Topics Related to Things to Do

This summer, the North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites will initiate an 8-week pilot program to offer Sunday hours across 13 — roughly half — of its sites. Currently, most sites operate Tuesday-Saturday. N.C. Historic Sites is a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

During this time-limited, exploratory program, the selected sites will operate from 1-5 p.m. on Sundays, June 14-Aug. 2. The pilot program was mandated by the 2025 "mini budget" bill passed by the N.C. General Assembly in the summer of 2025.

In partnership with the Town of Sedalia and Joyemovement, the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum will host the fourth annual Black Heritage Day on Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. This free event is held each year in honor of Dr. Brown’s birthday to celebrate her legacy through music, art, and community. The Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites, within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

“The din of battle roared like one continuous peel of heavy thunder,” wrote one eyewitness to the 1865 battle of Bentonville. On Saturday, June 13, Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site will recreate a small percentage of that noise during its “Heavy Thunder: Summer Artillery and Infantry Program.” The free program runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Bentonville Battlefield is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The State Archives will host a virtual program that discusses the experiences of free women of color during the Revolutionary Era. The State Archives is a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The free event is scheduled June 11, noon-1 p.m., and will commemorate Juneteenth and the America 250 NC celebration.

Fort Fisher State Historic Site will host a special public program on Sat., May 30, exploring Civil War art alongside artillery demonstrations as part of its summer season kickoff. Admission is free, and no tickets are required. The site is open 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., with the event taking place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fort Fisher is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

On Saturday, May 23, Historic Edenton State Historic Site will host an ancestry research seminar that tackles the challenges of researching African American genealogy and offers tips for specialty research and finding Revolutionary War ancestors.

Alamance Battleground State Historic Site will host a re-enactment of the 1771 Battle of Alamance on Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. The event marks the 255th anniversary of the battle, the violent conclusion of the Regulator Movement in North Carolina. The battle re-enactment begins at 11 a.m., the precise time the battle commenced exactly 255 years ago. Alamance Battleground is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources announces the “Capitol 250: NC Freedom Fest” will be held July 4 at the State Capitol building and grounds in Raleigh. The free all-day festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will celebrate America’s 250th birthday with the arts, history, nature, and culture that define North Carolina's role in the nation’s story.

Headlining “Capitol 250: NC Freedom Fest” will be musical performances by North Carolina-based singer-songwriters Tift Merritt and Rissi Palmer.

Stormtroopers, princesses and droids are invited to dust off their costumes for the third annual May the 4th Beach Cleanup hosted by the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) Monday, May 4, 8-10 a.m. at the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. The North Carolina Aquariums are a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. 

As part of America 250 NC's "When Are We US?" theme, State Archives' staff will explore records detailing various ethnic groups coming to North Carolina from the late 19th century to the present. The State Archives is part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.