Compiled by Kay Whatley, Editor
This weeks things-to-do listing may include in-person events in the North Carolina counties of Edgecombe, Franklin, Nash, Johnston, Wake, Wayne, Wilson, or beyond — unique coastal or mountain events are occasionally included.
Links for updates/information are included. Things to do may be rescheduled/delayed or locations changed. Contact an event’s organizer directly to confirm.
Any online offerings (watch from home) events that may be included will be marked as online.
At public gatherings, follow state coronavirus/Covid-19 safety measures for the good of yourself and others: wear a mask, keep your hands clean, and let everyone enjoy their time out-and-about with a bit of personal space. When in doubt, stand six feet out.
Ongoing
Exhibit “Beyond Self: The History of the Odd Fellows in Wayne County” Open: October 2, 2021-January 8, 2022
This new exhibit displays information and artifacts on the Odd Fellows order. Included are photographs of the “IOOF” facilities in Goldsboro in past centuries.
The Wayne County Museum is located at 116 N William Street, Goldsboro, NC. Open Tuesdays-Fridays (11am-4pm), and Saturdays (10am-6pm).
For more information, visit www.waynemuseum.org.
Multiday
The Farmville Ghost Walk: October 28-30, 2021
Join this Farmville Community Arts Council walk, and see what ghosts roam the town. Tickets $10 available from the Farmville Public Library or Re/Max Preferred Realty in Greenville. Kids 6 and younger free with adult ticket. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes.
This is a 90-minute walk starting from the town common gazebo, 3672 N Main Street, Farmville, NC.
See hours, guidelines, and ticket information at www.farmville-arts.org/events.
Clayton Harvest Festival: October 27-31, 2021
Five days of fun! Carnival rides and games, food, vendors, a Latin American Festival, a BBQ contest, and more.
Held in various Clayton, NC locations.
See detailed schedule of events at www.claytonharvestfestival.com.
Haunted Train Ride: October 28-31, 2021
Buy a ticket ($6) and take a train ride at the Neuseway Nature Park. Ages 13+ may ride alone, younger kids/teens must be accompanied. Food trucks and outdoor activities available at the train site.
Located in Kinston, NC.
See terms and ticket information here.
Thursday
Jack o’ Lantern Jamboree: Thursday, October 28, 2021 @ 4pm
This free library event for ages 5-12 (wear a costume!) includes stories, crafts, games, and pumpkin decorating (bring a fake pumpkin). Vote for contest-winning pumpkin.
Held at the Goldsboro Library, 1001 E Ash Street, Goldsboro, NC.
Register by calling 919.735.1824 x.5105. See flyer here.
Live on the Lawn: Thursday, October 28, 2021 @ 5:30-7:30pm
This free concert, live music outdoors by the Wayne County Public Library.
Held in the Carolyn Baddour Garden (outside the library), 1001 E Ash Street, Goldsboro, NC.
Follow the library for updates.
Trunk or Treat Historic Downtown Selma: Thursday, October 28, 2021 @ 5:30-8pm
The town’s Parks and Rec Department will hold a free, safe Trunk or Treat with other activities including inflatables, music, and car/costume contests with prizes. This is a rain or shine event.
Held behind Town Hall, 115 E Anderson Street, Selma, NC.
Visit Selma Parks and Rec here.
Johnston County Heritage Center’s Riverside Ghost Walk: Thursday, October 28, 2021 @ 6:30-8:30pm
*UPDATE: THis event has been changed from in-person to VIRTUAL.
Join this planned annual Ghost Walk in-person at Smithfield’s historic Riverside Cemetery.
Cemetery is located at the corner of Front and Church Streets, Smithfield, NC.
Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students (grades K-12). Children 5 and under will be given free admission (with paid adult/supervision).
Details on their website.
Friday
Franklin County Farmers Market: Friday, October 29, 2021 @ 9am-1pm
Come and pick up locally grown food from local farms, fresh eggs, and more. Check with market directly for any schedule changes related to weather and other factors. Market scheduled to be open through part of December.
The market is located in the parking lot at 137 Shannon Village, Louisburg, NC.
Follow the market for updates or closures.
Downtown Trick-or-Treat: Friday, October 29, 2021 @ 1-3pm
Clayton Parks and Recreation is offering safe trick-or-treating, designed for preschool age children and younger. Walk the kids down Main Street and let them collect free candy from local businesses.
Start at Horne Square, 348 E Main Street, Clayton, NC.
See Clayton Parks and Rec special events here.
