Richmond County is ROCKIN’ with fun! Stay up-to-date with the happenings around the community through our newsletter, weekly events videos, Google calendar, and our social media! Our Google calendar includes a complete list of visitor and community events. | | What is Richmond County Tourism Development Authority? | | Since 2001, Richmond County has levied a 6% room occupancy tax in accordance to Senate Bill 92 of the General Assembly of North Carolina. Tourism funds are allocated through a grant program for events in Richmond County that bring visitors to stay overnight in our lodging facilities. Click below to see the RCTDA Grant Application, Guidelines, and more resources. | | MAKE SURE YOU ARE SUBSCRIBED! | | |
The Richmond County Tourism Development Authority (RCTDA) is solely funded by occupancy tax revenue collected from lodging facilities within the City of Rockingham. These funds are strategically reinvested into attractions, events, and initiatives that drive overnight visitation to our community. Our top priority is to promote the destinations and experiences that bring travelers to Richmond County—supporting our local businesses, boosting the economy, and fueling tourism growth.
While overnight visitation is our primary focus, we also take great pride in showcasing the vibrant, community-centered programs and events that make Rockin’ Richmond County such a special place to live, work, and visit.
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Comedian Heather Land at The Cole 4/1
Comedian Heather Land will be at Richmond Community College Cole Auditorium on Wednesday, April 1, at 7:30PM as part of the 2025-2026 Performing Arts Series presented by Richmond County Tourism Development Authority.
Click below to purchase tickets ahead of time online.
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Corey Heim at Griffin Toyota 4/2
Griffin Toyota will host a meet and greet session with 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck series champion Corey Heim on Thursday, April 2, at 1PM.
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Eli Young Band will headline ThunderFest 2026 in downtown Rockingham 4/2/26
Big fun for our littlest race fans is rolling back into downtown Rockingham! 🎉
ThunderFest will once again feature a FREE Kids Zone packed with bounce houses, giant slides, a rock climbing wall, face painting, and even more high-energy activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Bring the kids, bring their friends, and let them jump, climb, slide, and smile all evening long while we celebrate NASCAR’s return to The Rock.
Family fun, live music, and community spirit — all in one unforgettable night in Rockingham, NC! 🏁
The pre-race celebration, ThunderFest, returns to downtown Rockingham around Harrington Square on Thursday, April 2, from 4PM-9PM ahead of the NASCAR trio of races at Rockingham Speedway on Friday, April 3, with the Black's Tire 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race and the ARCA Menards Series East and North Carolina Education Lottery 250 Presented by Black's Tire NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts races on Saturday. See more details and purchase tickets on www.racetherock.com.
Join us for an unforgettable pre-race celebration presented by Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas as we kick off Easter weekend and welcome NASCAR back to Rockingham Speedway in a big way. Live music, high energy, vendors, family fun, and that signature ThunderFest atmosphere—all leading into an action-packed NASCAR weekend at The Rock.
🎶 In addition to the The Eli Young Band is headlining ThunderFest in downtown Rockingham around Harrington Square, Anna J will get the celebration started for us! Huge thank you to our music sponsor Fidelity Bank!
🎶 Live Music
🏁 NASCAR Driver Meet & Greets
👨👩👧👦 Free Kids Zone
🍔 Local Vendors
🍻 Beer Garden
🔥 That signature ThunderFest energy
🎉 Celebrate another year of NASCAR at The Rock with a high-energy street festival pre-race party around Harrington Square in downtown Rockingham — FREE.
Mark your calendar, bring your friends, and come experience ThunderFest the way it was meant to be — loud, lively, and completely FREE!
📍Harrington Square, Downtown Rockingham, NC
📅 Thursday, April 2, 2026
⏰ 4PM–9PM
🎟️ FREE Admission
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About Eli Young Band…
Led by an unmistakable vocal and bringing a Texas-rock edge to modern country for 25 years, the Eli Young Band's never-changing lineup of Mike Eli, James Young, Jon Jones and Chris Thompson have spent decades on the run, growing from hometown heroes into globe-trotting, chart-topping pioneers. … And now, they’re coming home. Founded in Denton, Texas, and rising to become arena-packing icons of the state’s independent country scene, EYB’s 2005 album Level launched the band into the mainstream, followed by three career Billboard Top 5 albums including the No. 1 10,000 Towns and Platinum Life At Best. Boasting back-to-back Number One singles with the 5X Platinum “Crazy Girl” in 2011 and 3X Platinum “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” (2012), plus the Platinum Number One “Drunk Last Night,” 2X Platinum Number One “Love Ain’t” and more, the band’s unbroken streak of success has now led to a millions-strong fandom, and after keeping the intensity of their live shows front and center, it’s time to get back to the point. Ready to follow up 2022’s Love Talking, the band have returned to the Denton studio where Level was born – bringing new tunes and new excitement along with them. Also returning to their independent roots, a fresh batch of co-written songs match the raw, grassroots energy and emotional sting of their early work, geared for the stage and recorded without digital tricks. Released September 27, 2024, “Home In Hometown” started the new era and marked EYB’s creative homecoming – a true-to-experience ballad of life on the highway, unpacking what “home” really means. Driven by experience and a million miles of wisdom, look for more new music and, of course, more shows from a band of brothers still very much in their prime. Eli Young Band’s album Strange Hours, featuring 13 tracks, arrived August 1, 2025.
