Annual Events
Entertainment in New Bern, North Carolina abounds with an amazing array of annual events throughout the year for visitors from near and far to delight in. Venues provide musical and visual entertainment through theatrical presentations, concert series and art exhibitions. Shows at city festivities and functions are scheduled annually by music and art organizations. Whether it's an event at the Tryon Palace or a performance at The New Bern Civic Theatre, The New Bern, NC Visitors Center has up to date calendar information at (252) 637-9400 or (800) 437-5767.
February
New Bern Preservation Foundation Antiques Show
New Bern Riverfront Convention Center (252) 633-6448. This Antiques Show and Sale is a three-day annual event in mid-February at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center. Hosting as many as 40 dealers, the show features 18th- and 19th-century American antiques.
Carolina Chamber Music Festival
Downtown New Bern (252) 626-5419. In mid-September, CCMF presents musicians of the highest caliber affliated with organizations including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera, in a variety of programs designed to delight. Created to foster communication between audiences and artists, CCMF events include entertaining concerts and interactive social functions.
Jazz Showcase
Sheraton Grand, 1 Bicentennial Park, downtown New Bern waterfront (252) 638-2577. An annual jazz showcase in early February assembles some of the most recognized names in modern jazz.
March/April
Spring Historic Homes & Gardens Tour
Attmore-Oliver House Museum , 510 Pollock St., New Bern (252) 638-8558. The Spring Historic Homes & Gardens Tour in late March and early April includes tours of private homes, gardens and churches in the historic district, with guides and location maps provided.
May
Bi-Annual Air Show MASCherryPoint is the largest Marine Air Station in the United States and each year it presents perhaps the finest airshow in the country. Check the link for details on this years program.
June
NC Symphony at Tryon PalaceTryon Palace's South Lawn, Pollock and George Sts., New Bern (252) 514-4900, (800) 767-1560. This four-concert series of free evening performances on the palace's South Lawn runs from mid-May through late June each year and includes concerts by a broad range of ensembles, including the North Carolina Symphony.
July
Independence Day Celebration & Fireworks
Various locations, New Bern (252) 637-9400, (800) 437-5767. New Bern is one of the first towns to have a Fourth of July celebration and it enjoys a well-turned-out celebration. An impressive fireworks display takes place at Union Point Park on the downtown waterfront where bands perform complementary patriotic music. The gardens of The Tryon Palace are open for free and patriots will find additional holiday activities take place.
August
Carolinian Shakespeare FestivalScottish Rite Temple , 516 Hancock St., New Bern (252) 634-3269. The Carolinian Shakespeare Festival performs the first three weekends of August. Discounts are available for students and seniors.
October
OctoberfestFarmer's Market, 421 S. Front St., New Bern (252) 637-3199. Oktoberfest gathers people for an October evening celebration at the Farmer's Market on S. Front Street. German food is served as Bavarian bands and performers provide the music and entertainment.
MUMfestDowntown New Bern (252) 638-5781. MUMfest, one of the top 10 festivals in the state, is the annual three-day celebration in the fall that has taken place for the past 25 years. Always the second weekend in October, it highlights the city's assets as more than 70,000 visitors are attracted to the downtown area and its waterfront. MUMfest offers an endless diversity of festival foods, arts and crafts, corporate exhibits, and a kids' corner with amusement rides, fun activities, puppets, rock climbing, a petting zoo and more. Those attending also can enjoy such attractions as live-stage and roving entertainment; a model railroad exhibit; military vessel tours; flower and art shows; and a boat show. Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens features lectures, tours and free admission to its gardens
New Bern at Night Ghost WalkAttmore-Oliver Civil War House Museum, 510 Pollock St., New Bern (252) 638-8558. The New Bern Historical Society conducts the New Bern at Night Ghost Walk for three nights in late October, complete with ghosts from New Bern's past. Walking tours feature historic homes, churches and the Cedar Grove Cemetery.
December
Holiday Open House
Bed and Breakfasts of New Bern (252) 636-5553. Join the Yuletide celebrations when New Bern's bed and breakfasts open to the public for tours, refreshments, carols and more.
Union Point Park, New Bern (252) 672-0309. Santa arrives in downtown New Bern in style abroad a Hatteras yacht as part of the Coastal Christmas Flotilla on the first Saturday of December. The flotilla of gaily decorated boats of all sizes proceeds down the Trent River and passes Union Point, giving spectators a long, lingering look at the boats festooned with sparkling lights, diving dolphins and red-nosed reindeer.
Tryon Palace Holiday Celebration & Candlelight Tours, December 14th, 2013 & December 21st, 2013
Tryon Palace, Pollock and George Sts., New Bern (252) 639-3500 or 1(800) 767-1560. By the beginning of December the Tryon palace looks much as it did during the holidays in 1770 when Governor William Tryon hosted a "very grand and noble Entertainment and Ball" to celebrate the grand opening of his sumptuous home and the Royal capital. The palace is lighted and adorned with fresh fruit and fragrant greenery. Cooks are busy in the kitchen preparing confections and delicacies, and the air is filled with holiday aromas. The tours run throughout the month of December and include all of the site's historic homes. Special events include the Holiday Garden lecture, candlelight tours and the Jonkonnu celebration.
