Triangle Weekender 2023

NIGHTLIFE

FAMILY FUN

FOOD & DRINKS

EVENTS & FESTIVALS

LIVE MUSIC & THEATER

ARTS & MUSEUMS

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

Franklin

HENDRICK SOUTHPOINT AUTO MALL HAS IT ALL!

Hendrick Southpoint Auto Mall features four stand-alone dealerships: Hendrick Acura Southpoint, BMW of Southpoint, Hendrick Subaru Southpoint and Porsche Southpoint. While Hendrick Automotive Group has been part of the Chapel Hill community since 1985, this year marks five years at its Southpoint location. Gerald Ramoin, Hendrick Automotive Group market area vice president, guarantees that customers will continue to receive the world-class service they’ve come to expect.

From oil changes to transmission replacements, their team of highly qualified technicians is dedicated to exceptional customer service. With a wide variety of new and pre-owned vehicles on-site, customers can buy and service vehicles of any make or model, and all vehicles purchased come with the Hendricks certification.

With full hours of operation, including weekends, and with pick-up and delivery available, Hendrick Southpoint is committed to convenience. Hendrick Southpoint Auto Mall is not only a place where customers can buy and service vehicles, but also where they can shop and dine just around the corner.

2023 ACURA MDX

HENDRICK ACURA SOUTHPOINT

2023 PORSCHE MACAN PORSCHE SOUTHPOINT

2023 SUBARU ASCENT HENDRICK SUBARU SOUTHPOINT

2023 BMW iX BMW OF SOUTHPOINT

EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE MANAGING EDITOR

Amanda MacLaren

EDITOR, CHAPEL HILL MAGAZINE

Jessica Stringer

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

Renee Ambroso and Brooke Spach

MANAGING EDITORS, CHATHAM MAGAZINE

Anna-Rhesa Versola and Morgan Cartier Weston

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Sam Annetta, Ellison Beaver, Anna Wesley Dubach, Cailey Cetani, Sinclair Holian, Katie MacKinnon, Mila Mascenik, Cooper Metts, Lena Miano and Haley Pineles

ART

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Kevin Brown

GRAPHIC DESIGNER/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Lindsay Scott

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Khadijah Weekes-Nolan

PHOTOGRAPHER

John Michael Simpson

ADVERTISING

For advertising inquiries, email advertising@chapelhillmagazine.com

Melissa Crane melissa.crane@trianglemediapartners.com

Kem Johnson kem.johnson@trianglemediapartners.com

Lauren Phillips lauren.phillips@trianglemediapartners.com

Lucinda Poole lucinda.poole@trianglemediapartners.com

Dana Statkun dana.statkun@trianglemediapartners.com

DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE OPERATIONS

Ashlin Acheson

CORPORATE

FOUNDER/CHAIRMAN

Dan Shannon PRESIDENT, TRIANGLE MEDIA PARTNERS

Ellen Shannon

PRESIDENT, TRIANGLE DIGITAL PARTNERS

Rory Kelly Gillis

VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Amy Bell

VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER, CHATHAM MAGAZINE

Chris Elkins chris.elkins@trianglemediapartners.com

PUBLISHER, HEART OF NC WEDDINGS

Jenna Parks

CREATIVE DIRECTOR, TRIANGLE DIGITAL PARTNERS

Sally Scruggs

DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER

Lizzie Jones

DIGITAL CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST

Brian McIndoo

DISTRIBUTION

Matt Bair

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT

Cassady Orsini

Auctioneers of Quality Objects & Collections

CONTENTSTable of

8 The Ultimate Checklist

Must-dos to make the most out of life in the Triangle

26 Mark Your Calendar

There’s always a great festival, market, celebration and more on tap no matter the time of year

44 Sports & Outdoors

Stay active and social by watching a game, teaching the kiddos a new sport, joining a run club, throwing a disc around and much more!

54 Foodie Focus

Our area is known for its stellar dining scene. Try a few of our favorites or an exciting new addition, depending on your appetite and occasion.

67 Drinks All Around

A guide to the Triangle’s new and established breweries, distilleries and cideries

78 Family-Friendly Faves

Create lasting memories with dozens of fun-filled outings for parents and kiddos alike

90 Curate Your Weekend

We’ve got you covered on plans for any occasion, from group activities to dates to solo adventures

CHECK LIST The Ultimate

Must-dos to make the most out of life in the Triangle

Photography by John Michael Simpson

Illustrations by Lindsay Scott

 Take in the sights and sweet smells of the Raleigh Rose Garden, one of three accredited rose gardens in the state with grounds that include 60 rose beds filled with varieties of hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, miniatures and antique roses, surrounded by an arboretum of evergreen and deciduous trees.

 Step back in time with a tour of the working West Point Mill at West Point on the Eno. While you’re there, visit the McCown-Mangum House and the Hugh Mangum Museum of Photography

 Take an Intro to Bouldering class at Triangle Rock Club, which has locations in Raleigh, Morrisville and Durham. TRC will open a new 39,000-square-foot facility, which will be its largest location and the largest climbing gym in North Carolina, at 1249 Wicker Dr. in Raleigh in 2024.

Travel on miles of vintage track through scenic woods and over a trestle during an hourlong New Hope Valley Railway round trip from Bonsal to New Hill and back, enjoying food, drinks, music and other entertainment on certain days.

 Relax on the lawn of Weaver Street Market in Carrboro.

All aboard! Brakeman and host Dave Brook waves as the open-air car departs for an hourlong ride, chugging along four miles of historic track through pine woods on the New Hope Valley Railway.

 Visit the Civil War-era Burwell School Historic Site, and learn about the bravery of Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, who escaped life as a slave to become a close confidant of first lady Mary Todd Lincoln.

 See the Belted Galloway cows and stroll through Fearrington Village.

 Pack a picnic dinner to enjoy a concert or movie screening outdoors at Apex Nature Park Amphitheatre

 Take a tour of the Duke Lemur Center, which houses the largest group of these endangered primates in the world.

 Watch a Broadway show at the Durham Performing Arts Center or catch the North Carolina Symphony at Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh.

Catch an afternoon show with the family at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center.

Check out the latest exhibit at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University – below, visitors explore “Spirit in the Land,” which is on view until July 9 – and visit the outdoor space and sculptural garden that connects it to the Rubenstein Arts Center, where you can also peruse exhibits, hear live music or see a dance troupe perform.

 Watch a show by the Bouncing Bulldogs, a youth jump rope team of international acclaim.

 Have a locally brewed beer (see our list of breweries, cideries and more starting on page 67).

 Watch a minor league baseball game at either the Carolina Mudcats’ Five County Stadium in Zebulon or the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham. 

Visitors walk through the “Spirit in the Land” exhibition, on view till July 9, at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

PHOTO BY J CALDWELL

The Attucks family is all smiles after their visit to Morehead Planetarium and Science Center.

PHOTO BY MICK SCHULTE

Walk, run, bike or even ride a horse on the American Tobacco Trail.

 Challenge yourself on the Bond Park Challenge Course at Fred G. Bond Metro Park

 Visit Bennett Place, the site of the largest surrender in the Civil War.

 Sip award-winning chambourcin at FireClay Cellars, the only commercial vineyard in Chatham County.

 Catch a show at Raleigh Little Theatre, one of the oldest continuously operating community theaters in the country.

Dance through an evening of music outside at Fridays on the Front Porch at The Carolina Inn (April-October).

Go canoeing, kayaking, fishing, camping, picnicking, boating and swimming at Jordan Lake, Falls Lake, Lake Michie, Lake Johnson, Lake Crabtree, Lake Wheeler and the Eno River State Park (the latter celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023!).

LEFT Get your groove on like Wright Winchester at Fridays on the Front Porch.

 Enjoy a relaxing turn down Poet’s Walk at Ayr Mount in Hillsborough.

 Snap a picture with Major the Bull in CCB Plaza

 Take a ride on one of the Historic Raleigh Trolleys to learn more about the City of Oaks’ past. 

ABOVE Todd Wilson slalom skis across Jordan Lake.

PHOTO BY BRIANA BROUGH

 Volunteer with a local nonprofit in your county, from Meals on Wheels to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina to Habitat for Humanity.

 Take a step back in Chapel Hill town history at the Horace Williams House, home to Preservation Chapel Hill.

Ride your bike down Franklin Street in Chapel Hill and keep an eye out for all the local art on bus shelters and crosswalks, as well as the many murals, thanks to Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture

 Catch a live show with Duke Performances.

 Purchase your own pair of locally made jeans from Raleigh Workshop

 Learn pottery or drawing at the newly relocated The ArtsCenter in Carrboro.

 Walk or bike along the banks of the Eno River on the Riverwalk in Hillsborough.

 Adopt a pet from a local animal shelter or rescue – a few of our faves are the Animal Protection Society of Durham, Independent Animal Rescue, Orange County Animal Services, Paws4ever, Chatham Animal Rescue and Education, SPCA of Wake County, Wake County Animal Center, Second Chance Pet Adoptions, Safe Haven for Cats and Saving Grace.

 Enjoy a performance, art show or free movie at the Halle Cultural Arts Center in Apex.

Preorder a meal by Catering Works at the North Carolina Museum of Art and picnic at the Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park, which features temporary and permanent public art installations, environmentally sustainable landscapes, colorful contemporary gardens, miles of recreational trails and a terraced pond.

 Recycle your old technology with Triangle Ecycling, which handles computer refurbishing and has a strong youth education program with Durham Public Schools, teaching hands-on computer repair skills to students.

 Have a family-friendly afternoon out at Jack Smith Park in Cary, where there’s a splash pad, playground, dog park, 10-foot-tall climbing rock and unique sculptures from artists Vollis Simpson and William Moore.

Peruse antiques, furniture, collectibles, clothing and more from more than 500 vendors at The Raleigh Market at N.C. State Fairgrounds, a flea market that’s been around since the 1970s!

 Learn about hoops history at the Carolina Basketball Museum, Duke Basketball Museum and Duke Athletics Hall of Fame or NC State Athletics Walk of Fame & History located inside Reynolds Coliseum. (Still want more sports history? Visit the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame on the third floor of the North Carolina Museum of History in downtown Raleigh.)

 Hop on the Amtrak for a train ride from Raleigh to Cary to Durham and back again.

ABOVE LEFT East Coast Electric Speed Shop COO Jacob Torbert and CEO Christopher Carini ride down East Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART

PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON ARTHURS

 See a Carolina Performing Arts show at Current ArtSpace + Studio or Memorial Hall.

 Visit PLUS Dueling Piano Bar, “the largest dueling piano bar in the United States,” in downtown Raleigh.

 Indulge your sweet tooth with a visit to the Videri Chocolate Factory – don’t leave without a box of bonbons!

 Play a round of golf at the newly renovated UNC Finley Golf Course (reopening in late summer 2023), Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, Hillandale Golf Course, Lonnie Poole Golf Course and/or Heritage Golf Course

 Or hit up the 18-hole disc golf course at Cedar Hills Park in North Raleigh.

 Skate or bike around at the Daniel Dhers Action Sports Complex in Holly Springs, one of the largest familyoriented, year-round skating and biking training facilities in the world with more than 37,000-square-feet of indoor and outdoor riding terrain.

Chatham County Historical Society volunteer Allen Wilson gives a lesson to fourth grade students from Siler City Elementary School.

Tour the Chatham Historical Museum located in the Historic Chatham County Courthouse to learn more about the area.

The Cooper family at Durham County Library’s large rooftop terrace that features a green roof and views of downtown.

Megan Cain, owner of The Zen Succulent, is always willing to give friendly advice when it comes to caring for indoor plants.

Learn how to build your own terrarium, hang macramé planters and create floral arrangements at plant and gift shop The ZEN Succulent (which has locations in Durham and Raleigh).

 Catch a concert at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek.

 Spend a spring afternoon at Sarah P. Duke Gardens.

 Stop by Durham’s Visitor Info Center, Pittsboro’s Welcome Center, the new Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau and Raleigh’s Visitor Information Center for printed maps and guides, personalized recommendations and more from destination experts.

 Try every vendor at our local food halls: Blue Dogwood Public Market, Durham Food Hall, Morgan Street Food Hall, Transfer Co. Food Hall and Craften

 Order a Blue Cup at He’s Not Here in Chapel Hill.

 Immerse yourself in the stories of the Bull City’s past at the Museum of Durham History. 

Suit up in the home team’s colors and support your local high school sports!

