April is finally here. With that comes the roller coaster of a forecast that defines North Carolina weather this time of year. Temperatures bounce up and down, and spring storms make regular marches across the state. The weekend ahead looks like a good one.
April kicks off with baseball, azaleas, pirates and Dreamville. What more could you want for a beautiful weekend in North Carolina.
Baseball is back
The Durham Bulls are at home for their opening week with a series against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. The Hickory Crawdads are in Kannapolis for a season opener against the Cannon Ballers. The Greensboro Grasshoppers are at home hosting the Asheville Tourists.
Minor league baseball is back for North Carolina’s nine teams. Where else can you go sit and enjoy a game for $10 a seat? A beer might cost more than the ticket, but for many loyal baseball fans, that’s another part of the charm.
Check out all North Carolina’s minor league teams here.
The 78th annual Azalea Festival kicked off this week in Wilmington and features parades, parties, concerts and, of course, azaleas. The festival has been going since 1946, seven months after the end of World War II. It’s grown a lot since then.
The street fair will take over much of Front Street starting on Friday and through the weekend.
Miami rapper Flo Rida is heading a concert at the Live Oak Bank Pavilion Friday night. The annual parade starts Saturday at 9:30 a.m. There are also garden tours, a coin show, a boxing competition, golf (both mini and, well, not), and a lot more.
Lots of festivals say they have something for everyone, but the Azalea Festival is one that actually delivers.
The fifth Dreamville Festival in Raleigh runs Saturday and Sunday. J. Cole’s hip hop festival in Raleigh has made a splash since it began in 2019. The festival skipped two years in 2020 and 2021 (thanks, COVID), but has been running strong ever since.
Lil Wayne is headlining Saturday, with 21 Savage, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Ludacris and other acts outside at Dorothea Dix Park. On Sunday, J. Cole himself will headline with Erykah Badu, Tems and others taking to the stage.
Greenville — 18th annual PirateFest
Any excuse to dress like a pirate is a good one. Greenville, home of the Pirates, is hosting the city’s annual PirateFest Saturday at the Town Common from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The city’s description of the event is loaded with enough pirate puns to sink a ship:
“M-ARRRGH-K yer calendars! Make ready to parlay with us for the 18th annual PirateFest Saturday, April 5 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. when swashbucklers of all ages converge on the banks of the Tar River, a pirate's paradise located in Downtown Greenville, for a full day of piratical tomfoolery at the Greenville Town Common! Discover roving bands of pirates, a kids zone, food trucks, beers & cheers, handcrafted goods, pirate reenactments, live music and much more fun for yer whole crew!”
Asheville — Maker Faire Asheville 2025
Asheville’s Maker Faire runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. So while the pirates gather in eastern North Carolina, the mad scientists can head up to the mountains.
“Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students and commercial exhibitors,” organizers say.
The event is free. Attendees can register and get their free tickets ahead of time or at the event. It will be hosted at Mission Health / A-B Tech Conference Center at 16 Fernihurst Dr. in Asheville.
OBX — Kill Devil Hills Trash Attack
Beach season is almost here. With the warm temperatures in the forecast, this could be a great weekend for an early jaunt to the coast.
Kill Devil Hills is getting ready to welcome tourists for the summer. There’s a beach cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Aviation Park. Organizers will provide gloves, trash bags, refreshments and T-shirts for folks who come out to help clean up the beach.
