek food on sale. Held in the Jim Graham Building at the NC State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh NC. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and ages 13-18, and kids under 13 are free. Note that a free admission ticket might be available on the website. See performer information, ticket link, and more at raleighgreekfestival.com. A portion of the proceeds to benefit Habitat for Humanity.

Fish Fry (September 8, 2017 @ 11am-until)

The Zebulon Shrine Club (ZSC) is holding a Fish Fry at 1201 W Gannon Avenue, in Zebulon NC — on the road just about halfway between J&M Chevrolet and Theo Davis Printing. Watch for updates on the ZSC Facebook page.

BBQ Fundraiser (September 8, 2017 @ 11am-7pm)

Come for this annual fundraiser plate sale at the Contentnea Fire Department, 4146 NC Hwy 42 W, Wilson NC. Plates ($8 each) include BBQ, green beans, potatoes, bread, and a dessert. Sweet Tea $1 at pick-up. No advance ticket sales, so first come first serve. Can place orders for delivery by calling Scott Matthews at 252.230.8224 or Donald Nichols at 252.315.2592. See the Contentnea FD website at contentneafire.com or their Facebook page here.

Food Cluck Rodeo with the Band of Oz (September 8, 2017 @ 6-8pm)

Come out to Cornerstone Commons in Goldsboro NC for the Food Cluck Rodeo with food, beer, music —  by the legendary Band of Oz — and time travel. Yup, time travel. Experience a step back in time as you witness the classics, the muscle, and the hot rods cruise through Center Street like the good ole days! The cruisin’ also begins at 6pm, so early arrival is recommended. Park of the “Beak Week” activities in Goldsboro NC (www.beakweek.org). Note that the town’s “Shop the Block” is going on Friday-Saturday too.

Free Family Movie Night (September 8, 2017 @ 6:30-9pm)

Zebulon Parks & Recreation will be showing a family-friendly movie at the Zebulon Community Center, 301 S Arendell Avenue, Zebulon NC, with the movie starting at 7pm. Includes free popcorn and bottled water.

Of Wings and Feet: Raleigh (September 8, 9 & 10, 2017 @ 7pm)

Held at the NC Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh NC. Check out Paperhand Puppet Intervention’s 18th-annual giant puppet theatre pageant “OF WINGS AND FEET”.  Paperhand explores story, reflects on life’s mysteries, deepens our connection, and inspires young and old. Now is the time to decide whether you can make a difference. Come see the show, plus enjoy pre-show Performers. Tickets are $12/members, $17/non-members, $8.50 for ages 7-18, available via ncartmuseum.org.

Mountain State Fair (September 8-17, 2017)

Celebrate the people, agriculture, art and tradition of NC’s mountain/western region.  Held at the WNC Ag Center, 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher NC (Henderson County, south of Asheville). Tickets and details available via www.wncagcenter.org/p/mountainstatefair.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Area Farmers Markets

Farmers markets may be winding down. Additionally, with recent storms causing cancellations and Hurricane Irma’s direction pending, markets may be open, or not. Links are included to check Facebook updates for each market.

• Wendell Farmers Market ( @ 8am-noon) — Held at the corner of Pine Street and Wendell Boulevard, Wendell NC. See their Facebook page.
• Rocky Mount Farmers Market ( @ 8am-1pm) — Held at 1006 Peachtree Street, Rocky Mount NC. See their Facebook page.
• Franklin County Farmers Market ( @ 8am-1pm) — Held at 137 Shannon Village, Louisburg NC. See their Facebook page.
• Zebulon Farm Fresh Market ( @ 9am-1pm) — Held at the Zebulon Municipal Complex, 1003 N Arendell Avenue, Zebulon NC. See  their Facebook page. **Sept. 9 is HONEY DAY. Come and learn about bees and honey!**
• Clayton Farm and Community Market ( @ 9am-1pm) — Held at 348 E Main Street, Clayton NC. See their Facebook page.