Learn about the historic Alexander Dickson House, which also serves as the Hillsborough visitors center.

Head coach Kerri Snipes speaks to her varsity girls basketball players at Northwood High School in Pittsboro.

PHOTO BY ALLIE MULLIN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALLIANCE FOR HISTORIC HILLSBOROUGH

 Walk around University Hill in Durham to look at all the incredible murals, then head to BB’s Crispy Chicken for dinner and Apéritif for wine and dessert.

 Enjoy art, live music, and food and drink as you gallery hop during First Friday Gallery Walk in Raleigh, 2nd Friday ArtWalk in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Third Fridays in Durham and Last Fridays in Hillsborough.

 Become a member of the University Club on the 17th floor of University Tower. Often referred to as “The Pickle” by locals, the tower is home to offices and a penthouse restaurant and bar.

Grab local fare or gifts for friends and family next time you fly out of Raleigh-Durham International Airport –we heartily recommend La Farm Bakery, Raleigh Brewing Co., Beyu Caffe and American Meltdown (you can order the latter two from the getREEF Virtual Food Hall in Terminal 2!).

Stay tuned for more homegrown options coming soon to Terminal 2 –Durham Distillery announced it is opening a Conniption Cocktail Bar, and five-time James Beard Award nominee Scott Crawford is slated to open a bar and grill concept, Crawford’s Genuine, in 2024.

Customers at RDU use kiosks or the getREEF phone app to order food and drinks. A QR code is then sent to customers to open a locker near the kiosks and take their meal when it’s ready.

Catch a North Carolina FC or North Carolina

Courage soccer game at Cary’s WakeMed Soccer Park

PHOTO COURTESY OF USATODAY/IMAGN

 Learn all about downtown Durham’s history and architecture on a free walking or bike tour hosted by Preservation Durham.

 Look sharp in a Carolina blue tie from Julian’s.

 Stroll the sacred grounds of Historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh and Historic Maplewood Cemetery in Durham. Preservation Durham also hosts walking tours of Maplewood in which guides share information about the people buried in the cemetery as well as funerary traditions, grave art and architecture.

 Explore the four floors of exhibits –topics range from DNA to animal health – at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the Southeast’s largest natural history museum.

 Play your way through the exhibits at Marbles, the children’s museum in downtown Raleigh.

 Tour Duke Homestead State Historic Site, the early home, factories and farm where Washington Duke first grew and processed tobacco.

 Ride the carousel or train, pedal a boat or play on the playgrounds in Raleigh’s Pullen Park, the first public park in the state.

 See a Theatre in the Park performance. One of the theater company’s longestrunning and biggest hits, “A Christmas Carol,” which was adapted into a musical comedy by Artistic and Executive Director Ira David Wood III, is always a sellout during the holiday season. This year marks the show’s 50th anniversary as well as Ira David Wood III’s final season performing as Scrooge. 

RIGHT King Cobra Apiary’s Alicia Ballard talks to Reid Chamberlain and his son, Emerson Chamberlain, 3, about honey at the Chapel Hill Farmers Market.

BELOW Joey Hodge and Raelyn Shaw explore the Museum of Life and Science.

PHOTO BY JESSICA STRINGER

Enjoy the latest exhibition at the Ackland Art Museum or stroll through the artistowned FRANK Gallery, which recently relocated from University Place to Carrboro.

Stroll the grounds of the JC Raulston Arboretum, which are open every day of the week throughout the year. Next time you visit, peruse the Plant Sale Buggy outside the Bobby G. Wilder Visitor Center and purchase a plant of your own to take home!

PHOTO COURTESY OF JC RAULSTON ARBORETUM AT NC STATE UNIVERSITY

Learn more about our state’s past at the North Carolina Museum of History, a Smithsonian affiliate, which is located across from the Capitol. (Don’t miss “Signs of the Times,” an exhibition about the history of protest in North Carolina, which is on display until March 31, 2024.)

 Run, walk or bike the Neuse River Greenway Trail, 27.5 miles of paved trail along the Neuse River that winds through wetlands, historical sights, interpretive signs and agricultural fields. It’s a segment of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a long-distance trail that runs across North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks and includes other trails in Hillsborough as well as along Falls Lake and the Eno River.

 Eat your way around downtown Raleigh on a Triangle Food Tour in the Boylan Heights or historic Oakwood neighborhoods or take your pick among downtown Raleigh or Durham tasting or dinner and drinks tours with Taste Carolina

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF HISTORY

Experience the purple fields at Lavender Oaks Farm in Chapel Hill at the height of lavender season in the summer.

CALENDAR Mark Your

DREAMVILLE FESTIVAL

Spring

Arts on Market This spring and fall community event in Southern Village features handcrafted art and gifts made by regional artists, artisans, bakers and makers.

Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance Camp, explore and groove at music festivals at Shakori Hills Community Arts Center, like the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance, a four-day event held in May and October, and the Hoppin’ John Fiddlers’ Convention in September.

North Carolinaraised and Grammy Awardwinning hip-hop artist J. Cole puts on and performs at this popular two-day music festival featuring local culture, food and art in one of Raleigh’s most beautiful and historic locations, Dorothea Dix Park. Fans can look forward to a weekend celebration curated by Cole himself with some of his favorite artists and collaborators.

Earth Day Festival Celebrate environmental awareness and sustainability with Durham Parks & Recreation. Enjoy a day filled with earth-friendly activities, educational resources, a host of vendors, good music and even better food!

North Carolina Science Festival

The monthlong, statewide festival produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center includes activities in Orange, Durham, Chatham and Wake counties that aim to spread science education through informative, fun, handson events like stargazing, science olympiad competitions and scavenger hunts.

ClydeFEST The free festival celebrates Bynumbased folk “critter artist” Clyde Jones and his creative, colorful wooden creatures. The Chatham Arts Council puts on the familyfriendly carnival with art, games, music, food and Clyde’s famous critters.

Spring Hootenanny & Foodie Festival

Enjoy live folk and bluegrass music, local fare, games, giveaways, Cheerwine and more at this family-friendly festival at Phillips Farms in Cary. The festival also takes place in the fall.

There’s always a great festival, market, celebration and more on tap in the Triangle

Compiled by Renee Ambroso and Sam Annetta

Durham Craft Market

This outdoor market at Durham Central Park has up to 40 rotating artists who showcase their work every Saturday morning from April through the Saturday before Thanksgiving, plus an additional Shop Small event after Thanksgiving and a holiday market in December.

Longleaf Film Festival

This free, weekendlong festival at the North Carolina Museum of History presents dozens of independent films that have a Tar Heel connection, either through the people involved in making them, the filming location or through their subject.

Audiences and filmmakers alike mingle at socials, workshops and screenings.

This fundraising festival of art and flowers at North Carolina Museum of Art showcases the creativity of floral designers who use their skills to interpret the fine art within the museum and design an awe-inspiring arrangement. Proceeds from the event benefit the NCMA Foundation Inc.

Freight Train Blues Concert Series

This concert series celebrates the life of Carrboronative and blues legend, Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten Enjoy free outdoor performances in May and June at Carrboro Town Commons.

Historic Civil War Surrender The 159th anniversary event commemorating the end of the American Civil War at Bennett Place State Historic Site includes lectures and special tours demonstrating life as it was during the war.

Spring Chicken Festival Shake your tailfeather at this free outdoor festival that takes place along East Second Street in Siler City with live musical performances, vendors of handmade goods, information booths, games, rides and more.

Preservation Durham Home Tour Each year, Preservation Durham – with its mission to protect Durham’s historic assets – offers the public a glimpse into a different historic neighborhood or thematic group of historic properties. The theme this year will be Then & Now: Part 2, a sequel to the 2022 tour.

Artsplosure Explore the eclectic, awardwinning arts festival and market in the heart of downtown Raleigh that features approximately 175 fine artists and craftspeople exhibiting original works of art across multiple categories, including paintings, photography, pottery, jewelry, woodwork and more – all of which will be available for purchase. Kids enjoy free arts and craft activities at Kidsplosure, and a main stage hosts live performances.

East and West Weaver streets close to traffic and host community activities including tennis, rock climbing and more.

Tar Heel 10 Miler This race takes you through iconic downtown Chapel Hill, UNC’s campus and the surrounding historic neighborhoods – a true Carolina tradition!

Got to Be NC Festival This annual event is held at the N.C. State Fairgrounds and features food, wine and beer from across North Carolina, rides and games, farm animals, music and one of the largest displays of antique tractors and farm equipment in the Southeast. 

COURTESY OF DREAMVILLE FESTIVAL AND THE PARALLEL AGENCY

CARRBORO OPEN STREETS

ART IN BLOOM

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

Brewgaloo Craft Beer Festival This twoday beer festival features more than 110 craft breweries while partnering with local food trucks, vendors and bands to create the largest craft beer festival in the state. Friday night kicks off with a block party that showcases limited releases, barrelaged and sour beers. Saturday’s street festival fills downtown Raleigh, complete with two stages featuring local bands all day long.

Rock the Park Durham Parks & Recreation offers this free summer series that includes outdoor concerts and movies on the big screen at the city’s parks from June through August. Food can be purchased from on-site vendors. Bring blankets and lawn chairs.

Bull City

Food & Beer Experience

Guests enjoy unlimited food and beer samplings throughout all three floors of the Durham Performing Arts Center to benefit local nonprofits.

A part of the nation’s largest sustainable farm tour, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association partners with Weaver Street Market to bring visitors to farms throughout North Carolina’s Piedmont region. Bring a cooler to take home farmfresh products.

Carolina Fear Fest Celebrate all things horror alongside fellow fans of the genre with unique vendors, meet-and-greets with celebrity guests, informative panels and entertainment over Memorial Day weekend at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. Enjoy cosplay and trivia contests, music, celeb Q&As and so much more.

WALK FOR THE ANIMALS

Bring your furry friend to Duke University’s East Campus lawn for a 1.5-mile walk to benefit the Animal Protection Society of Durham, which cares for close to 5,000 animals annually. Enter your pooch in pet contests; watch agility demonstrations; visit the dozens of vendors, from doggy day cares to vets and other animal-supportive businesses; meet adoptable dogs; and more.

International Food Festival Celebrate Raleigh’s diversity, art, culture and traditions at City Plaza while enjoying food truck fare, desserts, beer and wine from around the world, with more than 60 countries represented among the vendors. Stick around for one of the largest outdoor international dance parties with nonstop performances.

Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival

Honoring African and African American history, culture, arts and traditions, Durham Parks & Recreation hosts an afternoon of live music, arts and crafts, ethnic food and fun family activities at Rock Quarry Park. The annual festival, which is free and open to the public, was established in 1969 by a group of local students and community members to honor the West African festival of harvest and celebration. Remember to bring a lawn chair or blanket.

PIEDMONT FARM TOUR

PHOTO BY TARA LYNN

PHOTO BY ANNA-RHESA VERSOLA

PHOTO BY RYAN MOELLER

Durham Blues and Brews Festival Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy unlimited 12-ounce pours from 20 N.C. breweries/ cideries/wineries at this blues music and craft brews festival at Durham Central Park Festival proceeds benefit The Exchange Club of Greater Durham, a service-oriented civic club working to improve the community and prevent child abuse.

PLAYLIST

CONCERT SERIES

Every first Friday from May to October, Durham Central Park and WNCU 90.7-FM present a free concert featuring national and local artists at DCP’s Pavilion and lawn –rain or shine. Bring a blanket or a chair and enjoy the live music plus food trucks, craft beer and a variety of vendors on site.

NC Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Festival

Explore the unique shops of Lafayette Village in Raleigh as you sample wines, cheeses and chocolates. Live music and local vendors set up in the courtyard, and guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs to enjoy the fun atmosphere.

NC Juneteenth Celebration Observing the abolition of slavery, this fun, educational and uplifting event takes place at Golden Belt Campus in Durham and features live entertainment, food, vendors, exhibitors and presentations on the origin and significance of Juneteenth.

SMALL TOWN PRIDE

Commemorate

Pride in June as the towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill co-present a monthlong celebration that includes the Chapel Hill Pride Promenade at Peace & Justice Plaza in downtown Chapel Hill, plus drag storytimes, art installations, live entertainment, food, treats and more.

Chapel Hill Garden Tour The two-day tour blooms every other year. Put on by the Chapel Hill Garden Club – a nearly 100-yearold nonprofit that “educates its members in horticulture, floral design, landscape design and sound environmental practice” – next year’s tour runs April 27 and 28 with a theme of “Tucked Away Treasures.”