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Anna J will kick off an unforgettable evening as we launch Easter weekend and celebrate NASCAR’s return to Rockingham Speedway in a big way.
The party starts in downtown Rockingham — and everyone’s invited. Let’s pack Harrington Square and show the region how Rockin’ Richmond County celebrates! 🎸🏁🔥
𝘼𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝘼𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙅...
With a voice rooted in classic country and an ear for irresistible hooks, Anna J is bringing fresh energy to today’s country scene. The Frederick, MD native studied songwriting at Belmont University under Grammy-winning professors and was mentored by Marcus Hummon (‘Cowboy Take Me Away’, ‘Bless the Broken Road’). Since graduating in 2020, Anna has split her time between Nashville, TN and Charlotte, NC, earning a reputation as a powerhouse performer and independent artist.
Her music has resonated globally- earning three #1 singles on the worldwide aBreak Music station with ‘Nobody with Nobody’, ‘In Your Heart’, and ‘If You Don’t Like Country (Then You Don’t Like Me)’. She has recorded at the legendary Blackbird Studios in Nashville, performed at the Bluebird Café and taken the stage at the Randy Travis Music Festival in 2024 & 2025.
With all of her singles reaching the top 5 on the aBreak Music charts (including ‘Frustrated’ and ‘Better Than That’) Anna continues to deliver her signature mix of heartfelt lyrics and all-American grit to audiences around the world.
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We get this question all the time… “How much does ThunderFest cost?”
The answer? Absolutely NOTHING. 🙌
🎶 See the Eli Young Band take the stage with Anna J kicking things off — FREE.
🏁 Meet NASCAR drivers and grab autographs — FREE.
🛍️ Browse a huge variety of merchandise, food, and information vendors — FREE to attend.
🎈 Let the kids loose in the Kids Zone — FREE.
🎉 Celebrate another year of NASCAR at The Rock with a high-energy street festival pre-race party around Harrington Square in downtown Rockingham — FREE.
That’s right… live music, racing excitement, family fun, and downtown celebration — all without a ticket price.
Mark your calendar, bring your friends, and come experience ThunderFest the way it was meant to be — loud, lively, and completely FREE! 🏁🎶
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NASCAR Easter Weekend 2026
Two huge additions to the field for the NASCAR races at Rockingham Speedway. NASCAR Cup driver Carson Hocevar will be racing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race on Friday, April 3, and Cletus McFarland will be racing in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race on Saturday, April 4.
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Free Concert ft. Good Company at Rockingham Dragway 4/3
Following the Black's Tire 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Rockingham Speedway, head over to Rockignham Dragway for a free concert with Good Company! Click on the graphic for the Facebook event page.
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NASCAR at The Rock 2026 Tix at Rockingham City Hall
Tickets for the NASCAR races at Rockingham Speedway on April 3-4, 2026 are now available for purchase at Rockingham City Hall in the water department. Individual and weekend tickets, Club 65 tickets, and camping are all available for purchase both at Rockingham City Hall and online on racetherock.com linked below.
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Easter Egg Hunt around Richmond County hosted by Puckered Up Lemonade & Bentley's Brews 3/30-4/4
Be on the lookout for Easter Eggs hidden around Rockin' Richmond County this week!
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Karaoke with Bowtie at Striker's Lounge 4/1
Karaoke at Striker's Lounge with Bowtie on Wednesday, April 1. Click on the flyer for the Facebook event page.
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Tiny Tots Easter Egg Hunt at The Hive 4/2
The Hive Recreation Center is hosting Tiny Tots Easter Egg Hunt on Thursday, April 2, starting at 9:45AM. Click on the flyer for their Facebook page.
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April Market Days at Willow Tree and Company 4/2-4/4
Willow Tree and Company will open Thursday through Saturday for April Market Days. Click on the flyer for their Facebook page.