Wendell United Methodist Church’s Community Day (Saturday, September 9, 2017 @ 8am-7pm)

Come and enjoy the Silent Auction, Bazaar, kids games (and prizes), a bake sale, food, and fun at this free-entry community event. Held at Wendell United Methodist Church, 129 North Main Street, Wendell NC. Fitzgerald’s Fish Fry is returning for 2017 and fish fry tickets are available in-advance. For more information or tickets, call 919.365.6266, email, or visit wendellumc.org.

Connecting The Community (September 9, 2017 @ 8:30am-noon)

This public event is organized by Dream Coat Ministries, and will be held at Knightdale United Methodist Church, 7071 Forestville Road, Knightdale NC. This is an opportunity to coordinate your resources to help one another and bring people together who have a passion to serve. Guest Speaker: Richard Fitzgerald with Triangle Area Missions Ministries. Identifying areas of service to outreach to individuals and families in our community. Registration and coffee at 8:30am, with program starting at 9pm. Register by contacting Sheila Prosser at 919.889.9045 or via email. Dream Coat Ministries is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Dreamcoatknightdale.

Yin Yoga with Goats (September 9, 2017 @ 9-10am)

Yin Yoga is a yoga style for all levels (complete beginners to experienced yogis). It uses position holds to work deep tissues, and help expand your flexibility. This promotes a relaxed almost meditative state of mind. The goats add a relaxing, fun atmosphere for this wonderful yoga style. Fee is $20 per participant. Held at the Hux Family Farm, 1923 Shaw Road, Durham NC. Register via this EventBrite link.

Tar River Cleanup: Big Sweep 2017 and After Party (September 9, 2017 @ 9am)

Help with river clean-up. Gather at Greenville Town Common, 105 W First Street, Greenville NC. See details and link to reserve a kayak at www.facebook.com/events/1934713013438936.

Stepping Into The Past (September 9, 2017 @ 10am-3pm)

This weekly series focuses on demonstrations and displays of traditional / old-time processes. This presentation is included with museum admission. Confirm topic and details at www.tobaccofarmlifemuseum.org/events/stepping-into-the-past. Held at the Tobacco Farm Life Museum, 709 N Church Street, Kenly NC. Next date is September 16, 2017. Note that November 10-11, 2017, a BBQ cook-off is scheduled.

Canning the Summer Harvest (September 9, 2017 @ 10am-noon)

Join this preserving workshop and learn how to preserve garden produce, water bath canning and make “summer in a jar”. Held at the Raleigh City Farm, 800 N Blount Street, Raleigh NC. Tickets are $15-$20, available here.

Beak Week Poultry Festival (September 9, 2017 @ 10am-6pm)

Navigate to 219 N John Street, Goldsboro NC and join this fourth-annual festival downtown. There will be many activities including a KCBS BBQ Challenge (see Pig in the Park), a live music stage, live animals, and stop in to see the “PEEP Show Exhibit” by Arts Council of Wayne County. See the Beak Week schedule at www.beakweek.org.

ABC Craft and Learn: A Kindergarten Readiness Program (September 9, 2017 @ 10:30am)

This event offers three library locations on this date. Children ages 3-5 and their caregivers are invited to participate in this free, interactive program with an alphabet craft to nurture pre-reading skills through writing and play and to give opportunity to develop fine motor skills children require to start school. No registration necessary.

Held 10:30-11:15am at the Wendell Community Library, 207 S. Hollybrook Road, Wendell NC.

Held 10:30-11:30am at the Zebulon Community Library, 1000 Dogwood Drive, Zebulon NC.

This program is also at 11:30am at East Regional Library, 946 Steeple Square Court, Knightdale NC. Sign-up is required at this location.

See more Wake County Public Library events, or sign up for events, at www.wakegov.com/libraries.

Kids Fossil Program (September 9, 2017 @ 10-11am)

Held at GO-Science 729 Dickinson Ave, Greenville NC. Kids can learn about different types of fossils, how fossils are formed, and more from the avocational paleontologist Mr. George C. Powell. For more information or to confirm fee ($5-$13), call 252.902.5305. Other events are offered by A Time for Science and may be found at www.atimeforscience.org.

K-Fest: Knightdale Education Festival (September 9, 2017 @ 10am-9pm)

Special annual events with interactive activities including educational events, athletic challenges, and live entertainment. Held at the Knightdale Station Park Amphitheater located at 810 N First Avenue, Knightdale NC. (Recent article by The Grey Area News is here). See details at www.knightdalenc.gov.

AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Event (September 9, 2017 @ 10am-3pm)

Each September, the AKC hosts Responsible Dog Ownership Days to educate first-time dog owners about the responsibilities of dog ownership and help current owners enhance their relationships with their pets. This year, AKC’s event will take place at the NC State Fairgrounds’ Holshouser Building, 1025 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh NC. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public. See www.akc.org/rdod for more information.

Brown Bag Lunch (September 9, 2017 @ 11am-12:30pm)

Just about every Saturday, Zebulon United Methodist Church provides free “brown bag lunches” to anyone who drives or walks by the church at 121 W Gannon Avenue, Zebulon NC. For more information on food distribution for those in need, or to volunteer, visit www.zumchurch.org.

NC Hot Sauce Contest (September 9, 2017 @ 11am-4pm)

This spicy, 11th-annual event takes over Main Street in Oxford NC. Celebrate North Carolina hot sauces and BBQ sauces, breweries, wineries, and fiery foods. Compete, or enjoy a Classic Car Show, watch “North Carolina’s only Pepper Eating Contest” with Bailey Farms, live local bands, food trucks, children’s rides, a craft show, an Antique Farm Show with the Lord Granville Agricultural Heritage Association, and a day of family fun. See more at www.nchotsaucecontest.com.

Wilson MusicFest 2017 (September 9, 2017 @ 11:30am-11pm)

Come and enjoy live music, food, inflatables and games, face painting, or grab a drink in the beer garden (6:30-10:30pm). Tickets are available via etix and are $12 per adult or $6 for children 12 and under — for all day more than a half dozen performances. Outdoors at Fleming Stadium, 300 Stadium Street Sw, Wilson NC,  so bring blanket/chair. Organized by the Music Kids Foundation, on Facebook here.

Bluegrass Picnic Summer Series (Saturday, September 9, 2017 @ 5-7pm)

Bring a chair or blanket and join neighbors on the Town Square for an evening of acoustic music by local artists. The Bluegrass Picnic Summer Series offers free, family-friendly concerts at the J. Ashley Wall Town Square, Third and Cypress Streets, Wendell NC. For more information, call 919.366.2266.

Wilson Idol (September 9, 2017)

This year’s Wilson Idol will be held at Fike High School, 500 Harrison Drive, Wilson NC. (See image below.)

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Neuse River Cleanup (September 10, 2017 @ 8am-noon)

Help clean up the river. Gather in the morning at Deep River Brewing, 700 W Main Street, Clayton NC. The river clean up will begin at the Shotwell Road access and end at Covered Bridge Road access. See details and sign up at www.signupgenius.com/…neuse1.

Baby Goat Yoga at Spring Haven Farm (September 10, 2017 @ 9-10am)

Held at Spring Haven Farm, 5306 Homer Ruffin Road, Chapel Hill NC. Enjoy outdoor yoga in a beautiful barnyard shared by goats, horses, turkeys, chickens, and other critters. The baby goats will join yoga participants in the practice area. Bring a “sense of humor, a yoga mat, and a towel.” Register via the Facebook event’s registration link ($20 per person plus $2.09 fee).

CSF unite@night walk (September 10, 2017 @ 5-7:30pm)

Held at the Pilot Lions Park, 38 Pilot Bypass Road, Zebulon NC. unite@night is a collection of one-mile, casual evening walks around the country that bring together people who are living with the devastating effects of Chiari malformation, syringomyelia, EDS, and related disorders. Register here or contact Emily Watkins-Bunn at 919.345.6363 or via email.

Hoops for Harvey (September 10, 2017 @ 5pm)

Hoops for Harvey is a basketball group session in which athletes will get basketball and vertimax training through various skill and competition drills. Elementary/middle school group session is for boys and girls. Organized by Hand In Mine and held at the Greenfield School, 3351 Hwy 42, Wilson NC. Fee of $10 per player, with 100% of proceeds going to the United Way of Houston to help with the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Registration Deadline is September 9, 2017; sign up at this link.

