Lucky you. You just found WStoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events to plan for that are taking place throughout Winston-Salem each month.
Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading to this month. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back; we update our guide monthly.
(Don’t see anything you like? Check out our full events calendar.)
Festivals
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival | Saturday, Sept. 6 | 12-6 p.m. | Winston-Salem Fairgrounds | $55+ | Think beer, bourbon, barbecue, boots, bacon, biscuits, bluegrass, and smoked beasts — get a sample of each barbecue selection.
International Village | Saturday, Sept. 6 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Winston Square | Free | Take a trip around the world and savor dishes from different countries, explore unique handmade crafts, jewelry, gifts, and more from international vendors.
NC Comedy Fest | Friday, Sept. 12 | 8-9:45 p.m. | Marketplace Cinemas Winston Salem | $11 | Watch stand-up comedians perform, improv acts, and hilarious entertainment from local and national talent.
Fiesta! | Saturday, Sept. 20 | 11 a.m.-7 p.m. | Downtown Winston-Salem | Free | Kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month with the annual festival. Savor dishes from Latin America, dance to Latin music, and enjoy the family fun atmosphere.
Apple Festival | Sunday, Sept. 28 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Historic Bethabara Park | Free | Spend the first Saturday of fall shopping over 20 varieties of apples, join in the music of The Burnett Sisters Band, and explore history with eighteenth-century craftsmen.
Active
PaddleFit SUP Lesson/ Tour | Tuesday, Sept. 2-Tuesday, Sept. 30 | 8:30-10:15 a.m. | Salem Lake | $54+ | Learn the methods of loading, floating, and other basic paddling techniques while enjoying the great outdoors.
Park Yoga Series: Vinyasa | Saturday, Sept. 20 | 10 a.m. | Quarry at Grant Park | Free | Join the outdoor flow of the month while listening to the live DJ perform uplifting house music and techno beats as you soak up the sun.
Down Dogs & Dogs Yoga | Saturday, Sept. 20 | 3-4 p.m. | Forsyth Humane Society | $25+ | Stretch, strengthen, and snuggle with adoptable dogs (and puppies if available) — bring your yoga mat.
Flow into Fall | Saturday, Sept. 20 | 5 p.m. | Salem Bottleworks | $50 | Embrace the seasonal shift during the hour-long yoga class, then delight in snacks and small plates from Bobby Boy Bakery.
For the fam
Food Truck Fridays in Bermuda Run | Friday, Sept. 12 | 4-9 p.m. | Town of Bermuda Run | Free | Enjoy live music, food trucks, and plenty of kids’ activities.
The Big Bounce America | Friday, Sept. 26-Sunday, Sept. 28 | 12 p.m. | Tanglewood Park, Clemmons | $35 | Expect an action-packed adventure with family and friends at the biggest Bounce House, featuring climbing towers, basketball hoops, slides, ball pits, and confetti blasts.
Visual artists are provided a free table and don’t have to pay a booth fee to participate in ART CRUSH.
Photo by @hiaj via @artsdistrictwsnc
Art Crush: Hispanic Heritage Celebration | Friday, Sept. 19 | 7-10 p.m. | Arts District | Free | Enjoy local art and performances, art-making, exhibits, plus discover local talents and organizations within the community.
Forsyth Fun Fest | Saturday, Sept. 20 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Highland Avenue Park | Free | Learn about county services like voter registration, job opportunities, health checkups -- plus stay around for free food, lawn games, and plenty of kids’ activities.
Seasonal events
Bulbs in your Backyard | Wednesday, Sept. 10 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Lewisville Branch, Lewisville | Free | Learn tips and tricks for planting bulbs from master gardener volunteers so you can transform your yard into a space of vibrant blooms and habitat for pollinators.
Friday Night Market Series | Friday, Sept. 12 | 5-9 p.m. | Wise Man Brewing | Free | Shop local, sip on brews, and groove to live music.
