The weekend approaches. You’re eager to do something, but what? And when? And where?

Behold the GetGoingNC Comprehensive Calendar Collection. For a while now I’ve been mulling a unified calendar that would include every outdoor activity — from nature hikes, to bike rides, to paddle trips, to 5Ks, to Yoga-in-the-Park to whatever — going on across the state. I’m still mulling (I’ve discovered that such a calendar is a lot of work), but in the interim I’ve come up with the next best thing: a collection of event calendars culled from across the state that should clue you in to dang near everything going on on any given day in North Carolina.

For instance, let’s say you’re headed to the Atlantic Beach area for Fourth of July weekend. You wouldn’t mind dropping in on a group bike ride while you’re in the area, but where to find  a good July 4 ride? Simply click on the Crystal Coast Tourism Authority Calendar below, scroll down a little bit and — bingo! — you’ll discover the 4th of July Underwater Bike Race on the deck of the shipwreck Indra in 60 feet of water about six miles off the coast! Pack your flippers and your Fuji and you’re set.

For the remainder of the summer (through Labor Day, the social end to summer if not the actual end), I’ll run the GGNC Comprehensive Calendar Collection every Thursday. I’ll also highlight an event from each region — Coast, Piedmont, Mountains — that you might be particularly interested in. That will start next Thursday; today, you can explore the calendars on your own and see what tickles your adventure fancy. And to make the GGNC Comprehensive Calendar Collection as comprehensive a calendar collection as possible, if you know of a helpful calendar of outdoor events that has eluded this list, bring it to my attention and I’ll plug it in.

Find an event, get out, explore.

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Coast Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

Photo by Dale Hansen. See more of Hansen’s shots from the Underwater Bike Race on the Indra at the Discovery Diving Web site.