Whitakers Friday Market Days: Friday, October 29, 2020 @ 3-6pm
The market has closed for the season and will not be open on Oct. 29.
For updates, Follow WRAP — Whitakers Revitalize and Preserve — at www.facebook.com/WRAPFORWHITAKERS.
Fall Festival at the Cooley Library: Friday, October 29, 2021 @ 3:30-5:30pm
This is an outdoor festival with fun for all ages.
Held outside the HD Cooley Library, located at 114 West Church Street, Nashville, NC.
See the library’s calendar (posted here) for their scheduled October activities and story times. Contact the library directly with questions or to confirm/register for events.
Wendell Halloween Treat Trail: Friday, October 29, 2021 @ 5pm
Wendell Parks and Rec will hold its annual, non-scary Treat Trail for kids 12 and under accompanied by an adult. Local vendors will hand out treats for kids, and business information for adults. Dress for outdoors and walking, child-friendly costumes encouraged.
Held at Wendell Community Center, 601 W Third Street, Wendell, NC.
Follow Wendell Parks and Recreation for updates.
Knightdale Trunk-or-Treat: Friday, October 29, 2021 @ 5-9pm
Head to Knightdale Station Park with the kids to get treats and see the decorated vehicle judging, then stay for a movie! Food trucks will be onsite.
Address is 810 N First Avenue, Knightdale, NC.
For details, see www.knightdalenc.gov/…/trunk-or-treat.
Downtown Trick-or-Treating: Friday, October 29, 2021 @ 5:30-7pm
Take the kids through downtown Nashville, NC to gather treats from various shops. Dress up for the occasion! Kids may bring a bag or pumpkin to carry their goodies!
Creatures of the Night: Friday, October 29, 2021 @ 6-9pm
Take a fun tractor ride through the forest at this NC Museum of Natural Science’s location at Contentnea Creek. Learn about the creatures who live among the trees and trails.
Held at A Time for Science, 949 Contentnea Lane, Grifton, NC.
Pre-registration required; register via www.atimeforscience.org ($5).
Fall Fun Festival: Friday, October 29, 2021 @ 6:30-8:30pm
This event by Webbs Chapel Baptist Church includes a cake walk, costume contests, food, games, and more. Suggested donations $1-$5 to attend, with funds going to family in need.
The church is located at 2771 Webbs Chapel Road, Macclesfield, NC.
Follow the church for updates.
Free Outdoor Movie: Friday, October 29, 2021 @ 7-9:30pm
Watch a free outdoor movie appropriate for the season, The Addams Family. Dress for the weather, and bring lawn chairs for comfort. Parking is limited.
Held outdoors in the parking lot of the Nash County Courthouse, 234 W Washington Street, Nashville, NC.
See details here.
Saturday
Wake Forest Farmers Market: Saturday, October 30, 2021 @ 8am-noon
Weekly offerings from farms, artisans, and crafters at this year-round farmers’ market. Live music at the market!
Located at 235 S Taylor Street, Wake Forest, NC.
The Wake Forest Farmers Market website is www.wakeforestmarket.org. Updates may be found here.
Nash County Farmers Market: Saturday, October 30, 2021 @ 8am-1pm
This farmers market encompasses two buildings and an outdoor areas, with lots of room for the wide variety of offerings. Shop for locally-grown produce, meats and seafood, homemade goods, home decor, crafts, furniture, plants, apparel, and more, food trucks. Open Saturdays into November (then continues as Winter Market).
Held at 1006 Peachtree Street, Rocky Mount, NC.
Follow the market, or visit nashcountync.gov/175/Farmers-Market.
Fall Festival at Oak Ridge Farms: Saturday, October 30, 2021 @ 9-3pm
Shop the farmers market, see the farm animals and equipment, purchase from food trucks and local vendors. Kids may play games, paint pumpkins, see “princesses,” and more for kids including treating (no tricks). Raffle, too. Admission $2 per person, with children under 3 free.
Festival activities will be on the farm at 92 Thomas Arnold Road, Zebulon, NC.
Visit Oak Ridge Farms on FB for event flyer and updates. See Fall Festival flyer here.
Imagination Station Annual Boo Bash: Saturday, October 30, 2021 @ 10am-2pm
The Saturday before Halloween, Imagination Station will be hosting its “Spooky Spectacular of Halloween Fun and Science” in its courtroom. All activities are included with museum admission. See fees and details here.
Imagination Station is located at 224 Nash Street SE, Wilson, NC.