Beaver Queen Pageant This unique and often wacky – in a good way! – pageant started in 2005 when the construction of I-85 threatened Durham’s Duke Park beavers. On the first Saturday in June, contestants dress up in themed costumes, vying for the title of Beaver Queen by bribing the judges, all to benefit the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association.

Capital City Juneteenth Celebration

Bring a blanket or low beach chairs to enjoy an afternoon of entertainment and food at Dorothea Dix Park as a part of this free, annual festival presented in partnership by St. Paul’s A.M.E. Church, North Carolina Museum of History, North Carolina Historic Sites, Dorothea Dix Park, Visit NC and City of Raleigh Museum. Other events throughout the weekend include a fish fry at Dorothea Dix, a prayer service and a screening of “Homegirls” at Kenan Auditorium at William Peace University. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHAPEL HILL COMMUNITY ARTS & CULTURE

AMERICAN DANCE FESTIVAL

One of the largest and most influential modern dance festivals in the world celebrates its 90th annual season with more than 23 choreographers and dance companies taking part in 32 performances across Durham this summer.

Dancers from both emerging and long-standing companies like Pilobolus, Rennie Harris Puremovement, Paul Taylor Dance Company and BodyTraffic will perform at Reynolds Industries Theater, Page Auditorium, the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University and in von der Heyden Studio Theater at the Rubenstein Arts Center. Don’t miss your chance to bring your kiddos to its Children’s Saturday Matinee series, too!

Summer

Out! Raleigh Pride An integral part of Raleigh’s downtown culture, this annual family-friendly event promotes diversity, awareness and inclusiveness for the LGBTQ+ community complete with live entertainment, local vendors and artists, great food, a KidsZone and a beer garden.

July Fourth Celebration Celebrate patriotism and civic pride with Durham Parks & Recreation and the Durham Bulls. Attend the baseball game at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park and enjoy a dynamic fireworks show following the game.

Fourth of July Fireworks Get to Southern Village’s Southern Community Park early with your blankets and chairs for a good spot at the Fourth of July fireworks hosted by Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture. Event parking opens at 7 p.m. with the fireworks display beginning around 9 p.m.

Pre-Fourth of July Patriotic Celebration Celebrate the Fourth of July at this 34th annual event, which focuses on the meaning and history of the country’s Independence Day, at the Cary Arts Center. The Cary Town Band honors our founding fathers and mothers with works by “Star Spangled Banner” composer John Philip Sousa, among others. Don’t miss the pre-show with the Applause! Cary Youth Theatre

Paperhand Puppet Intervention

Every weekend in August through early September, the Saxapahaw-based puppet troupe performs a larger-than-life outdoor show at The Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Additional September dates take place at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh. Now in its 23rd year, this series of shows inspires and promotes social change. 

OUTSOUTH QUEER FILM FESTIVAL

The Carolina Theatre hosts this signature event, the second-largest film festival in the Southeast and the largest cultural arts event serving the LGBTQ+ community in the Carolinas, with screenings of shorts, documentaries and feature films that celebrate a worldwide glimpse of today’s LGBTQ+ life.

FESTIVAL FOR THE ENO

One of the region’s premier Fourth of July celebrations with music on four stages, craft artists, local foods and a beer garden – all on the banks of the Eno River at Durham’s West Point on the Eno city park to benefit efforts to preserve this beautiful natural area.

PHOTO BY LYDIA DANILLER

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CAROLINA THEATRE

From Broadway to Concerts and Comedy Shows to Special Events, we have something for everyone at DPAC.

Find Tickets at

ACME Tomato Fest and Tomato Day at the Farmers Market

The 22nd annual festival features dozens of tomato varieties prepared nearly every way imaginable at the Carrboro restaurant. The Carrboro Farmers Market also celebrates peak tomato season with a raffle, live music, special themed merchandise and samples of fresh, locally grown tomatoes.

Uproar Festival of Public

SUMMER FEST

Celebrate Independence Day in downtown Pittsboro with music, games, food trucks and more. Hosted by the Pittsboro Business Association, activities include a beard and mustache contest, cornhole games and a dunking booth.

Art Sixty bold works of art are placed in outdoor settings in downtown Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough for public view. Vote for your favorite pieces, and attend the closing celebration at the Eno Arts Mill in Hillsborough.

Southeast Crab Feast Enjoy all-you-can-eat blue crabs, a side of fish and chips and music in a familyfriendly environment at Lake Wheeler Park Proceeds support cancer research and treatment organizations such as St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society, among others.

Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival This quintessentially Southern festival features more than 60 beer offerings, 40 bourbon brands and all forms of barbecue –from whole-hog pulled pork to ribs to brisket and all the fixin’s you can imagine – over two days at Koka Booth Amphitheatre Admission includes a sampling glass to enjoy all the beer and bourbon your heart desires; a souvenir glass; lawn games like cornhole and giant Jenga; live rock, blues and bluegrass music; seminars with master distillers, brewmasters and pit masters; and exhibits of hot sauces, barbecue accessories, cookware and more.

CENTERFEST

Presented by the Durham Arts Council, this is the longest-running street arts festival in North Carolina and the largest arts and community festival in Durham. The two-day event showcases paintings, photography, sculptures, jewelry, crafts and more by juried artists as well as entertainment, food and fun for the whole family in downtown’s City Center

GalaxyCon Raleigh

Celebrate comic books, pop culture, sci-fi, fantasy, gaming and anime at this four-day festival of fandom at the Raleigh Convention Center Meet some of your favorite celebrities, artists, writers, voice actors and entertainers, plus enjoy afterparties, swag, pose for photo ops and more. Some of this year’s celebrity guests include Karen Gillan, Ian Somerhalder and members of the casts of “Boy Meets World” and “Orange is the New Black.”

Hopscotch Music Festival Celebrating its 13th year this September, this three-day music festival returns to downtown Raleigh with its memorable performances and fan-friendly atmosphere. Music across multiple genres – from rock, hiphop and folk to metal and electronic – will be on tap from both national and local acts.

PLAYMAKERS REPERTORY COMPANY’S SUMMER YOUTH CONSERVATORY MUSICAL

See some of the best high school talent around perform in the company’s Summer Youth Conservatory musical. The professional company’s regular season takes place September through April.

Black August in the Park This festival at Durham Central Park connects people of African descent and inspires them to assert their value and engage in social and cultural change. The event is reminiscent of a Black family reunion or a homecoming, with an additional emphasis on providing a platform for, and elevating the causes of, social justice organizations. 

PHOTO BY CC KALLAM

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

PHOTO COURTESY OF DURHAM ARTS COUNCIL

CaribMask Carnival Celebrate the 10th anniversary of this spectacular, colorful and energetic festival at City Plaza in downtown Raleigh. Founded by the Raleigh/Durham Afro-Caribbean Association in 2012 to create a deeper appreciation for AfroCaribbean culture, performers and bands parade down the street in elaborate costumes jamming to music traditional to their countries – more than 15 will be represented – while attendees enjoy great acts, artisan vendors and tasty, culturally significant foods.

Pick-a-Ton FUNdraiser

Visit Cedar Grove Blueberry Farm and pick as many berries as you can for charity. For every 25 pounds of blueberries picked, a pound of fresh berries will be donated to TABLE, a nonprofit that provides hunger relief and nutrition education services to children living in Orange County. The event also includes live music from Chance Encounter and J Candeed, a pig pickin’ with farm-fresh fixings, and wine and cider from Botanist and Barrel Tasting Room, which will also donate 5% of sales to TABLE.

Latin American Film Festival

Organized by the Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Duke University and UNC, this festival has featured work by Latin filmmakers from more than 20 countries in 13 languages, screening films and inviting speakers on issues such as migration and globalization at various locations around Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh.

PEPPERFEST

Warm up your taste buds! North Carolina’s spiciest outdoor food festival, hosted by Abundance NC, takes place at The Plant in Pittsboro every September. Don’t miss out on live music while trying pepperthemed dishes made with locally grown sweet, hot and smoky peppers.

FESTIFALL ARTS

MARKETS & MORE

Browse artists’ booths and enjoy performances throughout downtown Chapel Hill during the arts-focused block parties on West Franklin Street in October hosted by Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture

Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival Enjoy this annual twoday arts and crafts festival with almost 300 featured artists, a beer garden, live music, children’s activities and various food and drink vendors at Cary Town Hall Campus.

Fall

Pride: Durham, NC The largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender event in the area, this parade along Duke University’s East Campus stretches 2 miles and features more than 110 marching groups.

The festival, presented by the LGBTQ Center of Durham, includes more than 100 vendors every year.

World of Bluegrass This International Bluegrass Music Association event in downtown Raleigh aims to grow the bluegrass music community. Billed as “the most important week in bluegrass music,” the weekend performances and events take place at Red Hat Amphitheater and on stages along Fayetteville Street, at the Raleigh Convention Center and at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. This year’s initial lineup of performers at Red Hat includes The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys featuring Bobby Osborne, The Del McCoury Band, Kruger Brothers, Jake Blount, Kaia Kater with Tray Wellington, and AJ Lee & Blue Summit.

N.C. STATE FAIR

Carnival rides, games and funnel cakes galore: the largest event in our state showcases the finest of North Carolina at the N.C. State Fairgrounds Highlights include a livestock show, horticultural exhibits, live music, motorsports derby, nightly fireworks and more.

PHOTO BY ANNA-RHESA VERSOLA

PHOTO BY FLY SQUIRREL FILMS, COURTESY OF CHAPEL HILL COMMUNITY ARTS & CULTURE

PHOTO BY JUSTIN KASE CONDER

Bynum Halloween

Gather in the town of Bynum for pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating and to view dozens of jack-o’-lanterns on display along the historic Bynum Bridge spanning the Haw River.

THE NUTCRACKER

This familiar holiday classic is performed by Carolina Ballet’s cast of professional dancers with a unique twist thanks to magnificent sets and refreshed choreography and costumes at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

Pumpkin Patch Express Celebrate fall every Saturday and Sunday in October –take a train ride on the Ellerbe Creek Railway at the Museum of Life and Science, pick the perfect pumpkin to decorate and take home, then enjoy seasonal crafts and carnival games.

Falling for Local Enjoy local live music and business demos at Dorothea Dix Park during this family-friendly event in collaboration with Shop Local Raleigh and Dix Park Conservancy. Experience loads of fall fun with hayrides, lawn games, local vendor booths and a pumpkin patch. Support area entrepreneurs by dining at a few of the dozens of local food trucks and sipping craft beer.

Fall Film Festivals Catch the films before they catch on at Film Fest 919 in Chapel Hill in October and the Carrboro Film Fest in November.

Diwali Celebration Cary’s celebration of the five-day festival – which celebrates the victory of light over darkness – at Koka Booth Amphitheatre features musical, theatrical and dance performances, a craft bazaar, Indian food, art and more. The event is sponsored by Hum Sub Inc., United Arts Council and the Town of Cary

Moorefields Bluegrass Festival

The 70-acre Hillsborough property (which includes the 1785 home owned by Revolutionary war leader Alfred Moore) hosts a family-friendly festival with food trucks and live music by Vintage Blue, The Carolina Cutups, Pickard Mountain, Nixon, Blevins & Gage and others.

strength and kid-friendly games. All proceeds benefit local charities.

Old-Fashioned Farmers’ Day The 48th annual event in Siler City includes a draft horse pull, working farm animals, displays of equipment and tools as well as family-friendly live entertainment, games, food and ice cream.

NC CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL

Experience the magical illuminated lanterns of Tianyu Arts & Culture at Koka Booth Amphitheatre Hundreds of intricate, decorative lanterns illuminated with thousands of lights create a colorful setting that draws thousands of visitors from across the state each year. This showcase of Chinese culture also includes martial arts, traditional dance, drum performances and acrobatics.

Halloween

Phantasmagoria Wander Duke Homestead State Historic Site after dark and see what Victorian-era wonders you find. Explore historical concepts of spiritualism and experience Halloween traditions from generations past. A one-of-akind Halloween experience not designed to scare!

Open Studio Tour Tour artist studios during the Orange County Artists Guild’s self-guided tour held during two weekends in November. 

