Events are selected for a mix of geography, price points, and interests, with a focus on community. This post is updated throughout the month with new events and details.
🚣♀️ Bands Bites Boats (October 2): The final installment of the 2026 Friday night series at Cary’s Bond Park Boathouse is in October. Bands Bites Boats includes live music, after-hours boat rentals, and food trucks. Enjoy it from Bond Lake or bring your own lawn chair, 5-7 p.m. on October 2. Free to attend. October’s band is Amanda Peach Duo, the food truck is Che Empanadas, and the beer vendor is Fortnight Brewing Company.
📽️ Downtown Cary Park Movie Night: “Frankenweenie” (October 2): A free showing of the animated Tim Burton movie (rated PG) will be at the Great Lawn at Downtown Cary Park. Lawn seating setup (BYO blankets and chairs) starts at 5 p.m., with pre-screening activities starting at 6 p.m. The movie will begin at sunset. Food trucks will be on site.
🍻 Triangle Oktoberfest (October 2-3): The 12th annual event, organized by Apex Sunrise and Cary MacGregor Rotary Clubs with the town of Cary, will be two days at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Entertainment includes a brass band, Wiener Dog races, a kids area with inflatables and face painting, and competitions like stein hoisting and hammer-striking. More than 50 German beers and local seasonal Oktoberfest brews will be available for tasting. Bavarian food from the Wandering Wolf, Annelore’s German Bakery, A Place at the Table, and other local vendors will be for sale. 5-10 p.m. October 2, 12-8 p.m. October 3.
🛍️ Love Local Showcase (October 4): Explore Apex small businesses, all in one place. Brick and mortar downtown businesses and other vendors will offer specials from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participating businesses here.
🐶 Dog Trivia at The Bark Bar (October 8): As part of Cary’s Barktoberfest, dog people can participate in dog-themed trivia at the Downtown Cary Park bar next to the dog park, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
🎆 Hum Sub Diwali festival (October 10): The 26th annual event is described as a free “daylong cultural immersion into the Indian subcontinent” at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. (Note: This and other Diwali events are earlier than the actual holiday of lights celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains). The event runs 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m., with a headlining performance by Vidya Vox. Fireworks will cap off the night.
🐶 Triangle Barkitecture (October 10): Cary’s Barktoberfest programming includes an afternoon with Triangle Barkitecture. Expect activities like a pet costume contest and adoptable pets at Downtown Cary Park. More than 20 creative builds from local architects and designers, part of a pet architecture competition, will be auctioned off to support rescue groups. Cat people: there’s a Kitten Cuddle Room on the schedule, too. 1-5 p.m., full schedule here.
👻 Apex Tour of Frights (October 10-31): Who will be on the driving tour of Apex Halloween-decorated houses this year? We’ll find out soon. Last year, The Line interviewed the Walls family about The Ghostbusters House for our very first newsletter. Expect traditional, pop culture, family-friendly and spooky decorations on the tour, which we’ll update here when it’s available. Homeowners have the decorations on from 6-9 p.m. from October 10 through Halloween night.
🍁 Fall Into Downtown (October 16): The Downtown Apex event will have a Fall Harvest theme, vendors from the Apex Farmers Market, live music by North Carolina Polka Time Allstars, and Tour of Frights decorated windows. 5-8 p.m.
✨ Diwali in Morrisville (October 17): The town of Morrisville’s annual celebration will include cultural performances, activities like painting diyas and mandalas, a live DJ, and food trucks. More details to come, but this year the festival will be held at Morrisville Community Park, 5-8 p.m.
🧟 Zombiepalooza (October 23): The short film festival is accepting submissions from North Carolina residents until September 30, and anyone can attend the event for free. Each zombie film is less than five minutes and without “excessive gore, violence or language” for an all-ages audience. This year the theme is “sport,” so expect zombies playing all kinds of sports on the big screen in Downtown Cary Park. 6-10 p.m.
📽️ Downtown Cary Park Movie Night: Halloween Double Feature (October 24): A free showing of two movies on the Great Lawn at Downtown Cary Park. First, the more family-friendly viewing of “The Haunted Mansion.” Next, the spookier “Poltergeist” will be played. Lawn seating setup (BYO blankets and chairs) starts at 5 p.m., with pre-screening activities starting at 6 p.m. The movie will begin at sunset. Food trucks will be on site.
👻 Boo Bash in Morrisville (October 29): The Thursday before Halloween, head to Morrisville Community Park for kid-friendly fun. The free event from 6-8 p.m. includes candy stations, face painting, and music.
🧙♀️ Witches Night Out (October 30): Leaning into the “Salem” of Salem Street, Downtown Apex businesses will have festive, in-store events and more festivities, staying open later than usual from 5 to 9 p.m. (or later) the Friday before Halloween.
🎉 HollyFest (October 31): This HollyFest will be even more celebratory, as Holly Springs will mark 150 years. A guided line-dancing session will start on the hour from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., a scavenger hunt will go all day, and the kids can pick a pumpkin from the mini patch to decorate (while supplies last). 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Sugg Farm at Bass Lake Park.
This list will be updated as more info becomes available.
What types of events do you want to see? Email line@theassemblync.com to share your thoughts.
