Annual Open House
The NC State College of Veterinary Medicine looks forward to celebrating its annual Open House on Saturday, March 28, 2026, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (This event will take place, rain or shine.)
This extremely popular free event invites the community to explore our College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Hospital to learn more about how we are a driving force in veterinary research, training and medical care.
Learn more about the operations and facilities at our Veterinary Hospital and bring your budding veterinarians to check out what the classrooms and laboratories in a state-of-the-art college of veterinary medicine are like. Then stop by demonstrations to see how our veterinarians work with animals. Make sure to leave time to participate in one of our many events.
Open House Activities
Just some of the things to do!
- Get your favorite stuffed animal repaired in our Teddy Bear Clinic.
- Milk a cow!
- Learn how our veterinarians and students care for farm animals.
- Hear from a current veterinary student on what it’s really like to study at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
- See how our researchers are improving animal and human health.
- Engage with local animal organizations.
- Get your face painted.
- Grab a snack at a food truck.
What is the Teddy Bear Clinic?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Open House at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine?
Open House is an annual event hosted by the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Hospital. The college and hospital open their doors to the public for tours, activities and learning experiences. It’s an excellent activity for all ages, from families looking for fun to students interested in learning about a career in veterinary medicine!
When is the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine’s 2026 Annual Open House?
The event will be Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and visitors are invited to drop in for as long as they can within that window. Open House will be held rain or shine.
Do I need tickets?
No, the event is free! Registration is not required, but visitors are highly encouraged to RSVP via the Facebook event.
Where can I park?
Parking is free and available a short walk from the college’s main building. Visitors entering campus will follow William Moore Drive until they reach the parking deck across from the college’s main entrance, marked by a long brick path. Parking attendants will be on-site to help direct guests to the deck.
Should the parking deck become full, additional parking will be available at Gate 9 at the NC State Fairgrounds. Shuttles will be available for those parking at Gate 9.
Limited accessible parking is available in select spots in the parking deck and in the college’s West Lot.
What kinds of activities should I expect?
Open House boasts a multitude of activities for all age groups. The event includes a self-guided tour with more than 20 stops where guests can get a taste of student life, hear more about admissions and clubs, learn from presentations and panels and participate in hands-on activities simulating several aspects of veterinary medicine. There will also be a multitude of educational demonstrations across campus!
Where do I find directions to NC State’s veterinary campus?
The NC State College of Veterinary Medicine is located off Hillsborough Street near the NC State Fairgrounds. For additional directions on getting to campus, click here.
How can visitors with mobility aids or strollers navigate campus?
The College of Veterinary Medicine’s campus is equipped with elevators that will be accessible to guests during Open House. Please note that the campus tour spans multiple floors and buildings, and guests with accessibility concerns are encouraged to contact a volunteer on-site day-of to address their needs.
Can I bring my personal pet to the event?
Personal pets are not permitted at Open House. Please leave your furry friends at home.
Will food be available on campus?
Food trucks will be parked on property for visitors to buy meals and snacks.
Additionally, our campus coffee shop, Creature Comforts Café, will be open. In addition to beverages, they offer a lineup of breakfast sandwiches, fresh bakery items, bottled beverages, grab n’ go sandwiches, wraps, pastas, salads and snacks.
Explore last year’s Open House
Follow Along on Social Media
Follow the fun on Facebook and Instagram. We will be posting additional information leading up to Open House. Share your experiences with us during the event using the #NCStateVetMed hashtag!
The NC State Veterinary Medicine Open House was so engaging to Anna Thompson that the nurse practitioner said she was ready to go back to school. “I wanna go back and be a vet,” she said.
That sense of awe permeated the campus Saturday as thousands of people enjoyed exhibits and tours of the campus. Community members sampled, among other tour stops, a surgery suite, a neuro-aging lab, an exotics animal showroom and a veterinary college admissions information booth. They also had access to eight hands-on research exhibits including Datamining DNA and Growing Guts and demonstrations with cows, agility dogs and kittens.
Dane Johnston, director of Continuing Education and Outreach, has organized the event 15 times.
"I love it," he said. "When the public comes in, they are blown away, and it reminds us of how blown away we are to be working in a place like this.”
Read the rest of the story and enjoy more pictures at the link in our profile.
#Openhouse #thrivingCVMcommunity #NCStateVetMed #animallovers
Dr. Autumn Harris has dedicated her career to researching chronic kidney disease in companion animals. With funding from the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Inc., her most recent study identified a marker in urine that could lead to ‼️ catching the disease earlier, ‼️ allowing for targeted intervention and better outcomes.
Tonja Walker enrolled Ruby, her cherished black and gray doodle who developed kidney disease early, into the ongoing study in the hopes that Ruby`s experience could help others.
“You just have to hope that in some way, everything that she’s going through won’t be in vain,” Walker recently told CBS 17.
Now, the foundation has announced it will fund a second study — scheduled to start this summer — so that Harris can explore treatment options.
Watch the CBS 17 segment with reporter Judith Ratana at the link in our profile!
That’s a wrap on Open House 2026! Thank you to everyone who came out and made today so special. We are so glad you were here. 🐺❤️
A HUGE thank you to our incredible volunteers, whose energy and enthusiasm made this day possible. To our vendors, community organizations and food trucks, thank YOU for being part of our thriving community. Until next year. 🐄✨ #ncstate
Thanks to Dr. Derek Foster and “Tildy” for giving our visitors a one-of-a-kind look at bovine digestion today. #MeetTildy #vetschoollife
Come meet the crew. 🦙🐐🐄🐷
Open House is happening RIGHT NOW — come say hi in person. Open until 3 p.m. #ncstateoncampus
We’re open until 3 p.m. 🐕 Canine Obstacle Course agility demos are at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the Hearth. One of the many things happening today at Open House.
📍 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh
#NCStateVetMed #OpenHouse2026
Open House is THIS Saturday — and we`re throwing open our doors for a free day of discovery unlike anything else in Raleigh:
🐄 Milk a cow (yes, really)
🔬 Explore "Honey, I Shrunk the Body" and "Growing Guts" in our Research Building
🐶 Watch agility dogs and more on the Hearth
🎨 Get your face painted
🌮 Grab lunch from one of seven food trucks
✨ and so much more!
Full details:
📅 Saturday, March 28
⏰ 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
📍 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh
🎟️ FREE — no tickets, no registration required
☔ Rain or shine
🔗 Link in bio for the full schedule and parking info. http://ncst.at/ffiL50Yzlm7
#NCStateOnCampus
To everyone who gave, shared and cheered us on yesterday, thank YOU. 📍You made your mark — your generosity fuels the future of veterinary medicine in our classrooms, our clinics and our research. Dean Kate Meurs has a message for you — watch below. 🐾 #GivingPack
World-class care for large animals starts with world-class tools.📍Your gift to the Large Animal Equipment Fund will enable breakthroughs and ensure that every student will train on the very best. Give today. 🔗 Link in bio. http://ncst.at/Gpny50YyN1Q #GivingPack #MakeYourMark