PHOTO BY BOB STUART

PHOTO COURTESY OF GORILLA KING MARKETING

CHAPEL HILLCARRBORO COMMUNITY

HOLIDAY PARADE – Join Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture, Downtown Chapel Hill and the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro for a festive, entertaining, safe and inclusive community parade to celebrate the winter holiday season. Stake out your curbside spot and watch more than 40 arts, cultural and community groups parade down Franklin Street

Chatham Artists Guild

Studio Tour

Take a relaxing drive through Chatham County’s rolling hills and pastoral farmlands to visit more than 50 artists, learn about their process and artistic vision, and browse affordable original works of art in studios that dot the countryside during the 31st annual tour.

Holiday Parade & Fun Fest

Watch dynamic floats and cheer on hometown bands, drill teams, schools, community groups and more as they make their way down Main Street in downtown Durham. Also enjoy holiday performances, food and non-food vendors and a visit from Santa.

A Carolina Inn Holiday

Get in the festive spirit with breakfast with Santa, cookie decorating, holiday tea and markets at The Carolina Inn throughout December.

Reindeer Run 5K Put on your antlers and most festive running gear for the 19th annual race in Pittsboro. Younger runners may enjoy the three-quarter-mile fun run around Central Carolina Community College’s campus.

St. Nick’s Christmas House

This unique, festive pop-up in a historic house in downtown Raleigh offers Christmasthemed entertainment all are sure to enjoy – even if you’re a grinch. The space showcases local artists, hosts live concerts and other events while pouring holiday-inspired drinks. Ages 21 and older only after 9 p.m.

Historic Oakwood Candlelight Tour Close to a dozen houses in Raleigh’s Historic Oakwood neighborhood open their doors to visitors. The Society for the Preservation of Historic Oakwood docents are stationed in each home, which date from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s in styles like Queen Anne and Craftsman, to teach attendees about each location’s history. 

LUCKY STRIKE TOWER LIGHTING

The annual lighting of the Lucky Strike Tower at the American Tobacco Campus includes local performers, holiday music, festive lights and more.

DISCOVER IT ALL

chapelhillarts.org

Clockwise from top left: Booker Creek pipe murals by Calvin Ulrich; Festifall Arts Market, photo by Fly Squirrel Films; Paperhand Puppets at Festifall Arts Market, photo by Fly Squirrel Films; The South Got Something To Say by Artie Barksdale, photo by Fly Squirrel Films; Goodness Sakes by Alice Holleman; The Boring Store at Chapel Hill-Carrboro Juneteenth Celebration, photo by Mark Losey.

Light Up the Night Parade This holiday parade through downtown Hillsborough includes local bands, businesses, dance troupes and more. The evening concludes with a tree lighting at Old Courthouse Square

Holidays in the Park & Santa Train Dash your way through an enchanting rainbow light tunnel at the Museum of Life and Science’s largest annual fundraising event and holiday tradition. Sip complimentary hot chocolate under thousands of lights or grab a light snack at Sprout Café. Get crafty with take-home activities, have your face painted by makeup artists and indulge in the “Science of Santa.” Skate in your socks on the synthetic “ice rink” or warm up in the Magic Wings Butterfly House. Then, climb aboard the Ellerbe Creek Railway for an illuminating nighttime train ride to the North Pole to visit Mr. and Mrs. Claus and their elves.

Winter

Kwanzaa Festival Visit the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham for this cultural community event that includes a marketplace, workshops, movement and music classes, food vendors, performers, a candle lighting ceremony and a film.

First Night Ring in the new year in downtown Raleigh and watch the giant golden acorn drop at City Plaza – a time-honored tradition. Enjoy live concerts, the People’s Procession parade and even catch a bird’s-eye view of the city’s streets atop a Ferris wheel. If you don’t want to stay up until midnight, catch the early countdown and fireworks.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Nevermore Film Festival

Enjoy a masterful musical production of the Dickens classic produced by Raleigh’s Theatre in the Park. This comedic adaptation by Ira David Wood III always puts audiences in a festive spirit. The show celebrates its 50th anniversary this year as well as Ira’s final season in the role of Scrooge before he passes the torch on to his son, Ira David Wood IV Performances take place at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts as well as at the Durham Performing Arts Center

Created in 1999, this festival is a juried competition that showcases horror, science-fiction, mystery, thriller, animated and dark fantasy movies from around the world at the Carolina Theatre. More than 1,000 features and short films have screened at the festival in its 24-year run, and it has gained an international reputation as one of the premier genre festivals in the country.

New Year’s Day Run The Carolina Godiva Track Club’s annual 8K run that starts and finishes at Gold Park, following along the Riverwalk with a turnaround loop on the Historic Occoneechee Speedway oval, is meant to get everyone moving after the holidays.

Krispy Kreme Challenge What started as a fun race among 10 friends is now a nationally publicized charity run. The race begins and ends at the Memorial Belltower at North Carolina State University. Runners burn 2,400 calories total as they travel 2.5 miles through historic downtown Raleigh to the Krispy Kreme located at the intersection of Peace and Person streets, where they consume one dozen original glazed doughnuts and then run 2.5 miles back to the belltower. Proceeds from the race benefit UNC Children’s Hospital.

HANUKKAH FESTIVAL

Celebrate the Festival of Lights with Jewish for Good at the Levin JCC in Durham. There will be kids’ activities, games and crafts, holiday foods for sale including sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) and latkes, interactive menorahs, opportunities to learn more about the holiday and a community shuk (gift and craft market).

PHOTO BY CATHERINE DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY SUSAN MURRAY

KWANZAA FEST

The African American Dance Ensemble’s annual Kwanzaa festival at the Durham Armory focuses on family, friends and the fruits of the Earth. It takes place on the seventh day of Kwanzaa, which is dedicated to Imani, or faith. The event features a children’s village, dance and drumming classes, arts and crafts, food vendors, entertainment from dance ensembles and more. Donated canned foods and toiletry items will be given to a local nonprofit.

LUMINOCITY FESTIVAL

Enjoy an immersive lights experience at Raleigh’s Pullen Park during this special event that can be viewed in the daytime or after dark. Thousands of twinkling lights create an immersive, magical experience and illuminate largerthan-life characters with specific themes like a motion dino world and a celebration of spring.

Triangle Restaurant

Week A weeklong celebration of culinary excellence where participating restaurants in Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh and Cary offer special three-course menu options and fixed pricing, creating a great opportunity for residents and visitors alike to indulge in the finest cuisine in the region. Also takes place in June.

American Indian Powwow N.C.

School of Science and Mathematics in Durham hosts this family-friendly day of traditional American Indian dancing, music, crafts, art and food from across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia as a fun way to learn about and celebrate the region’s rich American Indian culture.

N.C. MLK/Black History Month Parade & Block Party

This annual Durham parade, which features marching bands, step and dance teams, floats and more, begins at W.G. Pearson Elementary School, proceeds up Fayetteville Street and ends at North Carolina Central University

Afterward, enjoy live music by a DJ, food trucks, inflatables, face painting, vendors and more at Golden Belt

Carolina Jazz Festival Catch public performances by touring bands, artists in residence, UNC Department of Music faculty and students at this festival celebrating all things jazz in February.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival

The 40th annual celebration in the heart of downtown Raleigh features a unique parade, dancers, bagpipers, decorated cars and floats, and more. There are many food and drink options and activities for children on Leprechaun Lane. Don’t forget to wear green! TW

BIG NIGHT IN FOR THE ARTS

The arts councils of Chatham, Durham, Orange and Wake counties partner with WRAL to host this fundraiser for the arts. Performances by local musicians are broadcast through the news station – watch from your home or join a live watch party. Previously featured artists include Rissi Palmer (pictured above at The Mayton in Cary), Joe Troop and Larry Bellorín, Mike Wiley, Watchhouse, Scotty McCreery, Jaki Shelton Green, Nnenna Freelon and Ben Folds, among many others.

PHOTO BY SUSAN MURRAY

UNSALTED FARM AT HYCO LAKE

The newest wedding venue in Person County, Unsalted Farm at Hyco Lake is situated on 15 acres overlooking panoramic lake views.

HYCO LAKE

TUNNEL CREEK VINEYARDS

A hidden gem set on 400 sprawling acres, complete with an 8,000-sqft event space, Tunnel Creek Vineyards offers serene vistas overlooking the lake and vineyards to savor as you create memories of a lifetime.

HYCO

LAKE PARK & CAMPGROUND

Take in stunning lake views from the lake for your special day. The park is also home to a 30-acre Natural Learning Area featuring a 16-foot gazebo, perfect for wedding pictures.

ROXBORO

THE CAROLINA ESTATE

The majestic property boasts 10,000 sq. ft. of event space and 23 beautiful acres of rolling hills and scenic landscape--including an outdoor terrace and a sparkling, six-acre lake that makes for the perfect backdrop.

THE KIRBY CULTURAL ARTS COMPLEX

PERSON COUNTY MUSEUM OF HISTORY

Located in a stately historic home in the heart of Uptown Roxboro, the Museum is an ideal option for couples looking for an elegant wedding destination close by to top area attractions.

THE HOMESTEAD STEAKHOUSE & RESTAURANT / FESTIVAL HOUSE

THE GAZEBO AT SUNSET RIDGE BUFFALO FARM

The Gazebo provides the peace and tranquility of an island setting on a rural lake. The 250-acre farm offers many opportunities for guests to mix, meet, and mingle. Casually elegant, this location is as unique as you are.

The Kirby Theater does a lot more than just put on wonderful performances...they host weddings and events as well! Any of their spaces can have a distinctive setting to truly showcase your special event.

The north wing of the beautiful restaurant houses a two-room suite perfect for the wedding ceremony and reception. If you need a bit more space, The Festival House is ideal for larger ceremonies.

VIR (VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY)

Whether on the lawn of their historic 1840’s home with the lovely white oak trees as a natural backdrop, or inside the walls of their gallery barn, VIR is the place to host the wedding of your dreams with everything in one location.

MOUNTAIN VIEW FARM

If you’re on the hunt for a wedding destination brimming with old oaks, lush forest, breathtaking lake views, and multiple backdrop options, you’re sure to love Mountain View Farms.

Whether

SPORTS &OUTDOORS

Hockey

By Lena Miano

The Carolina Hurricanes – or as we call them, the Canes – are Raleigh’s National Hockey League team. Formerly the Hartford Whalers, the Hurricanes have made 18 NHL playoff appearances (as of press time, the Canes are the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs) in 43 seasons and won the Stanley Cup in 2006. On-ice action at the 700,000-squarefoot PNC Arena offers a perfect opportunity to gather with friends and family and cheer as loud as you can!

Ball hockey, also called street or dek hockey, is played on foot with similar rules to ice hockey. Raleigh Ball Hockey League offers weekly pickup games for all skill levels and three divisions total, with 14 teams in the league.

Polar Ice Raleigh offers hockey and figure skating lessons for ages 3 and older, plus an adult hockey league.

The Carolina Stars, a USA Hockey – the governing body for ice hockey in America – club in Raleigh, started with just eight members in 2012. Young players train at the Orange County Sportsplex in Hillsborough. The team offers instruction from professional coaches and free hockey clinics.

The Orange County Sportsplex also hosts four adult hockey leagues – three leagues are divided up by skill level, plus an Over-40 Division – and a variety of youth (ages 3-12) hockey classes, clinics and camps through its Sportsplex Hockey Academy. The Sportsplex is home to the Hillsborough Hogs youth hockey team, which is run by Triangle Youth Hockey of NC, a nonprofit, parent-run association that operates independently of the Sportsplex.

Stay active and social by watching a game, teaching the kiddos a new sport, joining a run club, throwing a disc around and much more!

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

Baseball

Open to boys and girls ages 4-14, East Chatham Little League works in coordination with local businesses, Chatham County Schools and the Chatham County Parks and Recreation Department to offer spring and fall seasons played at various elementary and middle schools in Pittsboro and southern Chapel Hill.

OUTDOORS

Durham indoor baseball facility Riptide Baseball Academy has four indoor batting cages, a new turf area and two pitching mounds, and offers group and individual lessons, clinics, facility rentals and travel teams for players as old as 18.

With four fields located at 918 Junction Rd. in Durham, Bull City Little League provides year-round baseball and softball leagues for various ages as well as a rookie (T-ball) team and a volunteer program for former players.

Baseball Rebellion is a 12,500-squarefoot hitting and pitching training center in Durham that caters to all levels and features six HitTrax systems and one pitch-tracking system, projected on 65-inch TVs plus video analysis rooms for trainees to track their performance.

Located at 5124 Revere Rd., Parkwood Ballfield is a great place to play and practice. It’s located within one of the first neighborhoods with a homeowners’ association in the state and is surrounded by a diverse planned community in South Durham.

