Winston-Salem

Around Winston-Salem

Photo: Skarmory · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Metro area · North Carolina · 705k people

Winston-Salem

Locals say Piedmont Triad · “Camel City”

Where history and innovation share a sweet tooth.

Old gold of Wake Forest UniversityBlack of Wake Forest UniversityDeep red

Join the room Ask the neighbours

Welcome to Winston-Salem, where Moravian history meets modern creativity. Whether you're here for the barbecue, the ballpark, or the arts, you'll find a friendly crowd. Grab a Krispy Kreme and settle in.

Clubs for Winston-Salem

No clubs for Winston-Salem yet.

The room

One room for everyone around Winston-Salem. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.

Ask the neighbours

All

A good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.

Coming up

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Marketplace

Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Winston-Salem. Sign in to sell something.

Things to do

  • Old Salem Museums & Gardens Living history of the Moravian community
  • Reynolda House Museum of American Art Historic estate with American art
  • Wake Forest University Home of the Demon Deacons
  • Truist Stadium Minor league baseball home of the Dash
  • Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Hosts the Dixie Classic Fair
  • Salem Lake Popular for fishing and walking trails
  • Outdoors Walk or run the Salem Lake loop
  • Outdoors Bike the Salem Creek Greenway
  • With kids Explore Old Salem's living history
  • With kids Visit Kaleideum children's museum
  • Evenings Catch a show at the Stevens Center
  • Evenings Bar hop on Trade Street in the Arts District
  • Locals love Arts venues in converted tobacco warehouses
  • Locals love Local barbecue joints

Through the year

  • Dixie Classic Fair September-October Annual fair with rides, food, and livestock
  • RiverRun International Film Festival April Film screenings and events
  • Winston-Salem Cycling Classic May Professional cycling race in downtown
  • Winston-Salem Air Show September Aviation displays at Smith Reynolds Airport

Winston-Salem has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. Spring and fall are the best times to be out with mild temperatures. Summers are hot and humid, winters are cool with occasional snow, and spring brings blooming gardens. Best: Spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) are the best times to be out with mild temperatures.

Talk like a local

“The Dash”
The Winston-Salem Dash baseball team
“The Fair”
The Dixie Classic Fair
“Old Salem”
The historic Moravian settlement
“The Triad”
The Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point metro area

Getaways

Local flavour

Teams

  • Wake Forest Demon Deacons NCAA Division I
  • Winston-Salem Dash MiLB (High-A)
  • Carolina Thunderbirds FPHL

Also rooting for Carolina Panthers (NFL), Charlotte Hornets (NBA), Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)

Eat and drink

  • Moravian cookies
  • Lexington-style barbecue Pulled pork with vinegar-based sauce, from nearby Lexington
  • Krispy Kreme doughnuts Founded in Winston-Salem in 1937
  • Texas Pete hot sauce Created in Winston-Salem

Where people go

  • Historic Moravian settlement (Old Salem) A preserved 18th-century Moravian community
  • Tobacco warehouses converted to arts venues The city's industrial past now hosts galleries and studios
  • Minor league ballpark Home of the Winston-Salem Dash
  • College campuses Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University

Heritage and traditions

Winston-Salem is proud of its dual heritage as a Moravian settlement and a tobacco industry powerhouse, blending historic charm with a vibrant arts scene. Locals take pride in their culinary traditions, from Moravian cookies to Lexington-style barbecue, and in their transformation from a manufacturing hub to a center of innovation and culture.

This time of year in Winston-Salem

  • Dixie Classic Fair October A fall fair with rides, food, and livestock shows.
  • Wake Forest football games Fall Tailgating and game day traditions in the fall.
  • Lexington Barbecue Festival October A celebration of Lexington-style BBQ, with vendors serving chopped pork and hushpuppies.

Say it like a local: “Winstun-Salem” — A local pronunciation of 'Winston-Salem' that drops the 's' in 'Winston'.

Festivals

  • Moravian Lovefeast December A centuries-old Moravian tradition held during Advent, featuring candlelight, music, and sweet buns.
  • Lexington Barbecue Festival October A celebration of Lexington-style BBQ, with vendors serving chopped pork and hushpuppies.
  • RiverRun International Film Festival April A showcase of independent and international films, with screenings and filmmaker Q&As.
  • Winston-Salem Jazz Festival September A multi-day event featuring local and national jazz artists in various venues.
  • Old Salem Christmas December Historic Moravian Christmas traditions, including lantern tours and decorations.
  • Winston-Salem Food Truck Festival Summer A gathering of local food trucks offering a variety of cuisines.

