Sept. 3, 18 

Wake Forest Football. The Demon Deacons have two September home games at Allegacy Stadium, beginning with a Thursday-night season-opener against Akron and ending with ACC champions Miami under the Friday-night lights. To purchase tickets, visit godeacs.com

► Sept. 03 — vs. Akron, 7 p.m. 

► Sept. 18 — vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m. 

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Sept. 5, 12  

WSSU Football. The Rams kickoff their 2026 season with two September home games under head coach Tory Woodbury, complete with tailgating and the famed Red Sea of Sound marching band. General admission tickets are $31 and can be purchased at wssurams.com.

► Sept. 05  vs. Mars Hill, 8 p.m.; Military Appreciation Night

► Sept. 12  vs. Johnson C. Smith, 6 p.m.; White Out + Greek Night

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Sept. 5 

Winston-Salem Card Show. More than 175 vendor tables take over the Truist Stadium concourse for a full day of sports cards, Pokémon, One Piece, Magic, comics, memorabilia, and sealed wax — a card show with room to actually move, plus giveaways running all day. Parking is free. Admission is $5, kids 12 and under get in free. 

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Sept. 5 

Summer on Fourth concert. 7–10 p.m. Downtown’s 28th summer concert season closes outside Foothills Brewpub with the Vagabond Saints’ Society taking on Prince’s catalog. Bring a lawn chair or small cooler, but leave outside alcohol at home. Free.

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Sept. 5–6  

Rad Rides at the Park. 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Custom cars, trucks, and bikes fill Tanglewood Park for two days of cruising, vendors, awards, and more. Admission is $5 and includes a wristband valid both days.

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Sept. 6 

Trade Street Farmers Market.(monthly) 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Trade Street closes between Fifth and Sixth streets for a food-and-beverage-only market filled with produce, baked goods, prepared foods, and specialty drinks. Admission is free.

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Sept. 6  

Tour Pour Du Jour at Graylyn. 4–6 p.m. Explore Graylyn’s 1932 Manor House on a guided tour that concludes with wine and light appetizers in the Library. Tickets are $60.

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Sept. 6 

Fall Market at Wise Man. 12–5 p.m. More than 20 local makers set up at Wise Man for a Labor Day weekend market of handmade goods, original art, jewelry, plants, home décor, and woodworking. Jake Fain & Friends play a Grateful Dead tribute set from 2–5 p.m., with food trucks, craft beer, and cocktails on hand. Admission is free.

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Sept. 11 

Innovation & Cinema:  Speed Racer.  7–10 p.m. Bailey Park’s free outdoor movie series continues with the Wachowskis’ colorful, full-throttle racing spectacle. Food and drinks begin at 7 p.m., and the movie starts around 7:45; bring a blanket or low-backed chair. Admission is free.

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Sept. 11–13 

Forsyth Gem, Mineral, Fossil & Jewelry Show. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. The Fairgrounds Education Building fills with minerals, fossils, jewelry, loose stones, and demonstrations from regional dealers and collectors during this beloved annual show. Admission is $3 for adults, and children enter free with an adult.

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Sept. 11–20 

W-S Little Theatre presents: Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors. Five actors take on every role in this fast-moving, feminist spoof of Bram Stoker’s familiar tale. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Shows will be held at Little Theatre's new stage at 4015 Brownsboro Road (map); tickets are $14.50–$27. 

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Sept. 12 

Clemmons Oktoberfest & 5K Mud Run. 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Held at the Jerry Long Family YMCA, this new event features with food trucks, a beer pit, inflatables, a farmers market, and Touch-a-Truck; admission is free. The one-mile Fun Run starts at 7:30 a.m., followed by 5K heats beginning at 8:10, with race proceeds supporting YMCA health programs.

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Sept. 12 

Vintage Market: Körner’s Folly. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. More than 45 vendors fill the lawn with vintage clothing and décor, original artwork, collectibles, sweets, food trucks, and coffee. Market admission is free, with separate tickets available to tour Kernersville's famously eccentric 22-room house.