The Holly Springs Salamanders are a summer collegiate baseball team of NCAA student-athletes from the Coastal Plain League. Catch one of their home games or sign up for a baseball camp at Ting Park this summer.

Baseball and movie fans alike know all about the minor league Durham Bulls baseball team.

The Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays was featured in the iconic sports film “Bull Durham,” and the team is well known for its fun, interactive home games and signature community events at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Their season runs from April through September. Come out for “Bark in the Park” with your fourlegged friend and Friday night fireworks shows. Kids eat free on Wednesday games.

Just outside of Raleigh, Five County Stadium hosts the home games for Zebulon’s Single-A minor league baseball team, the Carolina Mudcats, which are affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Founded in 1979, the North Wake County Baseball Association helps develop the skills of players ages 5-12 through spring, summer and fall programs at the Factory Baseball Complex in Wake Forest.

The Wake County Club Baseball League is an interscholastic baseball program that uses volunteers to help middle school students in the Wake County Public School System prepare to play at the high school level.

Hillsborough Youth Athletic Association teaches competitive play and teamwork to boys and girls ages 4-15 in its tryout-free softball and baseball programs, which are run entirely by volunteers. 

Mary Blessing and Ernesto Ortiz take their daughters, Luciana Ortiz, 3, and Lia Ortiz, 7, out to a ball game at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

The Miracle League of the Triangle offers individuals with special needs ages 5 and older the chance to play baseball in an organized league. Teams are formed according to grade level and ability, featuring youth and adult leagues, and are played at fields in Cary, north Raleigh and now at the newly constructed Durham Bulls Miracle League Park.

Soccer

Practice your soccer skills in Wake County at Raleigh’s WRAL Soccer Park, a 122-acre facility (one of the nation’s largest youth soccer complexes) that offers 22 soccer fields and an indoor fitness center, or enjoy 17 acres of full-size fields in Wake Forest at Smith Creek Soccer Center XL Soccer World, also in Raleigh, houses youth and adult leagues, clinics and camps while Soccer Genome on Durant Road runs an academy, off-season training teams and clinics.

For those looking to play professionally, Peak Soccer Institute offers private and small group training, physical therapy and injury prevention services with the expertise of Mollie Pathman, a former player at Duke University who has more than 10 years of coaching experience.

With the goal of building confidence and sportsmanship in soccer, basketball, baseball, flag football and other youth athletics, i9 Sports in south Orange County ensures every child plays in every game, which trained officials oversee.

Founded in 2017, National Women’s Soccer League team the North Carolina Courage has won two NWSL Championships, three NWSL Shields and a Women’s ICC Championship. Men’s professional soccer team the North Carolina Football Club was founded in 2006 as the Carolina RailHawks and plays in United Soccer League’s League One. Both teams play at Sahlen’s Stadium in the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

Soccer Shots provides leagues for children ages 2-8 in the Raleigh-Durham area at preschools, child care centers and in local neighborhoods.

Running

Girls on the Run Triangle helps build confidence and promote physical health and wellness for third- through eighth-grade girls in Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Orange and Wake counties.

Without Limits Triangle offers running programs and camps for youth athletes in Raleigh, Cary and Apex, and practices at Mills Park Track.

Stay active and motivated with local running groups! WAKE COUNTY

DURHAM QUEER SPORTS

This free community sports league and social group for Triangle-based LGBTQIA+ players and their allies hosts kickball, soccer, basketball, Ultimate Frisbee and tennis teams as well as a run club.

• Join other runners and walkers with Boss Run Club in front of Mordecai Beverage Company for a meet and greet followed by a social fun run/walk out and back along the Capital Area Greenway on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. during the spring, summer and early fall, and on Sundays at noon during the late fall and winter months. Hang out after the run and socialize with other members and enjoy the weekly beer specials.

• House of Hops on Glenwood Avenue also hosts a run club on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. with 5K and 10K routes available.

• Break a sweat and give back to the community with the nonprofit nOg Run Club. All the money raised via races and donations is given to local charities.

DURHAM COUNTY

• Bull City Running Co.’s Run Club meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. and offers 3-, 4and 6-mile distances for runners of all paces while the Saturday Morning Run Club and Trail Run Sundays are suited for early risers who enjoy nature jogs. Kids Run Durham at Northgate Park offers a five-week program where kids ages 4-12 are introduced to running and explore various distances during a low-stakes, loosely structured “track meet.”

• Head out on a 2-mile or 5K run, walk or jog with The Glass Jog every Tuesday at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP.

Bull City Futsal Academy, founded by Durham native José Santibañez, offers futsal and soccer programs to underserved schools and communities, providing free training programs and resource fairs to young athletes and their families.

Chatham Soccer League offers recreational teams, academy teams for ages 7-10 and travel teams for ages 10-18 during its spring and fall seasons.

• Bond Brothers Beer Co. keeps you motivated with rewards based on number of check-ins for its 3- or 5-mile runs on Thursdays through the Bond Bros Run Club, which also hosts an annual 5K that benefits the CAPTRUST Community Foundation

• Depart from Aversboro Restaurant & Sports Bar on a 2-, 3-, 4- or 5-mile run with Aversboro Run Club on Thursdays.

• Raleigh Brewing Run Club ventures out on the greenway every Wednesday from Raleigh Brewing Company on Neil Street

• LightAF.Run Club welcomes runners and walkers of all abilities at Ancillary Fermentation in Raleigh on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.

• Run and climb with athletic store Fleet Feet and Triangle Rock Club in Durham every Monday at 6:30 p.m. Runners head down from TRC to the Third Fork Creek greenways to run 3 or 5 miles, and then TRC members are invited to climb for free, and run club members get a discounted day pass to climb.

• Come to Hi-Wire Brewing Co. in Durham at 6 p.m. on Tuesday nights for Fleet Feet’s East Durham Run Club with 3- or 5-mile routes or join Ponysaurus Brewing and Fleet Feet for the 3- or 5-mile Pony Run on Thursdays – check in on Newman Street and run anytime between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Return back for a pint to celebrate.

PHOTO COURTESY OF USATODAY / IMAGN

ORANGE COUNTY

Fleet Feet also hosts a weekly run at Vecino Brewing Co. (soon to be Haw River Tap & Table) next to its Carrboro store with 3- or 5-mile routes every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

• Kids ages 6-18 can also get their run on with the Durham Striders Youth Association, which aims to promote health and wellness for Durham youth.

• Durham NC parkrun – a free, timed 5K that takes place every Saturday at 8 a.m. at Southern Boundaries Park – has been going strong for nearly nine years; participants just need to register online and bring their unique bar code to the event.

• Runners of all experience levels can also check out Bull City Beer Runners to find your own group to run, jog and drink with.

Golf DURHAM COUNTY

• Practice at Hillandale Golf Course’s driving range before playing the 18-hole course, which also features four teeing areas, a pro shop and grill.

• Located beside Duke University’s campus, the public Duke University Golf Club has more than 20 acres of practice facilities, a golf shop and driving range.

• Formerly Willowhaven Country Club, the Umstead Pines Golf and Swim Club is equipped with an 18-hole golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts and clubhouse.

YEAR OF THE TRAIL

North Carolina is the Great Trails State, and the NC General Assembly NC designated 2023 as NC Year of the Trail, an effort led by the Great Trails State Coalition to celebrate our vast network of trails, greenways and blueways, which showcase our diverse landscapes. Enjoy quiet rivers, vibrant urban greenways, serene lakes and much more at various state parks and natural areas in the Triangle. Some of our favorites include:

William B. Umstead State Park

Ellerbee Creek Trail

Eno River State Park

Knightdale Station Park

American Tobacco Trail

Falls Lake State Recreation Area

Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve

Capital Area Greenway System

Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area

Robertson Millpond Preserve

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area

Carolina North Forest

Neuse River Trail

Lake Crabtree County Park

Johnston Mill Nature Preserve

• Try your skill at the unique layout of The Crossings Golf Club and the semi-private course’s famous island green 12th hole.

• Hope Valley Country Club is home to a Donald Ross golf course as well as practice areas, tennis courts and swimming pools.

• Housed on 400 acres of protected wetlands, Old Chatham Golf Club is a private club in Durham.

WAKE COUNTY

• Located in Downtown Wake Forest Historic District, the Paschal Golf Club is a public golf course with 18 holes where professional golfer Arnold Palmer played while attending Wake Forest University. His legacy is also felt at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at NC State University, the only collegiate golf course in the world that he designed.

• Raleigh’s Wildwood Green Golf Club has both men’s and women’s leagues. 

Drive Shack in Raleigh is a high-tech driving range with food, drinks, games and events. In Wake Forest, semiprivate Heritage Golf Course offers a driving range, private teaching tee and putting green.

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

PHOTO COURTESY OF DRIVE SHACK INC.

• Situated on one of the highest points in Wake Forest, Brevofield Golf Links offers a scenic view and a course for golfers of any skill level.

• Dogwood Country Club in Raleigh is an immersive golf experience providing indoor golf simulation for individuals and groups, private lessons and more, all in a swanky setting with a full bar.

ORANGE COUNTY

• Located southeast of UNC’s campus, UNC Finley Golf Course is home to collegiate tournaments, including an NCAA men’s regional qualifying tournament in 2015, and features a practice range.

• Chapel Hill Country Club is the only private club in Chapel Hill and features 18 holes, scenic views and instruction from PGA professionals. The club just celebrated 100 years.

• Occoneechee Golf Club is a public course in Hillsborough and is home to the Occoneechee Golf Association, which was founded in 1968.

CHATHAM COUNTY

• Check out the adult and junior golf lessons available at the golf academy at Siler City Country Club.

• The Golf Club at Chapel Ridge offers an 18-hole course, practice range, short game area, clubhouse and golf shop in Pittsboro.

• The Preserve at Jordan Lake Golf Club is a semi-private Davis Love III signature course just south of Chapel Hill that offers coaching and lessons.

• The nationally recognized Governors Club golf course is the only gated golf community and private club in the Triangle.

College Sports

Any fan of college sports knows they can’t miss Duke men’s basketball at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The team has won five NCAA national championships, but basketball isn’t the only sport where the Blue Devils excel – the university offers 27 NCAA Division I varsity sports and has taken home a total of 119 ACC championships and 17 national championships among them.

NC State University offers 21 varsity sports across its facilities, including the Dail Soccer Field where the men’s soccer team plays and CarterFinley Stadium, which seats 57,600 fans for Wolfpack football games.

The Meredith College Avenging Angels, an NCAA Division III women’s college, have made 15 NCAA tournament appearances and taken home 26 USA South Championships. Weatherspoon Athletic Center hosts basketball and volleyball while Meredith Athletic Field and Track Complex is home to its soccer, lacrosse, track and field, and cross-country teams.

North Carolina Central University, a highly ranked HBCU in Durham, is home to 310 student-athletes and 14 NCAA Division I sports. Check out Eagles football – which recently won the 2022 HBCU National Championship – at O’KellyRiddick Stadium or basketball in McDougaldMcLendon Arena

Cycling

Bike Durham organizes and promotes many community events all around the Triangle centered on encouraging people to walk, bike and ride transit more often. Join them in Durham for The Daily Beer Bar Road Ride on Wednesdays or their pre-community meeting bike ride that leaves and returns to Durty Bull on the fourth Monday of every month. Stick around to grab a pint and learn about the organization’s work.

The Tar Heels are one of the biggest names in collegiate athletics, and it’s always a treat to see them in action. UNC is home to 28 – 15 women’s and 13 men’s – varsity sports programs, which have won 48 NCAA team championships in seven different sports, including 21 women’s soccer, 10 field hockey, six men’s basketball, five men’s lacrosse, three women’s lacrosse, two men’s soccer and one women’s basketball.

More than 5,000 mountain bikers are members of the Triangle Off-Road Cyclists, a group that advocates for more trails in the Triangle and offers clinics, trail workdays, group rides and races throughout the year.

Looking for something more leisurely (but still with the promise of a pint at the end)? Try the Pony Ride at Ponysaurus Brewing on the second Tuesday of the month. The Glass Jug Beer Lab also hosts Team on Draft Road Cycling for a 21mile ride on Wednesdays, April through October. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF NCCU ATHLETICS

PHOTO BY DEBORAH HAGE

Gyros Cycling Club in Raleigh hosts rides at four difficulty levels for cyclists of any skill level. North Carolina Bicycle Club promotes safe road cycling and participates in rides across Wake County.

