Articles by Living in Winston-Salem are not AI-generated, so you won’t find this list elsewhere!
As summer heats up in Winston-Salem, the city comes alive with unique activities and events for all ages and interests. From recurring free live music events to outdoor nighttime adventures, here’s your guide to our favorite summer fun activities.
Our Favorite Summer Concerts
There are many music events in Winston-Salem, especially during the warm-weather months. The following four are our favorite series and events, following Summerlark and Gears & Guitars (and they’re all free!):
- The Park Concert Series holds free, family-friendly concerts at Tanglewood Park featuring national musicians and food vendors. Bring blankets, lawn chairs, the dog, and a picnic (or purchase food from onsite vendors). Wine, beer, and water will be available for purchase, with all proceeds supporting the Arts Council.
- The Downtown Summer Music Series is a staple of Winston-Salem’s summer scene, with live music downtown on Friday and Saturday nights from June through August. It will celebrate its 26th year in 2024. The series includes Downtown Jazz, five concerts in Corpening Plaza starting on June 21, and Summer on Fourth, five concerts on Fourth Street between Poplar and Spruce (right in front of Foothills Brewing) beginning June 15.
- Rock Out the Quarry celebrates summer at Quarry Park with live music, food trucks, and a fireworks show. Phase Band and DJ Toney Tone are providing 2024’s musical entertainment. This year’s event will be on Friday, June 28 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm at The Quarry at Grant Park (1790 Quarry Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27107).
- The Salem Band performs free outdoor concerts during the summer at Salem Square in Old Salem. Founded in 1771, the Salem Band is one of the oldest continuously performing community bands in the United States.
Winston-Salem Open 🎾
The Winston-Salem Open is an award-winning ATP 250 event held annually at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex, a state-of-the-art collegiate facility adjacent to Truist Field. The tournament attracts tennis legends, grand slam champions, and rising stars. It is a big deal for Winston-Salem and professional tennis because it is the final men’s tournament before the U.S. Open Grand Slam in New York.
When: August 17-24, 2024
Where: Wake Forest Tennis Center, 100 W Thirty-Second St, Winston-Salem, NC 27105
What is an ATP 250 tournament?
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) governs the men’s professional tennis circuits. The ATP has four tiers of events: Grand Slams, Masters 1000, ATP 500, and ATP 250. The farther you go in a tournament and the higher the tier, the more ranking points and prize money are available. The ATP 250 series is the lowest-tier tournament, giving up-and-coming players a chance to gain experience and compete against top-ranked players. 250 ranking points are awarded to each singles champion, hence the name. The Grand Slam tournaments, or majors, are the four most important annual tennis events, with winners receiving 2,000 points.
Summer Craft Fairs We’re Looking Forward To 🎪
Our favorite summer craft fairs of 2024 mix a few of our favorite activities: local businesses, wine, beer, and handmade items.
- Summer Camel City Craft Fair: The 9th Annual Summer Market showcases artists and makers selling handmade items at Foothills Tasting Room. Of course, there will also be live music and food trucks.
When: Sunday, June 9, 2024 from 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Where: Foothills Tasting Room - Summer Funky Llama Art, Craft, and Vintage Market: This market takes place at Divine Llama Vineyards, a venue nestled among five acres of vineyards and twenty acres of pastureland and features a tasting room with wines and llamas. The event will have an array of vendors, food, and local music.
When: Sunday, June 2, from 1 pm – 5 pm
Where: Divine Llama Vineyards
Bark in the (Baseball) Park ⚾
Winston-Salem Dash baseball games are generally fun, but every Thursday, excluding July 4, Truist Stadium invites dogs into the stadium to cheer (bark?) on the local team. Stick around after the game to watch Pups Run the Bases.
When: Every Thursday, excluding July 4
Where: Truist Stadium, 951 Ballpark Wy, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
The Best Outdoor Screenings 🎥
This summer, a/perture cinema hosts ‘Flashback Fridays,’ an outdoor series featuring vintage sporty films at MUSE Winston-Salem every Friday evening. Pre-film fun starts at 6:30, and movies begin at dark (around 8 pm). Bring your own chairs and blankets. Bring a picnic or purchase dinner from food trucks on site. Foothills beer and food truck cuisine is available for purchase!
When: Friday nights, pre-film fun starts at 6:30, and movies begin at dark (around 8 pm)
Where: MUSE Winston-Salem, 226 South Liberty Street
Soft Golf ⛳
Soft Golf aims to make golf more accessible and fun, reducing the pressure and difficulty often associated with the traditional sport. This playful spin on the classic game uses oversized clubs, soft golf balls, and a field with larger holes and shorter distances. It’s an enjoyable experience for players of all ages and skill levels, making it a great way to introduce children to golf without the intimidation of traditional golf courses.
Where: Tanglewood Park, 4035 Clemmons Rd, Clemmons, NC 27012
Cindy’s Snow Cream 🍧
In some places, Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer. In Winston-Salem, a line outside Cindy’s SnowCreamery signals that summer is heating up. Cindy’s “snow cream” is different from a snow cone. It’s a light, fluffy, and refreshing frozen treat that combines the texture of shaved ice with the creamy richness of ice cream. It’s an innovative dessert served from a little hut on an unassuming corner outside Tanglewood Park, making it oh-so-charming. Before I tasted Cindy’s snow cream, I never thought anything could replace my favorite ice cream, but I was wrong.
E-Bike Tour of Winston-Salem 🚲
Known for their segway and e-bike tours, Triad ECO Adventures offers a variety of guided experiences through downtown Winston-Salem and its surroundings. Their tours highlight historical sites, cultural landmarks, and scenic areas.
Sunset Glow Paddleboarding 🌅
While Winston-Salem is inland, nearby lakes and rivers are great for water activities. Sunset Glow Paddleboarding is a unique specialty tour from Triad ECO Adventures for those familiar with stand-up (SUP) paddleboarding. The paddleboards have LED lights illuminating the water around you, creating a pretty glow and allowing you to see beneath the surface as the sun sets.
Pop-Up Picnic 🧺
A pop-up picnic is a pre-arranged picnic experience set up by a professional service. These picnics include everything you need for a casual, elegant, intimate date with comfortable seating, decorative setups, drinks, and the option to include a charcuterie board, cookies, or catering. Check out the Winston-Salem Picnic Ladies to schedule a summer picnic experience at one of their unique destinations, including a waterfall, firepit, tree canopy, meadow, and tiny cottage patio.
