Carrboro offers several distinct reasons to visit: the Carrboro Farmers’ Market, featuring food and crafts; a self-guided tour of the historic downtown; and a variety of performing arts and live music. Parks also offer recreational activities ranging from tennis to picnicking. You can focus on markets, culture, history or outdoor activities without having to combine them into a fixed itinerary.
Markets and Local Goods
The Carrboro Farmers’ Market is located at Carrboro Town Commons, at 301 West Main Street. Vendors sell locally grown fruits and vegetables, pasture-raised meats, eggs, cheese, bread and baked goods. Offerings also include woodworking, metalwork, ceramics, woven rugs and baskets. All goods sold there are made within 50 miles of the market. This radius applies to food as well as crafts.
The market is held year-round on Saturdays and seasonally on Wednesdays. If you choose a Wednesday for your visit, check the specific market dates in advance.
History on the Trail and in Memorials
The Carrboro Historic Walking Trail is a self-guided tour of the historic downtown. Large-print copies of the trail materials are available upon request and at the Century Center.
In Carrboro, the Historical Marker Honoring Manly McCauley commemorates his life and tragic death. The trail and marker highlight different aspects of history: the trail leads through the historic downtown, while the memorial focuses on one individual.
Performing Arts, Live Music and Festivals
The ArtsCenter hosts concerts, theater performances, dance performances and other performing arts events. Cat’s Cradle is a live music venue in downtown Carrboro, where concertgoers can see established and up-and-coming bands in an intimate setting. The ArtsCenter covers several performing arts disciplines, while Cat’s Cradle is dedicated to live music.
The Carrboro Music Festival offers free public musical performances throughout Carrboro. The Carrboro Film Festival is an annual tradition. The festivals thus differ in focus: public musical performances on the one hand, and a film festival tradition on the other. If you want to plan a trip around a festival or a particular event, check the specific dates in advance.
Parks and Local History
As another recreational option, Carrboro’s parks offer opportunities for horseshoes, tennis, softball, fishing, walks and picnics. The options range from sports and fishing to walks and picnics—so you can make outdoor activities the focus of your visit, too.
Carr Mill Mall was established in 1977 when the mill reopened after two years of work and an investment of $8.5 million. This historical development adds the mill’s history to the themes of the walking tour and memorial.
Discover more destinations: Hillsborough, Chapel Hill.
For the broader travel overview: Orange.