Take part in a social ride in Orange, Durham, Wake, Alamance or Chatham counties with the Carolina Tarwheels, a cycling club that’s been active since 1982. Starting locations vary and include popular jumping-off points like C.M. Herndon Park in Durham and Gold Park in Hillsborough. Scheduled rides vary in length and speed, so there’s something accessible to everyone.

Fans of professional Ultimate can watch the Carolina Flyers compete in the American Ultimate Disc League’s South Division at Durham County Memorial Stadium. The team, which took home its first AUDL title in 2021 and are the reigning South Division champions, play throughout the summer, offer a club team, and host a youth academy as well as overnight and day summer camps in partnership with other local clubs.

Join Crank Arm Brewing Race Team to learn biking skills in disciplines like XC mountain biking, downhill runs, cyclocross, BMX and more.

Disc Golf / Ultimate Frisbee

Try local favorite Kentwood Park Disc Golf Course at 4531 Kaplan Dr. in Raleigh, which hosts league events and is open daily.

With nine holes and concrete tees located in the heart of N.C. State Centennial Campus, the Professional Disc Golf Association’s course is a must-try for disc golfers.

Spanning more than 48 acres, the 22-hole course at Diavolo at New Hope in Cary also features local art and other amenities.

The six-hole PDGA course at Chatham County Community College is wide open and flat, spanning 2,165 feet.

Rock Ridge Park Disc Golf Course on Old Sanford Road in Pittsboro hosts tournaments and is home to walking trails, a mini amphitheater and picnic areas.

UNC’s Outdoor Education Center includes an 18-hole professional disc golf course where the university’s disc golf team practices, but is also open to the public.

Southern Community Park in Chapel Hill offers a disc golf course, which is accessible through the park’s south entrance at 1000 Dogwood Acres Dr., and Anderson Community Park in Carrboro features an 18-hole course.

If you’re looking to join fellow Ultimate Frisbee players in leagues or summer clubs, adults and youth alike can play year-round with Triangle Ultimate. Raleigh Radiance are a nonprofit, semi-professional Ultimate Frisbee team in the Premier Ultimate League for women and transgender, intersex, nonbinary, genderqueer and genderfluid people who also play at Durham County Memorial Stadium.

Pickleball

Consider joining the Chapel Hill Pickleball Association, which caters to all skill levels and hosts morning gatherings at Southern Community Park on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday as well as Tuesday evenings, plus a weekly clinic for beginners at Ephesus Park – Chapel Hill’s first pickleball facility.

Adults can take part in free pickleball open play at Chatham Grove Community Center at 1301 Andrews Store Rd. on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Durham Area Pickleball Players operates a Facebook group with more than 750 members, a calendar of pickleball courts open for play in Durham and a weekly clinic for beginners on Sunday afternoons at Piney Wood Park

Raleigh NC Pickleball works with Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, which operates 12 outdoor pickleball courts as well as indoor courts at various community centers to support the growing sport.

PARKS & REC

Our cities and towns have some amazing programs through the various parks and recreation departments. Join a basketball league, send the kiddos to a day camp, climb on a high ropes course, visit a top-notch playground in your community and so much more. Find more information at the websites for Chapel Hill Parks & Recreation, Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources Department, Durham Parks & Recreation, Chatham County Parks and Recreation Department and Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space Division, plus the various Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources departments in Raleigh, Wake Forest, Fuquay-Varina, Knightdale and Cary, among other Wake County communities.

PHOTO BY BRYAN OSBORNE

The Raleigh-Cary Jewish Community Center hosts pickleball leagues, clinics, private lessons and mystery-partner tournaments at 12804 Northwood Rd. in Raleigh. Members have priority registration but nonmembers are welcome to register, too.

Adventure Sports

TreeRunner Raleigh Adventure Park provides eight aerial courses with more than 90 obstacles, as well as a Junior Park for ages 4-7. Go Ape zip line and adventure park in Raleigh’s Blue Jay Point County Park features aerial adventure courses and zip lines, including a 200-foot zip line on its Treetop Journey adventure.

Progression Climbing is Chapel Hill’s only bouldering gym, spanning 3,500 feet of terrain. Take a yoga class, try a youth program or train with the staff. UNC Campus Recreation features three auto-belays, workshops and climbing classes at Rams Head Recreation Center, while Fetzer Gym offers bouldering and a climbing wall. Try out the indoor climbing wall at Chapel Hill Community Center, too.

Raleigh’s Urban Air Adventure Park features an indoor ropes course and playground combination, a drop zone, tumble track, Sky Rider and wall-to-wall trampolines with competitive games like dodgeball, wipeout and bumper cars. Urban Air’s new Morrisville location, which opened in early April 2023, also features indoor skydiving!

OC Aerial’s adventure park in Durham offers climbing, bouldering, a 34-element ropes course, a ninja course with four unique runs, zip line, 18- and 21-foot slides, the popular warped wall and much more.

With locations in Raleigh, Morrisville and Durham, Triangle Rock Club offers yoga, Pilates, climbing and general fitness spaces. Try its state-of-the-art climbing walls, auto-belays and top-out bouldering. TRC will open a new 39,000-square-foot facility, which will be its largest location and the largest climbing gym in North Carolina, at 1249 Wicker Dr. in Raleigh in 2024.

Xtreme Park Adventures in Durham offers 10 adventure attractions on its 50 acres, including airsoft, paintball, ropes courses, laser tag and other activities.

Kids ages 8 and younger can burn off some energy in the ball pits, jump on trampolines, glide down slides and more during open play at Angel Island Fun Park in Cary or Durham.

Hiking, Kayaking & Canoeing

Entirely women-owned and -operated, Two Sisters Adventure Company offers small group and outdoor adventures including guided trips, summer camps and classes for various skill levels in a welcoming space.

Explore canoeing and kayaking with Frog Hollow Outdoors, which offers instructional classes, self-guided trips, private group adventures and more.

Family-owned Neuse River Outfitters in Wake Forest provides kayak rentals, fishing lessons and relaxing trips down the Neuse River.

Bond Park Boathouse in Cary rents pedal boats, kayaks, sailboats, canoes and life jackets to take out on Bond Lake

Explore a scenic route on the Deep River with Endor Paddle on a self-guided kayaking or tubing trip, which typically begin at Deep River Park in Bear Creek and end by Camelback Bridge TW

The 1,200-mile Mountains-toSea Trail extends from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks and features a 78.6-mile segment from the Eno River State Park to the Falls Lake Dam The trail travels alongside the Eno River, dips into Durham and Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve, and follows the southern part of the reservoir before ending just outside of Raleigh. Above, Nashua Oraby, Hussein El-Genk and their four children, Ayyub, Zakariyya, Kareema and Rasheed, hike at West Point on the Eno city park in Durham, which contains a stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

FOODIE FOCUS

Our area is known for its stellar dining scene. Try a few of our favorites or an exciting new addition, depending on your appetite and occasion:

By Jessica Stringer and Amanda MacLaren

Photography by John Michael Simpson

The Brunch Bunch

Fuel up with coffee or a mimosa at a late-morning or early afternoon meal

A’Verde Cocina + Tequila Library

Awaken your taste buds with a brunch spread that includes refreshing mimosas or indulge in a signature bloody maria as you savor delectable dishes that blend traditional Mexican flavors with a creative, whimsical twist. The new Cary restaurant opened in March 2022, and its menu, curated by executive chef (and “Top Chef” alum) Katsuji Tanabe, features

A'Verde Cocina + Tequila Library’s bloody maria, michelada CDMX (with lime, umami sauce and a chile rim) and red sangria pair perfectly with hearty brunch mains like the chorizo Benedict.

fare with fun and flare, like churro French toast dusted with fruity pebbles, maple syrup, Chantilly cream and berries or “Grounds for Divorce Huevos” with corn tortillas, refried beans, green and red salsa, sour cream, cotija cheese and sunny side up eggs. Be sure to try the seasonal guacamole and Katsuji’s popular “Freshly Baked Grandma’s Cornbread,” a recipe from 1950s Mexico City accompanied by a honey truffle butter. Best of all for late risers, brunch runs till 4 p.m. on both Saturdays and Sundays.

Poole’side Pies

Rise and shine to a brunch experience like no other at AC Restaurants’ wood-fired Neapolitan pizza spot on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is the first time the chef Ashley Christensen restaurant, located

in downtown Raleigh beside her modern comfort food concept, Poole’s Diner, has opened for daytime service. In addition to current menu favorites like the pickle juice Caesar salad and the five-cheese mushroom pizza with chili-garlic crunch oil, guests can enjoy modern Italian twists on brunch classics such as focaccia French toast with lemon mascarpone, fennel sausage and grits, and a carbonara pizza featuring a poached egg and bacon (pictured left). Wash it down with a Poole’side

Bianco DiNapoli tomato juice or a shakerato, a Roman play on iced coffee crafted with Counter Culture Coffee espresso. 

bloody mary made with

PHOTO COURTESY OF AC RESTAURANTS

Meredith Kramer and Sarah Calvert tuck in to the “Chillakillers” (baked tortilla chips, sweet and smokey roasted morita salsa, onions, fried egg, sour cream and cotija cheese) and churro French toast, respectively, and share warm homemade chips with a trio of white habanero, tomatillo avocado and creamy chipotle salsas at A'Verde Cocina + Tequila Library.

Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Biergarten

This Durham mainstay, a fixture for 25 years, is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy brunch on its expansive patio. You can’t go wrong with an iced Vietnamese latte while you peruse Guglhupf’s German specialties, from Alsatian potato leek tart to pork schnitzel. Eggs, sandwiches, and breads and pastries (of course), round out the rest of the morning menu. If you’re near Chapel Hill and just need something quick on the go, treat yourself to a pastry and a coffee at Guglhupf’s bake shop in Eastgate Shopping Center.

PRESS COFFEE, CRÊPES & COCKTAILS

The popular Graham coffee shop and crêperie opened a Bull City location in summer 2021. The breakfast menu, available on both Saturday and Sundays, has a bevy of sweet crêpe options like "The Classic" (Nutella, peanut butter and fruit). Team savory won’t be disappointed either: Fillings range from fresh veggies to North Carolina-smoked ham – and don’t sleep on the hash brown waffles. Good news for Raleigh residents – a third location is in the works downtown in the 400H building at 400 Hillsborough St., with plans to open in winter 2023.

Grata Diner

Located in Carrboro’s Carr Mill Mall, diners at Grata will find breakfast served all day – think boozy ciabatta French toast, omelets and huevos rancheros – alongside smashburgers, sandwiches and creative “Grata Bowls.” The proceeds of select bowls are donated to local organizations like TABLE and The ArtsCenter

This stuffed French toast crêpe is filled with cheesecake custard and topped with maple syrup, cinnamon, fruit and house-made whipped cream. Wash it down with the “Purple Rain,” made with lemonade, butterfly pea flower, honey and mint bitters.

Bars & Bites Apéritif

Located in Durham’s University Hill, Apéritif features an extensive menu of both signature and seasonal cocktails, along with beer and wine, complemented by small plate offerings like charcuterie, canapés and baguette sandwiches. But for the true experience, you’ll want to pair your cocktail with one

of the fantastic desserts. Try the signature Apéritif cocktail – made with Aperol and Citadelle gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, grapefruit bitters, egg white and garnished with an orange peel – alongside a "Raspberry Beret," a dark chocolate and Grand Marnier mousse dome filled with raspberry jam and served atop a brownie.

Dram & Draught

Offering more than 300 whiskeys from around the globe, hand-crafted cocktails, draught beer and wines from the old world and new, Dram & Draught is the perfect place to grab a drink in a laid-back setting. The bar and lounge has locations across the state, bringing its neighborhood feel to Cary, Durham, Raleigh, Greensboro, Wilmington and Winston-Salem. Relish in a favorite classic drink such as an old fashioned or a G&T (usually made with local spirits, like Durham Distillery’s Conniption Kinship gin), or try something seasonal – the friendly bartenders are happy to help steer you toward something you’ll like!

