Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek: The Triangle's largest amphitheatre
The Triangle has its fair share of outdoor music venues, but the largest by far is Raleigh’s Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek. Located southeast of the city, off of I-40 and I-440 on an expansive tract of land known as Walnut Creek Park, this outdoor amphitheatre has played host to many of music’s biggest and brightest since 1991.
Holding a capacity crowd of approximately 20,000 people, throughout the years it’s been the chosen site for various all day music fests like Lollapalooza, party central for Jimmy Buffet’s devoted “parrot heads” and the definitive home court destination for summertime’s huge country music touring sensations.
The amphitheatre offers approximately 7,000 reserved seats with about half under cover, including VIP box seating. The crescent-shaped grassy lawn can hold an additional 13,000 people under the open sky. Blankets and low sitting lawn chairs (no higher than 9” off the ground) are allowed, or you may rent a chair on the premises. Small, tote sized umbrellas are allowed as well -- remember the shows go on rain or shine.
There are nine parking lots adjacent to the amphitheatre, but depending upon where you park, you may have a lengthy walk ahead of you. Furthermore, road traffic can get thick, so plan your arrival time accordingly.
Once inside the amphitheatre gates, you will not go hungry – everything from pizza, to chicken tenders, to brats, to BBQ sandwiches are on the various vendors’ menus. Nor will you find a shortage of beverages -- choose from canned and draft beers, micro brews, soft drinks, frozen daiquiris, margaritas and bottled water. But, like most major venues, all of the concessions are pricey, so factor that into your budget.
As the Triangle continues to boom with growth, it’s become apparent that most promoters mark the area as a major tour stop. From mid-April through mid-October, count on the Time Warner Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek to program nearly 40 of those bookings per year.
HelloRaleigh Tip: If you are really serious about your love of outdoor shows when it comes to country music, look into the “Country Megaticket.” Multi-show ticket packages can be secured for the upcoming summer season’s line-up for this venue. This offer is generally announced in the winter prior to the season’s launch. Visit www.megaticket.com for more information.
Posted by Angela Risko