Imagination Station will also be holding a Halloween Science event on Thursday, October 21, 2021 @ 9:30-11am ($12 fee).
Smithfield Trunk or Treat: Saturday, October 30, 2021 @ 10:30am-12:30pm
Join Smithfield Parks and Recreation for this trunk-or-treating event for kids.
Held in Smithfield Community Park, Smithfield, NC.
See details here, plus other Halloween Events (Egg Haunt on October 28 and Boo Bash on October 29.)
Downtown Bailey Trick or Treat on the Street: Saturday, October 30, 2021 @ 5-8pm
Sponsored by the Bailey Chamber of Commerce. Businesses and individuals will be decorating tables and handing out candy. Food trucks will be in town, too.
Held in downtown along Main Street, Bailey, NC.
Contact the Bailey Chamber with questions or to request a table for your business.
Dia de Los Muertos: Saturday, October 30, 2021 @ 5-8pm
Wilson Arts will hold this special event with candy for kids (costumes encouraged), family activities, and a supply of tacos (while they last). Listen to Mexican folkloric ballet and mariachi music. There will be a community altar set up for this day of the dead, and attendees are encouraged to bring framed photos of deceased loved ones.
Wilson Arts is located at 204 Nash Street S, Wilson, NC.
See details here.
Halloween Trunktacular: Saturday, October 30, 2021 @ 5:30-8pm
Get the kids to Oh My Lard for this second-annual event. Kids can trunk-or-treat, and there will be inflatables, music, a costume contest, and food.
Held at Oh My Lard restaurant, 103 S Parker Street, Elm City, NC.
Contact Oh My Lard with questions or to sign up your vehicle “trunk” and pass out candy.
Sunday (Halloween)
Haunted Dollhouse: Sunday, October 31, 2021 @ 5-8pm
Head to Comic World for their fourth-annual “haunted house” event with comics and candy for kids, a costume contest (up to age 15), and more. Walking through the Haunted Dollhouse is free, with 2-4 people inside at a time for social distancing. A food truck is planned offering fairground-type foods.
Comic World is located at 122 E Gannon Avenue, Zebulon, NC.
Follow Comic World here.
Halloween On Main Street: Sunday, October 31, 2021 @ 6-8pm
Town of Louisburg’s event, including trick-or-treating opportunity. Louisburg Police Department will be handing out glow necklaces to improve safety.
Held downtown to Louisburg College, Main Street, Louisburg, NC.
See details here.
Coming Soon
Knightdale Saturday in the Park Free Concert: Saturday, November 6, 2021, 11am-4pm
Enjoy live music by Crush, shop craft vendors, or purchase treats from the food trucks at the park.
Saturday in the Park events are held in the Knightdale Station Park Amphitheater, located at 810 N First Avenue, Knightdale, North Carolina.
For concert series details, visit www.knightdalenc.gov.
10 Plant Tours: Friday, November 12, 2021 @ noon-1pm
Nash County Arboretum offers a series of free, public, tours discussing different types of plant. These monthly tours are led by extension agents from the Nash County Center. Plants discussed on each date:
- Ten Plants That Look Good in Winter: November 12
To attend the tour, gather at the Nash County Agriculture Center entrance, 1006 Eastern Avenue, Nashville, NC. Note that dates may change due to weather (not rain/shine).
See 2021 details here.
Selma Saturdays “Shop Small Selma”: November 27, 2021 @ 9am-1pm
Head to downtown Selma for outdoor live entertainment, local artisans, and business vendors.
Held on N Raiford Street (Anderson to Waddell Streets), Selma, NC.
See flyer via selma-nc.com/departments/parks-rec.
Wendell Farmers Market: Saturdays Done for the Season
The downtown Wendell, NC market closed after its October 2 market. Follow on Facebook for updates, vendor calls in the Spring, and future market updates.
Wilson Farmers & Artisan Market: Saturdays Done for the Season
This Saturday market at the Whirligig park in Wilson, NC is closed for 2021. Find them online at www.historicdowntownwilson.com/farmers-artisan-market and Follow here.
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Event information may be 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 the news site nor staff.
Listed are mostly in-person events; however, online/zoom/YouTube events may be included and will be identified as online. If unsure whether to go to a location or login, use the event’s link provided and contact the organization/person directly responsible for that event.
Why are the day, date, and year included, repetitively, under each dated heading? The better for readers like you to cut-and-paste complete event information and share with others… though sharing of this article’s link is encouraged, so that readers may see all listed events.
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