Raleigh Holiday Jobs 2026: State Fair, UPS and Macy's Are Hiring Seasonal Workers

RALEIGH, NC — Raleigh's seasonal hiring window is open, and it starts at the State Fairgrounds. The N.C. State Fair needs ticket sellers, gate staff and security for its October 15–25 run on Trinity Road, UPS is adding 100,000 seasonal workers nationwide, and Macy's has two more in-person hiring days on the calendar before Thanksgiving. For holiday jobs in Raleigh, the next few weeks matter.

Who is hiring seasonal workers in the Triangle right now, what the State Fair pays, and how to get an offer before the rush.

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📍 At a Glance

N.C. State Fair	Seasonal staff work October 15–25, 2026; posted pay $15 to $22 an hour
UPS	100,000 seasonal jobs nationwide; apply online
Macy's	In-person hiring days Thursday, October 22 and Thursday, November 19
Raleigh Job Fair	Thursday, November 12, Hilton Raleigh North Hills

🎡 The State Fair Is the First Paycheck of the Season

The fair is the most Raleigh seasonal job there is: eleven days of crowds around Dorton Arena, a short hop off Hillsborough Street and Blue Ridge Road, and a staffing list long enough to need a small army. The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is staffing ticket takers and sellers, gate monitors, exhibit workers, judges, information booth workers, announcers and cash room tellers, plus supervisors.

WTVD reported in July that pay runs from $15 to $22 an hour depending on the position. Ticket sellers, head cashiers and cash room workers go through a background check. Sworn police officers and non-sworn security guards are hired under separate postings.

Applications go through the state's Workday careers site. Referred applicants get a phone interview from a hiring manager. Opening day is a week out, so apply today. Questions go to the fair's employment contact at 919-839-4503.

⚠️ Read This Before You Apply to the Fair

Food and cleanup are not fair jobs. The fair does not hire for food service, custodial work or the carnival. Midway jobs go through Powers Great American Midways, the ride operator.
State retirees use a different door. Retired State of North Carolina employees should not fill out the general application. Call the fair's business office at 919-839-4505 instead.

📦 UPS, Macy's and the Retail Rush

UPS said on October 7 that it will hire 100,000 seasonal workers across hundreds of locations for sorting, moving and delivering packages, down from the roughly 110,000 it sought last year. The company says many applicants get an offer in under seven minutes through its jobs site and that seasonal work can lead to a permanent job. It did not publish pay.

Macy's is hiring part-time store staff and some distribution workers, with in-person hiring days at its stores on Thursday, October 22 and Thursday, November 19. Times vary, so check your nearest Triangle store through Macy's careers site before you drive over. Michaels announced more than 10,000 seasonal roles in September, and Spirit Halloween is staffing a record 1,575 stores across the U.S. and Canada.

Amazon, Target and Kohl's have not announced 2026 holiday headcounts yet, so watch their careers pages rather than waiting for a press release. Outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas expects national retail holiday hiring to come in slightly below last year, so the early applicant has the edge.

📅 One More Date for Your Calendar

The Raleigh Job Fair on Thursday, November 12 at the Hilton Raleigh North Hills is free and leans toward hospitality and airport employers. Our fall job fair guide has every other verified Triangle fair this season.

🔎 Start Searching Seasonal Jobs

Seasonal hiring rewards speed. Apply to two or three employers this week, and say so if you want to stay on after January.

Start here:

Raleigh Seasonal Jobs FAQ

How much do N.C. State Fair jobs pay?

Pay runs from $15 to $22 an hour depending on the position, according to WTVD's report on the 2026 hiring push.

Can I get a food or carnival job through the State Fair?

No. The fair does not hire food service, custodial or carnival workers. Those jobs go through vendors and the midway operator.

When are the Macy's hiring events?

Thursday, October 22 and Thursday, November 19, at Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Bluemercury stores and select supply chain sites. Times vary by store.

How many seasonal workers is UPS hiring?

100,000 nationwide. UPS has not said how many will work in the Triangle.

Get Hired Before the Holiday Rush

Create a free LocalJobPage account for seasonal job alerts, and browse every open job across the Triangle.

Employers: staffing up for the holidays? Post your seasonal openings on LocalJobPage and reach Raleigh job seekers directly.