Coming Soon

Teens: Would You Survive on The Moon? (September 11, 2017 @ 6-7pm)

Test your survival skills and celebrate our recent eclipse with games, challenges, and snacks. For grades 6-10. Held at East Regional Library, 946 Steeple Square Court, Knightdale NC.

Downtown Live!  (September 14, 2017 @ 6pm; doors 5pm)

This date, this event features live music by The Embers featuring Craig Woolard. Join the fun Thursday evening on the lawn at the Imperial Center for the Arts and Sciences, 270 Gay Street, Rocky Mount NC. Doors open at 5pm, and admission is free. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at the site. No coolers. For more information, call 252.972.1266 or visit downtownrockymount.com. Next date is September 28, 2017 (season finale).

Friday Nights on the Tar (September 15, 2017 @ 6-9pm)

Come and join the Town of Louisburg, Tar Bank Brewing Company, and local business sponsors for this free Summer concert Series in downtown Louisburg NC. The band performing is Big Fat Gap. This event is family friendly. Bring lawn chairs or blanket for comfort. No Pets. Food and beverages will be offered for sale, and there will be games to play. No coolers. See lineup and food truck information at townoflouisburg.org. This is the final date in the series.

Family Movie Series (September 15, 2017 @ 8:15pm)

Come and watch a free movie on the football field at Rolesville Middle School, 4700 Burlington Mills Road, Rolesville NC. Concessions available. See more on this and other events at secure.rec1.com/NC/town-of-rolesville/catalog.

Rolesville BBQ & Bands Festival (September 16, 2017 @ 8:30am-6pm)

The Rolesville BBQ & Bands Festival location is 121 Redford Place Drive, Rolesville NC. Vendor spots are available for about $50, with discounted vendor rates for nonprofits or Rolesville Chamber of Commerce members. See the Rolesville Chamber’s general event information.

International Food and Music Festival (September 16, 2017 @ 11am-5pm)

This annual festival by St. Eugene Catholic Church draws thousands for a wide variety of foods and world dance performances. held at J. Ashley Wall Towne Square, W Third Street and W Cypress Street, Wendell NC. See festival details, raffle and vendor information, and more at www.thefoodfestival.com.

Downtown Beats & Eats (September 16, 2017 @ 1-5pm)

Free concert hosted by 217 Brew Works, 217 South Street S, Wilson NC. Food and beverages available for purchase. Bring a chair/blanket. No coolers. Food vendors and more, plus check out downtown Wilson stores. See this and more Historic Downtown Wilson events at www.historicdowntownwilson.com/events.

Summer 2017 Under the Stars Movie Series (September 16, 2017 @ 7:30pm; movie at dusk)

Come for an outdoor movie presented by the Nashville Parks and Recreation Department at Glover Field — J W Glover Memorial Park, 1434 S First Street, Nashville NC. Future movie date is October 31, 2017 (Halloween). See movie titles in the Town of Nashville NC movie night PDF.

Asheville Film Festival (September 16, 2017)

Head to Asheville NC and enjoy watching some of the 46 films at this film fest. Watch for updates at www.ashevillencfilmfestival.com or on their Facebook page.

Wilson County Fair (September 19-24, 2017)

Watch the fairground’s website for details and schedule: www.wilsoncountyfair.org.

RTP 180 “Women in Business” Presentation (September 21, 2017 @ doors 5pm; event 6-8pm)

Held at The Frontier, 800 Park Offices Drive, Research Triangle Park NC. At RTP180 events, speakers from universities, local companies, and the community take the stage to speak about what matters to them. Doors open at 5pm for networking. Show kicks off at 6pm. The hashtag for this event is #RTP180. Tickets are free, but often “sell out” — so they always livestream from their YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/TheRTPNC for those unable to attend. See future event dates and topics at www.rtp.org/program/rtp-180.

HempX Asheville (September 22-23, 2017)

If you or someone you know has a hemp-centric business and are interested in vending at HempX Asheville, scheduled forat Franny’s Farm in Leicester NC. Spaces may be full, as spaces were filling quickly upon announcement. To find out more about HempX, visit www.hempxasheville.com.