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Easter Pet Adoption Event at Richmond County Animal Shelter 4/3
The Richmond County Animal Shelter is hosting an Easter Pet Adoption Event on Friday, April 3rd. Click on the flyer for the Facebook event page .
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First Friday Dance & Social Club at Hamlet American Legion 4/3
First Friday Dance & Social Club at Hamlet American Legion on Friday, April 3, at 6:30PM.
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Cosmic Bowling at Strikers Bowling Alley 4/3
Cosmic Bowling every Friday night at Striker's Bowling Alley.
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Common Ground at Hudson Brothers Deli 4/3
Live music with Common Ground at Hudson Brothers Deli on Friday, April 3.
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Day Block Party Vendor Pop-Up Expo 4/4
Spring Day Block Party Vendor Pop-Up Expo with Guest DJ & Host Big Panda on Saturday, April 4, from 12PM-6PM at 504 East Broard Ave. in Rockingham. Click on the flyer fo the Facebook event page.
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Darren's Voice Easter in the Park at East Rockingham Park 4/4
Darrens Voice is hosting Easter in the Park at East Rockingham Park on Saturday, April 4, starting at 3PM.
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NASCAR Afterparty w/ Bowtie at Striker's Lounge 4/4
Bowtie will be hosting the NASCAR Afterparty at Striker's Lounge on Saturday night, April 4. Click on the graphic for the Facebook event page.
| | | | More Upcoming Dates to Save! | |
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Hamlet digital events calendar
Keep up with what’s happening in Hamlet using their digital events calendar linked below!
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2025-2026 Performing Arts Series at Richmond Community College Cole Auditorium
Richmond Community College Cole Auditorium has three more shows in the 2025-2026 Performing Arts Series!
Comedian Heather Land
Wednesday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m.
$35 | $25
“Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience”
Tuesday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m.
$40 | $35 | $25
For assistance, please contact the Cole's Box Office at (910) 410-1691 during our regular business hours: Monday - Thursday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and Fridays from 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM.
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ThunderFest Returns on April 2, 2026
The pre-race celebration, ThunderFest, returns to downtown Rockingham around Harrington Square on Thursday, April 2, from 4PM-9PM ahead of the NASCAR trio of races at Rockingham Speedway on Friday, April 3, with the Black's Tire 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race and the ARCA Menards Series East and North Carolina Education Lottery 250 Presented by Black's Tire NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts races on Saturday.
See our photo gallery on visitrichmondcounty.com from last year's ThunderFest linked below.
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Wild Foods Cook-Off 4/7
The annual Wild Foods Cook-Off will be on Tuesday, April 7, at 6PM. Scan the QR code on the flyer for more information.
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ParaJam in the Ham at Richmond County Airport 5/14-5/17
The inaugural ParaJam in the Ham will be at Richmond County Airport on May 14 through May 17. Click on the graphics for the Facebook event page.
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Hamlet Boxcar Concert Series 2026
Visit Hamlet, NC announced the line-up for the 2026 Hamlet Boxcar Concert Series! Make sure to mark those calendars for seven free live music concerts in Hamlet Main Street Park!
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2026 Seaboard Festival Vendor Applications now available!
Vendor Applications for the 2026 Seaboard Festival on October 31, 2026 are now available on The Seaboard Festival website linked below.
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NHRA Nationals at The Rock Tix Available NOW!
Tickets for the 2026 NHRA Nationals at The Rock are NOW available for purchase online! Click on the graphics to secure your seats!
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NHRA Nationals at The Rock!
On Monday, November 10, the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), made a huge announcement alongside Pro Stock Champion Greg Anderson- Rockingham Dragway will host the NHRA Nationals at The Rock on September 25-27, 2026! See more details and secure your seats to witness this enormous moment in history at The Rock on the NHRA website linked below.
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New Concrete at Rockingham Dragway 1/21
Rockingham Dragway is wasting no time to tackle their to-do list of off-season upgrades! See the video of the concrete pour last Wednesday, January 21, on our YouTube channel linked below. Follow their social media pages to keep up with the progress!
| | | | Big Dates at Rock Dragway to Save for 2026! | |
Carolina NT Lock-In Nationals Radial Warz at Rockingham Dragway
Lance & Travis return to The Rock with Carolina NT Lock-In Nationals Radial Warz at Rockingham Dragway on April 10-11.
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Street Car Braggin Rights 2026 at Rockingham Dragway
Street Car Braggin Rights returns to Rockingham Dragway on April 15-18, 2026.
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Rudy's Spring Truck Jam at Rockingham Dragway
Rudy's Spring Truck Jam returns to Rockingham Dragway on April 24 -25, 2026.