Alley Twenty Six

Shannon Healy can certainly pour a perfect Manhattan or whip up a heavenly strawberry daiquiri. The bartender of more than two decades and owner of Alley Twenty Six is a master of his craft, but he says his true talent lies in being a good listener. Find a bar stool, pick your poison and – whether you ask for a top-shelf whiskey or something fruity and devilishly sweet – he’ll deliver. Alley’s upscale atmosphere is built on a foundation of genuine hospitality, and chef Carrie Schleiffer, who made her debut at Alley in 2016, delivers on

that front by pairing elevatedyet-familiar American favorites that celebrate local ingredients with the established bar program. The most popular dish on the menu remains the “Alley Burger,” inspired by hearty bacon cheeseburgers but dressed to the nines with black truffle cheddar, house-made bacon jam and an 8-ounce chuck-and-brisket patty that’s ground in their kitchen. Oh, they also produce, package and sell their own extensive line of cocktail syrups (we adore the ginger) – grab a bottle before you leave!

Ava Rooftop Bar

Escape to this elevated (get it?) outdoor oasis atop Sports & Social at Fenton in Cary. With its chic, contemporary, Instagramable design and cozy seating areas, it’s easy to settle in and relax with refreshing craft cocktails – like mezcalbased “Smokey Rose” or a watermelon spritz with cava – wine and Mediterraneaninspired small plates to share while being entertained by local DJs. If you’re looking for an exclusive experience, reservations are accepted for VIP booths beginning at 9 p.m. each night.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAM & DRAUGHT

Alley Twenty Six bartender/owner Shannon Healy and chef Carrie Schleiffer in the bar’s namesake brick alley.

Tiffany Temple and Jessica Lamb enjoy a couple “Agua de Valencia” cocktails and light bites at Ava Rooftop Bar.

The Waiting Room

This Durham spot offers its patrons –whether they are there for a quick drink before dinner elsewhere or cozying up on a date – a chance to feel at home, no matter how long they choose to stay. The Waiting Room offers a menu of small bites designed to tide you over. The deviled eggs with chili crisp already have become something of a Bull City legend, and innovative macarons are the stars of the dessert offerings. “Your Buddy,” is the signature (and most popular) cocktail featuring a play on an old fashioned.

Kid-Friendly Corner

These casual eateries have delectable options for family members of all ages

Al’s Burger Shack

Kids can order a mini version of the burgers – once named best in the country –or a hot dog, grilled cheese or chicken nuggets. Adults can take their pick from the made-to-order burgers with names like “Mookie,” “Paco” and “Kenny J,” all made with 100% fresh ground chuck. Customers of all ages will appreciate the rosemary crinkle-cut fries and the Maple View Farm milkshakes. Eat alfresco at both Chapel Hill locations (Southern Village and West Franklin Street), and don’t worry about making a mess.

BB’s Crispy Chicken

It’s a fact: Kids. Love. Chicken. Which is why BB’s Crispy Chicken is a perfect option for lunch or dinner, whether you’re dining in, taking out or, heck, if you’re just too busy, ordering delivery. The Midtown East location off Wake Forest Road in Raleigh is near Wegmans, making it easy to grab both groceries and a meal, while the Parkside Town Commons restaurant next to Rosecomb Beer Garden in Cary (get some totchos while you enjoy a cold one) and Durham’s University Hill eatery (right below Gizmo Brew Works, too!) offer plenty of outside space to explore. Plus, kids eat free on Tuesdays! Order an entree for yourself and get a free meal (two tenders or four nuggets with a side and a drink) off the Lil’ BBites menu. 

The “Your Buddy” cocktail includes rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and black walnut and orange bitters.

The “Classic” burger is just that – it’s topped with lettuce, tomato, sliced red onion, pickle, Al sauce and American cheese. Enjoy with a side of sweet potato fries with sea salt or brown sugar.

Bull City Burger & Brewery

Kids 10 and younger can take their pick from a burger, “puppy dog,” grilled cheese or veggie burger at this downtown Durham restaurant. All are served with a small order of dirty fries and a kids’ drink or apple juice, with the option of milk or chocolate milk. Meanwhile, the adults can sip a pint of “Parrish Street Pale Ale” and have their own fun choosing among the more adventurous burger toppings, from Gruyere and poblano peppers to house-made chimichurri and pimento cheese. And don’t miss the adorable “Future Beer Drinkers” corner stocked with all kinds of items to keep the kiddos entertained.

Makus Empanadas

CREATIVE CREAMERY

In addition to kids’ menu items, you can order your 100% pasture-raised, grass-fed local beef, plant-based or three-bean burger as a Burger Bowl: on a bed of fries with toppings and house-made sauces.

Breakaway Cafe

The crowd-pleasing kids menu features fried chicken, pasta with cheesy sauce and plenty of sandwiches, from grilled cheese to the trusty PB&J. Parents will find just as many options, like a tofu banh mi or a Caesar salad with kale, lemon and Parmesan and – depending on the time of day – beverages from coffee to beer and wine at both the Chatham and Carrboro location.

Breadman’s

This classic Carolina restaurant has fed hungry UNC students and Chapel Hill residents their favorite breakfast dishes –from corned beef hash to pancakes – since 1974. Grab a booth and flip through the broad menu of omelets, Belgian waffles and kid-friendly fare. Craving an omelet for dinner? Never fear – this down-home diner serves breakfast all day long.

With two locations in the area, including the Morgan Street Food Hall in Raleigh – another ideal spot for kids thanks to its many options and quick service – and Hope Valley Commons in Durham, Makus’ warm pocket pastries are close to many in the Triangle. The empanadas’ fillings range from chicken to beef to sweet corn and are perfect for little ones who haven’t yet mastered utensils. Kids meals include one empanada or one empadog, a cookie or chips and a drink. The family meal feeds plenty with 10 empanadas and four sides.

This Siler City sweet spot takes milkshakes to new heights – literally. Behold: A mason jar is packed with three scoops of Hershey’s ice cream, drizzled with syrup and stacked with anything from cookies or fruit to whole cinnamon buns or cheesecake slices. It’s then piled high with whipped cream and icing or Nutella and, finally, a scattering of sprinkles. These “stuffed shakes” lure ice-cream lovers young and old from across Chatham County and beyond.

Culinary Culture

Spend an entire evening out on the town with a meal and nearby entertainment

NanaSteak

This downtown Durham restaurant is upscale dining at its finest with a menu chock-full of decadent entrees like prime rib-eye and seared salmon. NanaSteak is directly adjacent to the Durham Performing Arts Center , so go ahead and have that second glass of wine off its extensive list without worrying about missing showtime. Or, if your sweet tooth is aching, try the vanilla bean creme brulee before heading to your seat. And stay tuned for owners and brothers Graham and Brad Weddington ’s new Louisiana-style restaurant Seraphine , opening steps away at American Tobacco Campus later in 2023. 

PHOTO BY BETH MANN

Choose from 48 ice cream flavors at Creative Creamery’s Siler City shop off U.S. Hwy 64.

Caitlin Long and Nick Long enjoy drinks and appetizers on NanaSteak’s patio overlooking the American Tobacco Campus.

Trilogy

Start your weekend early with discounted shareable appetizers – pretzel bites, anyone? – and flatbreads at Trilogy from 3-7 p.m. on Fridays. If you’re looking for a bigger meal before catching a flick at Silverspot Cinema in Chapel Hill, the restaurant’s got everything from sandwiches and salads to penne al forno. Thanks to reserved seating inside the theaters, you can have a drink at the full bar without sweating that you’ll miss the previews.

Colletta

This new restaurant at Cary’s Fenton district highlights Italian cuisine in a modern and sophisticated space with sleek décor and an open kitchen, plus a 60-seat semi-covered patio. Executive chef Keyturah Yisrael offers a seasonal menu including house-made focaccia and pasta, antipastis, made-toorder wood-fired pizzas and piatti. Try the mouthwatering ravioli with spinach, ricotta and crispy artichokes, or the new potatocrusted grouper. Dine family-style, or order à la carte. Save room for dessert, because pastry chef Helena Larson’s lemon ricotta cake and chocolate budino cake are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. Head to Fenton’s outdoor square after dinner to enjoy Fenton Live, a monthly live music event. Or catch a movie at the Paragon Theater, located just steps away from Colletta.

Market and Moss

Split a charcuterie plate and bottle of wine or enjoy a refreshing cocktail paired with the catch of the day at Market and Moss in Chapel Hill’s Southern Village. The refined restaurant, with a menu that changes daily, is just steps away from The Lumina Theater, where you can catch a weekend matinee prior to dining in, or head to the Southern Village Green, where outdoor movies run late into the evening on most Saturday nights, after dinner. Bring a blanket or folding chair – there’s not a bad seat in the house!

The Fiction Kitchen

Seasoned and sauteed vegetables get the star treatment at this 100% vegan restaurant. The flavorful main courses vary from a Carolina Gold rice risotto with peas and seasonal squash to (mock) chicken and waffles. It’s a short walk away from Red Hat Amphitheater, so you won’t miss a minute of your outdoor concert.

St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar

Indulge in fresh seafood and Southerninspired dishes at St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar in Raleigh. Start your meal with a dozen of St. Roch’s signature oysters (come early between 4 and 6 p.m. for “daily happy oysters, a halfdozen shucker’s choice raw oysters sold at a happy price”) or try the smoked fish dip with bread and butter pickles and fried saltines. For something heartier, the Carolina calabash – a build-your-own “fish fry” that comes with pomme frites, fried pickles, garlic aioli, charred jalapeno and buttermilk dressing – is a musttry. After dinner, take a short walk to Raleigh Memorial Auditorium for a performance by the North Carolina Theatre, which produces iconic Broadway, off-Broadway and West End shows, energized by a unique blend of national and local talent. 

“Bulleit to the Berry” is Market and Moss’ summertime twist on a mojito with strawberries added.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JNK PUBLIC RELATIONS

PHOTO BY ANNA ROUTH

That's Amore

Sometimes you need to recharge with a date night out. Turn to some of our area’s hotels for outstanding dining and book a room for a full-blown staycation.

Crossroads Chapel Hill

Known for its gracious hospitality, the nearly 100-year-old Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill – which recently underwent a lobby renovation – is adjacent to UNC’s campus. Its top-notch care extends into the dining room, where you’ll find Southern seasonal specialities like grilled pork tenderloin with creamed leeks, fingerling potatoes and a watermelon radish salad and beer

Counting House

THE WILLARD ROOFTOP LOUNGE

Located atop the AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown, The Willard has gorgeous views of downtown Raleigh and then some. With two heated outdoor terraces, there’s plenty of room to savor a creative cocktail – the “I’m On a Boat!,” for instance, is made with Durham Distillery’s Conniption Navy Strength Gin, St-Germain and house-made triple sec and fruit punch. Food-wise, the menu takes on international inspirations for its shareables, from papas bravas to bulgogi steamed buns, and features a variety of flatbreads, burgers and seafood-inspired dishes.

from Carolina Brewery, just down the road. Make plans to catch a Carolina Performing Arts show – from expressive jazz and classical concerts, to transformative theater, dance and more – at Current Art Space + Studio or Memorial Hall, each just a block away, before returning to the inn for a nightcap and to turn in.

Herons

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to dress up for dinner, look no further than Herons’ 98-seat dining room, which boasts a private art collection and sumptuous views of The Umstead Hotel and Spa’s grounds and gardens. One of only 64 Forbes Five-Star restaurants in the world, its four-course menu is seasonal and features artfully plated options like cucumber gazpacho, scallop with turnips in a horseradish broth, and duck with rhubarb, barley and beets. The extensive wine list spans the globe while beer lovers will find local brews like “Backspin IPA” from Raleigh’s R&D Brewing.

Bourbon and whiskey dominate the drink menu at this swanky hotel restaurant in the heart of downtown Durham. Executive chef Jeff Seizer provides playful courses with simple preparations utilizing old-school European techniques – you’ll find pastas and grilled mains and enjoy them in a sophisticated setting. The 21c Museum Hotel doubles as a museum so when you’re done with dinner, check out the exhibits (the newest, “Truth or Dare: A Reality Show,” which highlights confusion of reality and the slippery slide into alternative worlds of alternative facts, is on view through March 2024) and explore the former bank vault in the basement.

Spencer’s Tavern

Recently restored, The Colonial Inn’s kitchen serves BLTs and hot roast beef sandwiches all day long and offers entrees like filet mignon in the evening. Sit at the plush banquette and have a drink – the menu is full of Hillsborough-inspired cocktails, like the aptly named “Orange County,” with bourbon and orange liqueur. Or if the weather is nice, sit awhile on the welcoming historical porch.

Spirited Away

Diverse bev options and alcohol alternatives, from mocktails to kava to coffee soda

The Durham Hotel

The Durham Hotel’s coffee soda is a must-try for coffee lovers – cold-brew coffee mixed with sugar, vanilla bean, sparkling water and crushed ice.

