Carolina Circus Festival: The Greatest Show
September 12, 3–10 p.m.
Downtown Cary Park
carolinacircusfestival.com
Cary Magazine proudly sponsors this free annual festival devoted to the circus arts supporting mental health in the movement community. Awe-inspiring performances include aerials, fire, LED, and ground acrobatics. The evening also includes workshops, food trucks, and vendors.
Fenton Art Festival
September 13, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fenton
fentonartfestival.com
Shop original works from more than 50 fine artists, and enjoy workshops, demonstrations, and a celebration of public art. Make your mark on the community Post-it wall and collaborative paintings that evolve throughout the event. Penny Wasmund will draw free 5-by-7 caricatures, and the winners of this year’s Fenton Frames photography contest will be announced.
Farmers Fall Festival
September 19, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Downtown Cary Park
caryfarmersmarket.com
Celebrate the harvest season and the first days of fall with the Cary Farmers Market and Town of Cary at this ninth annual event. Enjoy local food, kids’ activities, exhibits, music from Grace Lucia and The Purebred Mutts, and the annual pie-eating contest.
Festa Italiana North Carolina
September 19, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Apex Town Hall Courtyard and Hunter Street
Come hungry! Dozens of food trucks serve up authentic Italian cuisine, plus beer, wine, and bellinis. Entertainment ranges from cooking demonstrations and a cannoli eating contest to street dancing, face painting, and games. A portion of proceeds will be donated to ALS United North Carolina.
Triangle Oktoberfest
October 2 & 3
Koka Booth Amphitheatre
triangleoktoberfest.org
The biggest, most authentic Oktoberfest in North Carolina returns for another year! Eat and drink your fill of traditional Bavarian food and seasonal beer while enjoying live music from King Guys Oktoberfest Brass Band, stein hoisting championships, wiener dog races, and more friendly competitions. Ticket pricing varies, but kids 15 and younger get in free! The Kinder Platz zone will keep them entertained with inflatables, crafts, a scavenger hunt, and other activities.
- Women of Western Wake: Susan Weis
- Women of Western Wake: Dr. Mariah Walker
- Women of Western Wake: Dr. Bobbi Stanley
- Women of Western Wake: Joanna Helms
- 2026 Women of Western Wake
- Women of Western Wake: Mandy Becker
- Garden Adventurer: The Indigenous Asters of Autumn
- Recipes from Readers: Prosciutto & Peach Pizza
- Liquid Assets: Mi Oaxaca Top Shelf Margarita
- Erica Chats: Small Steps for Self-Improvement
- Familiar Faces: Debbi Burns
- Pay It Forward: Avendelle at Picardy Point
- Meche’s Moment
- Small Business Spotlight: Juliet Books & Beautiful Things
- Betting on Herself: Molly Grantham
- Pass It On
- Things to Do: September 2026