Face to Face with Earvin “Magic” Johnson | Tuesday, Sept. 16 | 7:30-11:59 p.m. | LJVM Coliseum | $80+ | Hear about how the sports businessman spanned multiple industries, expanded, and made a major impact domestically and globally.
Arts Council’s 75th Anniversary Celebration | Wednesday, Sept. 24 | 6 p.m. | Hanesbrands Theatre | $125 | Celebrate the occasion with an exclusive evening of arts and entertainment, local food and drink, a silent auction, and a live auction.
Reynolda Fall Plant Sale | Saturday, Sept. 27 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | Reynolda Gardens | Free | Browse fall selections of native plants and discover staff favorites chosen just for you — perfect for autumn planting and adding color to your landscape.
UNCSA Fall School Dance | Friday, Sept. 26-Saturday, Sept. 27 | Times vary | Agnes de Mille Theatre | $25 | The fall performance showcases new contemporary works, marking the launch of the School of Dance’s 2025-26 season.
Live music
Pandora’s Box: “The Ultimate Tribute to Aerosmith” | Thursday, Sept. 4 | 6 p.m. | Old Nick Williams Co., Lewisville | $10+ | The veteran stage performers will take you through 40+ years of the top power hits from the Rock and Roll era.
Landslide: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac Concert | Saturday, Sept. 6 | 7-9 p.m. | Shallowford Square | Free | Watch the cover band recreate hits from yesteryear, taking fans on an electric journey through Fleetwood Mac’s catalog of music, including the hits from their solo careers.
Delta Arts Benefit Concert: Evening with Robert Young | Friday, Sept. 26 | 6-8 p.m. | Delta Arts Center | Free | Experience an evening of symphony sounds while supporting the mission and cultural programming of the Delta Arts Center.
Salsa Dance at the Coal Pit | Friday, Sept. 29 | 7-11 p.m. | Incendiary Brewing Company | $10+ | Brush up on your dancing, you move to the beat of Latin music, fine-tune your spin, and stay for social dance after the first hour of instruction.
Theater
Innovation & Cinema: La Bamba | Friday, Sept. 12 | 7-11 p.m. | Bailey Park | Free | Make it a date night and watch the story of an LA teenager who becomes an overnight Rock ‘n’ Roll success after writing a love ballad to his girlfriend.
“Hairspray!” | Friday, Sept. 12-Sunday, Sept. 21 | Times vary | WS Theater Alliance | $25 | “You can’t stop the beat!” But you can witness a reenactment of this Tony Award-winning play, which tells the story of a teen who transforms from a social outcast to a heartthrob.
Bad Momz of Comedy | Saturday, Sept. 13 | 6 p.m. + 9 p.m. | Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts | $28 | Witness the hilarious nature of the group of seasoned female and mom comics share tales of motherhood.
Movies in the Park: Lilo & Stitch (2002) | Friday, Sept. 19 | 5:30-9 p.m. | Harmon Park, Kernersville | Free | Grab food from food trucks like Crazy Dog and Kona Ice before watching the screening at sundown. The first 100 guests will receive a goodie bag.
Try with friends
Speakeasy Soiree | Wednesday, Sept. 3 | 6:30 p.m. | Joyner’s Bar | Free | Meet Yelpers across the Triad during an evening of elegance as you socialize and enjoy free mocktails and cocktails + live music/entertainment.
House Hangs | Friday, Sept. 26 | 5-8 p.m. | NCMA, Winston-Salem | Free | Enjoy tunes by DJ NÄTIVA, food by Native Root and Nougat Desserts, and seasonal beverages, including non-alcoholic options by Cordial Cowboy.
Have an event of your own you want to share with us? Follow these easy steps to add your events to our calendar:
- Go to our Events page.
- Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner.
- Make sure to include a link and fill out important information like the date, time, location, and price of your event.
- Click “Submit,” and you’ve just added an event to our website calendar.