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Sept. 12 

Skybound Flight Fest. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Forsyth Tech opens its Mazie S. Woodruff Aviation Technology Lab for a free, all-ages celebration of aviation and STEM. Explore aircraft, flight simulators, drones, hands-on engineering activities, and aviation career opportunities.

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Sept. 12 

NCMA 2nd Saturday Family Workshop. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Take inspiration from downtown’s hand-painted signs and create your own using paint markers. The free, drop-in activity takes place at Merschel Plaza, with all materials provided.

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Sept. 12 

International Village Food & Music Festival. Noon–5 p.m. Winston Square Park becomes a trip around the world during this annual event pairing performances from local cultural organizations with global food, crafts, jewelry, and gifts. Admission is free.

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Sept.12 

IGY6 Veterans Music Festival feat. Saving Abel. Noon–11 p.m. Old Nick Williams Co. Farm & Distillery hosts an all-day lineup headlined by Saving Abel, with additional live music, food, and vendors supporting veteran mental health and suicide-prevention efforts. General admission is $50.

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Sept.12 

Kaleideum After Dark: Book Clubbin’. 6:30–9:30 p.m. Kaleideum turns the museum over to adults 21 and older for a literary-themed night of zines, book bingo, open-mic performances, a Bookmarks pop-up, and rooftop views. Tickets are $20 online or $25 at the door and include two drink vouchers.

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Sept. 13 

Winston-Salem Fall Food Truck Festival. 1–7 p.m. Dozens of the region's top food trucks line Ninth Street in downtown's Industry Hill during this biannual Food Truck Festival, alongside live music and local craft beverages. It lands the same day as Arts on Fire a block away, so you can eat your way down Ninth and stay for the iron pour after dark. Admission is free.

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Sept.13 

Arts on Fire at Mixxer. 1–7 p.m. Mixxer celebrates fire-powered creativity with iron pouring, demonstrations, hands-on activities, a maker market, and an auction of more than 40 donated works. The festival takes place at Mixxer Community Makerspace, 1375 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

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Sept. 16 

Face to Face: Cynthia Erivo. 7:30 p.m. Tony, Grammy, and Emmy winner Cynthia Erivo—star of Broadway’s The Color Purple and the film adaptation of Wicked—comes to LJVM Coliseum for Wake Forest’s signature speaker series. Tickets start at $75 before fees.

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Sept.17 

Eat Drink Triad Showcase. 5 p.m. Eat Drink Triad gathers local restaurants, beverage makers, culinary creators, and food lovers at Dram & Draught for this annual showcase; an evening of bites, cocktails, and music. Admission includes the first cocktail.

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Sept. 18 

Art Crush: Hispanic Heritage Rumba. 6–10 p.m. The Downtown Arts District celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with artists, vendors, music, DJs, performances, and family activities centered around Sixth and Trade streets. Admission is free.

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Sept. 18 

Lewisville Starlight Movie Night: Moana 2. 7:30 p.m. Held at Shallowford Square, Lewisville's summer movie series is showing the 2024 Disney hit, Moana 2.  Games, including bingo, begins at 6 p.m., followed by the movie at dusk (around 7:30). Admission is free, concessions will be available, and the rain date is Sept. 25.

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Sept.19 

Hispanic League's Annual FIESTA. 11 a.m.–7 p.m. The 34th annual FIESTA fills downtown with regional bands, folkloric dance, salsa, reggaetón, Latin American food, cultural crafts, artisan vendors, and family activities. Admission is free.

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Sept.19 

Piedmont Opera 50th Anniversary Concert w/ Renée Fleming. 7:30 p.m. Five-time Grammy-winning soprano Renée Fleming opens Piedmont Opera's golden anniversary season with a program synced to an original National Geographic film exploring our relationship with the natural world. She also leads a panel on music, creativity, and health the evening before (Friday, 5–6:30 p.m.). Both are at Salem College's Elberson Fine Arts Center; tickets start at $78 and are available on Piedmont Opera's website.

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Sept. 24 

Kernersville Music at Twilight. 6–8 p.m. Bring a blanket or chair and hear XcentriX perform among the beds and borders of Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden. Admission is free, with food and beverages available for purchase.