2017 Footcandle Film Festival (September 22-24, 2017)

This annual film festival takes place in Drendel Auditorium on the SALT Block, 243 Third Avenue NE, Hickory NC. Tickets on sale now. View the Festival Film schedule and ticket information at. www.footcandlefilmfestival.com.

Cars & Coffee Wake Forest (September 23, 2017 @ 8-11am)

Run by a handful of local residents who enjoy being around cars and people, this is a free event held on the 4th Saturday of each month in the Gateway Commons shopping center’s parking lot, 950 Gateway Commons Circle, Wake Forest NC. Check out old school to exotic cars, motorcycles, or whatever drops in. This is an active shopping center with food, bathrooms, and coffee. See events online via www.facebook.com/candcwakeforest.

Family Fun at the Farm (September 23, 2017 @ 10am-2pm)

Come out and enjoy some family time at the horse farm with games, activities for kids, demonstrations, information, and more. Held at Kindred Spirits Farm, 5591 Massey Road, Zebulon NC,  Farm information is online at www.kindredspiritsfarmnc.com and on Facebook.

Eastern Triangle Farm Tour (September 23-24, 2017 @ 1-5pm)

One fee ($30) per car gives you an opportunity to visit dozens of farms from Durham to Bunn/Louisburg, Rougemont to Angiers NC, depending on farm signed up for 2017. Drive where you want to drive, and see what you want to see, from a wide variety of farms. See details, maps, and ticket information at www.carolinafarmstewards.org/etft.

PepperFest Chapel Hill (September 24, 2017 @ 3-6pm)

The 10th-annual Pepperfest will be held at Great Meadow Park at Briar Chapel, 1342 Briar Chapel Pkwy, Chapel Hill NC. It includes vendors, chefs, music, and more.

Visit pepperfestnc.org/vendor-application and select “Get Involved” to see applications for different vendor types.

Downtown Clayton Movie Nights (September 29, 2017 @ 7pm)

When it starts getting dark early, Clayton breaks out the Town Square for free, Friday night movies. Bring a blankets, drinks, and food and enjoy a free film outdoors at Clayton Town Square, 110 W Main Street, Clayton NC. Fun begins at 7pm with face painting, inflatable, games, and more. Refreshments, food trucks, and vendors will be available before and during the movie, which begins when the sun goes down. Additional dates October 13 & 27, 2017. See www.townofclaytonnc.org/…/movie-night.

NC Muscadine Festival (September 29-30, 2017)

Entertainment, cooking contests, shag dancing, vendors, food, music, arts and crafts, and muscadines. Held at the Duplin County Events Center, 195 Fairgrounds Drive, Kenansville NC. Hours are Friday 5-9pm and Saturday 10am-7pm. Tickets range from $5-10, with more details at www.ncmuscadinefestival.com.

Annual Storytelling Festival (September 30, 2017 @ 11am-4pm)

Held by the Wake County Public Library system at Historic Oak View County Park. Spend the listening to storytellers at this free event. See more on this annual Saturday event at www.wakegov.com/…/storytelling.aspx.

MUFON Meeting (September 30, 2017 @ 2-3pm)

Held at the Archdale Public Library, 10433 Main Street, Archdale NC. At this free meeting, Kent Senter will discuss some interesting cases he has investigated recently. Lakita Adams will give an update on recent NC sighting statistics. See upcoming announcements at www.mufon-nc.com.

Coming in October

Check out our 2017 list of agricultural mazes, haunted houses, and more in this article (by location) and our 2017 list of seasonal events in this article (by date).

First Friday on the Lawn (October 6, 2017 @ 6-9pm)

This date, kick off Labor Day weekend at the Wilson County Public Library, 249 Nash Street W, Wilson NC. The first Friday of each month, from July to October, join the city of Wilson on the library lawn for a free community concert. See www.wilsonnc.org/…/1st-fridays-on-the-lawn.

Ed. Note: Event information gathered from various sources. While attempts are made to verify data, for most events contact details are included. If you’re planning to attend an event, use contact information or event links to confirm, check for updates or changes, or verify space is available. These events are publicized by The Grey Area News, but are not events overseen by this news site or staff.