Landmarks with a story

  • Old Salem Museums & Gardens A living history museum preserving the Moravian settlement with original buildings and gardens.
  • Reynolda House Museum of American Art A historic estate and art museum showcasing American art in a beautiful setting.
  • Historic Bethabara Park The site of the first Moravian settlement in North Carolina, with reconstructed buildings and trails.
  • Winston-Salem State University A historically black university founded in 1892, with a rich heritage and cultural significance.
  • Reynolds Building A landmark skyscraper built for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, now repurposed as a hotel.
  • Hanesbrands Theatre A historic theater in the downtown arts district, hosting performances and events.

Food traditions

  • Moravian cookies Thin, crisp cookies with spices like ginger and molasses, a tradition from the Moravian community.
  • Lexington-style barbecue Pork shoulder slow-cooked over hickory, chopped and served with a vinegar and ketchup-based sauce.
  • Krispy Kreme doughnuts Founded in Winston-Salem, these glazed doughnuts are a local staple, especially when the 'Hot Now' sign is on.
  • Texas Pete hot sauce A hot sauce brand born in Winston-Salem, used on everything from barbecue to eggs.
  • Moravian sugar cake A sweet, yeasted cake with brown sugar and butter, often served at Moravian celebrations.

Music and arts

  • Old Salem music Moravian music traditions, including brass ensembles and choral works, are preserved and performed.
  • Piedmont blues A fingerpicking guitar style that originated in the Piedmont region, with local musicians keeping it alive.
  • Arts District murals The downtown Arts District features murals and public art reflecting the city's industrial and cultural history.
  • Folk pottery The region has a tradition of folk pottery, especially in the nearby Seagrove area.

A little history

  • 1766 Moravian settlement founded
  • 1875 R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company established
  • 1913 Winston and Salem merge to form Winston-Salem
  • 1937 Krispy Kreme founded
  • 1956 Wake Forest University moves to Winston-Salem

Rivalries

  • Wake Forest vs Duke College basketball rivalry
  • Wake Forest vs NC State Football and basketball rivalry
  • Winston-Salem Dash vs Greensboro Grasshoppers Minor league baseball rivalry
  • Carolina Thunderbirds vs Fayetteville Marksmen Hockey rivalry in the SPHL
  • Game day Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
  • Game day Winston-Salem Dash baseball
  • Outdoors Walk or run the Salem Lake loop
  • Outdoors Bike the Salem Creek Greenway
  • With kids Moravian Lovefeast
  • With kids Dixie Classic Fair

Locals speak with a Southern accent, often with a slight Piedmont drawl. You'll hear phrases like 'y'all' and 'fixin' to,' and the pronunciation of 'Winston' often drops the 't' sound.

Only here

  • The Moravian Lovefeast, a candlelit service with buns and coffee, is a unique Advent tradition.
  • Krispy Kreme's 'Hot Now' sign is a local icon.
  • The city's name is a combination of two towns that merged.
  • The Wake Forest Innovation Quarter is built in old tobacco warehouses.
New here? A few tips
  • Embrace the barbecue: Try Lexington-style BBQ at a local spot; it's a point of pride.
  • Learn the pronunciation: 'Winston' often sounds like 'Winstun' to locals.
  • Get a taste of Moravian culture: Visit Old Salem and try Moravian cookies and sugar cake.
  • Be ready for the heat and humidity in summer; spring and fall are mild.
  • Traffic can be busy around Wake Forest University and downtown during events.

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Part of Greensboro area

Nearby

Every area
GreensboroNorth CarolinaCrossroads of the Piedmont, rich in history and flavorMount AiryNorth CarolinaWhere Mayberry lives on, with a touch of granite.BurlingtonNorth CarolinaWhere the Haw River winds through mill-town history.MartinsvilleVirginiaRacing heart, Piedmont soulNorth WilkesboroNorth CarolinaWhere the Blue Ridge meets the backroadsAlbemarleNorth CarolinaSmall-town lakeside living with a forest heartDanvilleVirginiaWhere the Dan River hums with history.HickoryNorth CarolinaWhere the mountains meet the furniture craft.

Winston-Salem, NC. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.

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