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Sept. 24–27 

OUT at the Movies Film Festival. Founded here in 2004 and now the second-largest LGBTQ+ film festival in the Carolinas, the OUT at the Movies International Film Fest returns for its 13th year with over three dozen films, including narratives, documentaries, and shorts from around the world—plus panel discussions, visiting filmmakers, and nightly social events. Screenings rotate among venues across town; check the festival website for location and ticket info.

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Sept. 25 

Bailey Park Hangs: Kit McKay. 5–8 p.m. NCMA Winston-Salem’s outdoor concert series welcomes NC songwriter Kit McKay to Bailey Park, with music from 6–8 p.m. Admission is free; food trucks and drinks will be available, and outside food—but not alcohol—is welcome.

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Sept. 25–27 

Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors. The Carolinas’ largest book festival draws more than 20,000 readers downtown. The signature event is Saturday’s all-day block party, while the opening and closing keynotes require tickets.

► Sept. 25: John Green at WFU's Wait Chapel. Best-selling author John Green (The Fault in Our Stars) opens as the keynote guest. Tickets are $40 plus fees and include a presigned copy of "Hollywood, Ending."

► Sept. 26: Festival of Books & Authors (9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.) The largest single-day book event in the Carolinas, this downtown street festival features for author talks, signings, exhibitors, food trucks, and a children’s area with free books. Admission is free.

► Sept. 27: Jodi Picoult w/ Virginia Evans, 3 p.m. at WFU's Wait Chapel. Best-selling author Jodi Picoult (My Sister's Keeper) will be joined by author Virginia Evans (The Correspondent) during Bookmarks' closing keynote address. Tickets are $40 and include a signed copy of Picoult’s new book.

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Sept.26 

Apple Festival at Historic Bethabara Park. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Celebrate Bethabara’s apple-growing heritage with historical demonstrations, arts and crafts, games, live music, children’s activities, local vendors, and more. It's Bethabara's biggest event of the year. Admission is free, with charges for food and crafts.

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Sept. 26–27 

WS Symphony: Gershwin, Rachmaninoff & Trane. 7:30 p.m., Saturday; 3 p.m., Sunday. Music Director Michelle Merrill opens the Winston-Salem Symphony’s 80th season at Reynolds Auditorium with music inspired by Porgy and Bess, John Coltrane, and Rachmaninoff, featuring saxophonist Robert Young. Tickets are $28–$98.

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Sept. 29–Oct. 3 

UNCSA Fall Dance. 7:30 p.m. UNC School of the Arts opens its dance season with contemporary work by alumni, guest artists, and faculty, performed by current students at Agnes de Mille Theatre on UNCSA's campus. Tickets are $40 for adults and $35 for students.

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Throughout the Month

Reynolda Exhibit: Flash Point 
(Opening Sept. 17)

Reynolda's fall exhibit, Flash Point: The Civil Rights Photography of Danny Lyon, brings together more than 50 photographs from inside the movement — sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and the March on Washington — but also the jail cells, planning rooms, and quiet moments between. It's on view through Jan. 3 in Reynolda's Babcock Wing.

Flash Point joins another exhibit now on display in the historic house, Art & Democracy, which uses Reynolda’s collection to trace the nation’s history and evolving ideals. Both exhibits are Included with admission to Reynolda House.

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Taste of Art at Sawtooth 
(Fridays + various)

These popular one-night workshops invite guests to explore mediums such as glass, ceramics, jewelry, and fibers. Each class includes hands-on instruction and the chance to create artwork to take home. Most classes are held on Fridays, 6–8 p.m., at Sawtooth School. Additional classes also occur at The Generations Center (114 W. 30th St.) on various days. Classes start at $45 and include materials.

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Makers Market: The Alley of the Arts 
(Saturdays, 12–4 p.m.)

Held every Saturday in September in the Downtown Arts District, this market lets  you shop a rotating roster of dozens of local artists and makers, accompanied by live entertainment and food pop-ups. It happens in the alleyway at 205 W. Sixth St.