Directions & Parking

First Night Raleigh venues are located in the center of downtown. Performance sites on the north end of the festival include the North Carolina Museums of History and Natural Sciences and various churches off of Salisbury and Wilmington Streets. Activities will also take place along the four blocks of Fayetteville Street, heading southward from the Capitol, and at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts on South Street.

Parking decks and surface lots surround the downtown area. City-owned lots and decks will be open all day and night for a small fee. State government visitor lots are available at an hourly rate during the day and other state-owned surface lots are available for parking after 6:00 PM. Please see the downtown and event maps for the location of parking lots and decks.

From Durham/Cary/Chapel Hill
From I-40 East (do not take the Wade Avenue exit) take Exit 298-B (South Saunders Street) towards Downtown.  Go 1 mile, then follow the right fork to “Downtown.”  Continue on South Saunders as it curves as you approach downtown, and turn right at the first stoplight onto South Street.  Go 2 blocks and turn left onto Wilmington Street.  Parking decks are available over the next 4 blocks of Wilmington.

From East of Raleigh
If you are approaching the city on I-40 West, keep to your left at the I-440 split.  Take Exit 299 (Person Street) from the Beltline and make a left off the exit.  Go approximately 1 mile and turn left onto Davie Street.  Go 2 blocks and turn right onto Wilmington Street. Parking decks are available over the next 3 blocks of Wilmington.

OR

Take US-64 (Business) West, which becomes New Bern Avenue.  New Bern Avenue becomes Edenton Street as you near downtown.  Follow Edenton Street for parking at the Museums.

From North Raleigh
Take Capital Boulevard south, which becomes Dawson Street as you enter downtown.  At the second stoplight, turn left onto Jones Street and proceed 4 blocks for parking near the Museums.

Greater Raleigh Map

Downtown Raleigh Map