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Southeast Gassers Association at Rockingham Dragway
Southeast Gassers Association is coming to Rockingham Dragway on August 1, 2026.
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Ross Drag Warzz at Rockingham Dragway
Ross Drag Warzz will be at Rockingham Dragway on August , 2026!
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No Time Night of Fire at Rockingham Dragway
Hitman Productions No Time Night of Fire at Rockingham Dragway on August 14-1, 2026!
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NASCAR at The Rock 2026!
On Wednesday, August 20, the 2026 NASCAR schedule was released with Rockingham Speedway hosting two races on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4. See the full press release from Track Enterprises on Race The Rock below. Also check out the extended highlights from the trio of races held at The Rock in April 2025, our photo gallery on Visit Richmond County, and the coverage from Richmond Observer and Richmond County Daily Journal all linked below.
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NC by Train for NASCAR 2026 at The Rock
NC by Train returns in 2026 with The Rock train ride to Rockingham Speedway on Saturday, April 4, 2026!
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Racing Electronics for NASCAR 2026 at The Rock
As race fans prepare to return to the legendary Rockingham Speedway for an action-packed NASCAR weekend, there’s one way to take your race day experience to the next level — with a scanner rental from Racing Electronics.
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Cleetus testing at The Rock 3/18
Cleetus McFarland tested at The Rock on Wednesday, March 18, ahead of his debut in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series at The Rock on Saturday, April 4. See his video linked below.
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The Rock reppin' at The Lady in Black 3/22
The Rock was a part of the Fan Zone at Darlington Raceway for the NASCAR Cup race on Sunday, March 22. See the video of Pnut Williams helping promote NASCAR at The Rock on Easter weekend 2026!
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Dig or Die No Prep Series feature
Dig or Die Flashlight Fiesta 6 brought no prep racers from around the North Carolina and several other states to Rockingham Dragway to battle it out, no prep style, on Friday and Saturday, March 27-28. See our photo gallery with photos from Robbie Singletary Photography, Robbie Singletary Drone Photography, Kinsley Grace Singletary, Terry Clark, and Sam Cook linked below. Also see photos from William Toler on the Richmond Observer Facebook page.
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Storybook Ball at Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham 3/28
Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham hosted Storybook Ball on Saturday, March 28. See photos from William Toler on the Richmond Observer Facebook page linked below.
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Import Face Off at Rockingham Dragway 3/29
Import Face Off brought a huge import crowd to The Rock on Sunday, March 29. See photos on our website gallery from Robbie Singletary, Terry Clark, and Sam Cook and from William Toler on the Richmond Observer Facebook page linked below.
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The Landmark Tavern Grand Opening!
The Landmark Tavern in Hamlet hosted a Grand Opening ribbon cutting on Saturday, March 28. See details in the Richmond Observer and photos from Gratten White both linked below.
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The Berry Patch feature
The Facebook page North Carolina Trip Ideas featured The Berry Patch! Click on the photo to see the Facebook post.
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King of the Pee Dee River 3/29/26
The annual King of the Pee Dee River catfishing tournament hosted by Team Lambert Catfishing Guide Service and presented by Richmond County Tourism Development Authority brought dozens of teams to compete on Saturday, March 28, through Sunday, March 29, 2026, on the Great Pee Dee River. See the photo gallery from this past weekend's tournament, courtesy of Terry Clark, and from the previous two years linked below.
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Garrett Mitchell AKA Cletus McFarland racing at The Rock
Cletus will make his debut in the North Carolina Education Lottery 250 Presented by Black's Tire NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series in a Richard Childress Racing car on Saturday, April 4, 2026 at Rockingham Speedway. See the announcement on Dale Jr.'s Dirty Mo Media Podcast linked below.
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New Addition at Black's Tire & Auto Service- Rockingham
Black's Tire & Auto Service is gearing up ahead of the Black's Tire 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Rockingham Speedway on April 3, 2026
Stop by their Rockingham store and check out their newest edition- the Ricky Benton Racing Ford F-150!
Read more details in Richmond Observer linked below.
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Rocking' Richmond County 2025 Recap
Last week, we posted a virtual scrapbook from one of the biggest years in Rockin' Richmond County-2025! Make sure to click on the hyperlinked photo albums and videos for each month of the year. Click the link below to see!
| | | | Uplift NC: Hello's & Highlights | | Special thanks to the team at Uplift NC for producing and sharing three of our Richmond County businesses that were recently featured in their Hello's and Highlights series! | | Hosting an event in Richmond County soon? We'd love to hear all about it! Send us an email with the details at visitrichmondcountync@gmail.com or click below for our event form. | | | | |
