Graham’s Slice of Summer moves to Bill Cooke Park in 2026
Graham’s Slice of Summer will move to Bill Cooke Park on June 27, bringing free water attractions, food trucks and a 3 to 7 p.m. crowd to Graham’s biggest park stage.
Families deciding whether this is worth the trip get a clear answer from Graham Recreation & Parks: Slice of Summer returns free on Saturday, June 27, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and the 2026 version shifts to Bill Cooke Park at 1010 Townbranch Road in Graham. The city is pitching it as a water-themed afternoon with food trucks, giant water attractions and plenty of soaking fun, making it one of Graham’s biggest summer draws for children, parents and anyone looking for an easy low-cost outing.
The move matters because Slice of Summer is not a new idea. Graham says the event was established in 2018 in the streets of downtown Graham, and the park setting gives the city more room to build the day around recreation rather than a street festival footprint. Bill Cooke Park is already being used as a summer hub for city programming, including the Musical Chairs outdoor countywide summer concert series, so the relocation fits a broader push to funnel warm-weather events into one central public space.
For parents, the strongest case for going is simple: the event is free, open to all ages and built around activities that keep kids busy in the heat. The city’s new location also gives the festival a more structured park setting than downtown streets. Bill Cooke Park already has a dog park with a water fountain for dogs and humans, benches, natural shade, a small and shy dog area, a large dog area and wood chips, along with shelter space near the playground and Field No. 3. Shelter 1 has a capacity of 101 and seating for 60, which signals the park is set up to handle larger gatherings.
There are also a few practical rules families should know before arriving. Smoking and vaping are not allowed, pets are not allowed, drones are not allowed and there is no rain date. That makes the event easier to plan around, but also less forgiving if weather turns. For Alamance County families looking for a summer event that is free, active and firmly rooted in Graham’s park system, Slice of Summer at Bill Cooke Park is the kind of outing that should fill an afternoon without stretching the budget.
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