Krave

Kava Bar

If you’re looking for a nonalcoholic pickme-up, consider Krave Kava Bar, with locations in both Carrboro and Raleigh. Kava is a plant that grows in the South Pacific (the root is the part that’s made into a drink and consumed as an alternative to alcohol), and Krave serves root drinks and teas that produce a relaxing effect, allowing customers to unwind in an alcohol-free bar and lounge environment.

Umbrella Dry Bar

Stop by this permanent pop-up at Northwood Gardens in Raleigh, and you’ll find an idyllic space to socialize that’s also free from the pressure to drink alcohol. The dry bar offers a chance to learn how to create the perfect nonalcoholic cocktails for any occasion; high-quality, boozefree, sip-ready cans and bottles to stock your bar cart with; and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere to mindfully drink. It’s also on track to open a location of its own in downtown Raleigh!

Gallo Pelón Mezcaleria

Though mezcal and tequila are the stars of the bar menu at this eatery in Raleigh, those seeking a nonalcoholic alternative have a few solid options. The "Santo Domingo" is made with sweet cucumber juice, lime and ginger cordial while the "Eternal Denial" features passion fruit and berry cordial. The food offerings range from burritos and tacos to cheese, corn and jalapeño fritters topped with crema. 

Find seasonal dishes like this Yukon Gold potato gnocchi on Crossroads’ ever-evolving menu.

PHOTO BY JESSICA STRINGER

Vicki Tong, Quann Bradley, Leslie Tyson, Richard Barlow, Chermere Carr and Talya Ali cheers to the weekend.

Da Kine’s Kava

Zoey Best and Brent Waffle opened Da Kine’s in Durham in 2020. The bar offers natural, healthy traditional kava, bottled kava, kava mocktails and more. Dive right into the experience with Da Kine’s “Grab The Bull,” the bar’s strongest drink in terms of taste and potency, which produces the relaxing effects of kava quickly. Or start out subtly with Da Kine’s seasonal kava mocktails that are perfect for sipping, such as “The Grass is Greener Lemonade,” a combination of pomegranate, mint, ginger, kava and lemonade.

Savor the Memories

Make a reservation to mark a special occasion or treat out-of-town visitors to an unforgettable meal

Bombolo

Chef/co-owner Garret Fleming and his sister, pastry chef/co-owner Eleanor Lacy, transformed the snug space in Chapel Hill’s Midtown Market. The tables are close together so diners can get an eyeful of dishes like the halibut khao soi and homemade pasta offerings served on vintage china tableware. And save room for Eleanor’s skillful, scratchmade desserts – the namesake chocolate bombolo topped with a crunchy hazelnutpraline feuilletine and a cloud of orangechocolate mousse is a must.

The Fearrington House Restaurant

This award-winning restaurant, which has offered fine dining for 40 years and was named by Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Awards” as one of the “15 Best Resorts in the South” in 2022, is nestled in Chatham County’s Fearrington Village on acres of countryside. Vegetables and herbs are harvested from the on-site gardens and integrated into dishes such as seared halibut on a bed of field peas with local yellow squash, tabbouleh and red pepper (pictured). Come for the exceptional service, expertly crafted cocktails and multicourse meal; stay for the signature dark chocolate soufflé.

Angus Barn

Consider this fine dining steakhouse in Raleigh the granddaddy of all popular celebration spots in the Triangle. The restaurant’s rustic yet elegant interior boasts warm wood paneling,

cozy fireplaces and classic decor, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The menu features an impressive selection of aged cuts of beef, including filet mignon, rib-eye and porterhouse, as well as seafood dishes such as lobster tail and salmon. Its award-winning extensive wine list, with thousands upon thousands of bottles in its collection, is one of a kind – and the wine cellar itself is something to behold. With private lounges, fire pits, enchanting holiday decor during the winter season and mouthwatering dishes prepared by executive chef Walter Royal, a Food Network “Iron Chef” winner who’s run the kitchen for nearly three decades, the Angus Barn is always an ideal choice to mark a momentous occasion.

KIPOS GREEK TAVERNA

Tucked away in a lush, green corner of Eastgate Crossing in Chapel Hill, this Greek restaurant means “garden” in Greek. It’s a perfect place to celebrate a big birthday or hold a small rehearsal dinner – the party packages feature items like spanakopita, grilled octopus and moussaka served family style.

Geraud Staton and Laine Staton enjoy a couple kava cocktails at Da Kine’s Kava.

PHOTO BY CORNELL WATSON

The Fearrington House Restaurant’s on-site gardens are the source of fresh produce and herbs integrated into many dishes on its seasonal menu.

Indulge in delectable Greek favorites like horiatiki (a salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and feta cheese) and a spit-roasted leg of lamb at Kipos.

DRINKS ALL AROUND

A guide to the Triangle’s new and established breweries, distilleries and cideries

By Cooper Metts and Renee Ambroso

Photography by John Michael Simpson

TRIANGLE-WIDE

Bull City Ciderworks The cidery’s six year-round mainstays include the “Off Main” (classic cider), “Sweet Carolina” (made with local honey), “Cherry Tart” (Montmorency cherries), “Smooth Hoperator” (dry hopped), “Rhize Up!” (fresh ginger) and “Orange You a Hippie” (sweet orange peel and hibiscus flowers), plus seasonal varieties that include habanero peppers, cinnamon and other ingredients. Visit its Triangle locations in Durham and Cary.

Carolina Brewery The Triangle’s oldest brewpub has brewed beer since 1995 and expanded its distribution to two other states. Its “Costero Mexican Lager” won gold in the American-Style Lager category at the 2022 NC Brewers Cup, adding to its list of national award-winning beers, which includes the year-round varietals “Sky Blue Kolsch,” “Oatmeal Porter” and “Flagship IPA.” Scratch-made kitchen specials include local burgers and house-smoked barbecue, perfect to enjoy on its patio in Chapel Hill or in Pittsboro, which often features live music and also houses The Hopshop, an adjacent quickserve spot selling Counter Culture Coffee, breakfast, lunch and Carolina Brewery beer and merchandise.

Clouds Brewing This American-style restaurant and brewery with a German flair operates a taproom and two restaurant locations across the Triangle. Each restaurant houses 40-plus rotating taps with local craft beer, including its own German-inspired brews – plus everyday menu items like bratwurst hoagies, pretzels, chicken schnitzel and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The taproom offers 18 beers on tap, with a focus on European-style lagers and ales.

Bull City Ciderworks’ seasonal “Flamemango” offers tropical notes of mango and hibiscus with a considerable kick from habaneros.

Gizmo Brew Works At its inception, Gizmo Brew Works inherited a two-barrel brewhouse in Raleigh in April 2013, making it one of the smallest production breweries in North Carolina at the time. In 2019, it set forth to quadruple its brewing capacity and opened its first satellite taproom in Chapel Hill. The brewery later expanded further, opening a Durham taproom at University Hill. The shop provides a diverse selection of craft beer and cider in addition to Gizmo’s year-round and specialty beer.

Lonerider Brewery & Lonerider Spirits

First opened in Raleigh in 2009, the award-winning beer is now distributed in nine states. Lonerider won the bronze World Beer Cup in 2018 for its Englishstyle brown ale, “Sweet Josie,” and was previously honored with a variety of gold, silver and bronze medals in The U.S. Open Beer Championship and the Great American Beer Festival. Visit one of its “hideouts” in Raleigh or Wake Forest to judge a brew yourself; try another Lonerider specialty, North Carolina’s first “Ranch Water” – a Texas-style hard seltzer – and grab a bite at its Five Points brewpub; and head to its newest Triangle addition, the Lonerider Distillery and Taproom, in downtown Durham to enjoy Lonerider Spirits’ various whiskeys, a signature cocktail or a beer.

Tobacco Road Sports Cafe Located in the historic Raleigh Electric Company Powerhouse building, this Raleigh-based restaurant, which started brewing in 2017, offers its own beers, from a funky “Fuzz Peach Sour Pale Ale” to the classic “Kilowatt Kolsch.” Tobacco Road also has a Durham location that overlooks the Durham Bulls Athletic Park at the American Tobacco Campus 

CHATHAM

Bear Creek Brews Discover this nanobrewery that’s off the beaten path, which boasts a “Honey Pale Ale,” “Chief Lager” and European-style brews like an “Alt Bier.” Check out its brew-your-own program and pick up some of its beers from The Modern Life Deli & Drinks. Make an appointment to visit, place a growler or keg order or rent its three-tap beer trailer.

BMC Brewing This brewery opened in mid2021 after more than 30 years in the making. Members of the Rice family, who own the brewery, formerly worked as scientists while also dabbling in homebrewing on the side. Their beers are inspired by their research, like “Mendel’s Dominant Recessive Kölsch,” named after the founder of modern genetics, or “Hopper’s German Wheat Ale,” named after female computer scientist Grace Hopper.

Chatham Cider Works This Pittsboro cidery works with local growers and uses North Carolina fruits to make its “Highway 64,” “Backyard Blend” and “First Flight” ciders. Find these varieties and more in bottles and kegs throughout the Triangle and in the Fair Game tasting room, or schedule a tour at the cidery itself.

Fair Game Beverage Co. Fair Game specializes in small-batch rums, brandies, pepper vodka and seasonal cordials. The tasting room also offers a selection of North Carolina wines and beers on tap as well as a full pantry of locally made products. Fair Game’s cocktails and spirits are available on-site. Bottles are at ABC stores.

FireClay Cellars Named after the red soil of Chatham County, the vineyard and winery in Siler City grows its own grapes and produces award-winning wines. Its offerings include a red blend and chambourcin, a rosé, a chardonel, a traminette and a red reserve. The winery has spacious indoor seating for wine tastings, as well as a deck and front porch for sipping.

Havoc Brewing The 6,500-square-foot brewery in downtown Pittsboro offers a spacious pet-friendly patio and taproom with 12 taps serving seasonal brews like the “Phoenix Cream Ale” and “Hey Bonnie! English Brown Ale,” as well as guest and nonalcoholic options.

Red Moose Brewing Company This Pittsboro brewery aims to create an enjoyable environment for the whole family, complete with a children’s chalkboard, TVs for game nights and a back deck and patio area. Enjoy brews like its specialty IPA, mango wheat

beer, “Berliner Weisse,” “Norwegian Pilsner” and the “Morning Beer,” which includes local coffee, as well as guest taps from Southern Pines Brewing Company, Thirsty Skull Brewing and Chatham Cider Works

Starrlight Mead The largest meadery in North Carolina is located at the Chatham Beverage District, producing award-winning meads, from fruit-infused choices like spiced apple and blackberry, to special reserve wines like chocolate orange. Tours are offered Saturdays and Sundays.

Pale Ale” or the “Bryant Bridge Gateway Golden Ale” on tap, but check in throughout the year for special variations. Head to its Bull City Solera and Taproom for specialty barrel-aged beers alongside its flagship brews, as well as chef-driven burritos and Mexican pizza.

Bull Durham Beer Co. The brewery opened in Durham Bulls Athletic Park’s main concourse in 2015. It was the first beer company at a minor league baseball stadium.

Durham Distillery Founded in 2013 and opened in 2015 by Melissa Katrincic and Lee Katrincic, the craft gin and liqueur distillery produces premium gins using a two-step process, which combines traditional gin-making techniques with modern chemistry to create both classic and contemporary spirits. Under the flagship name, Conniption, its gins are among the most-awarded craft gins distilled in the U.S. The distillery also produces canned cocktails, cold-distilled cucumber vodka and liqueurs and opened its adjacent cocktail bar, Corpse Reviver, in fall 2020. The distillery’s Conniption Navy Strength Gin was recently featured in Forbes’ coverage of “15 of the Best All-American Gins to Try Right Now.”

Durty Bull Brewing Company Barrel-aged, sour and hoppy brews. (Try the “My Mom Still Packs My Lunch Imperial Stout Ale” that’s brewed with peanut butter and marshmallows – at 13% ABV, it packs a punch!) Dog-friendly with live music, open mic comedy and other events.

Thirsty Skull Brewing Established in 2018, the brewery now operates taprooms in Siler City and Pittsboro (in the former ODDCO space) and offers IPAs, stouts, lagers and more, all brewed in Chatham County. Try a draft pour at many locations throughout North Carolina, including 580 Craft Beer and The City Tap in Pittsboro.

DURHAM

The Brothers Vilgalys Spirits Company Offerings include Krupnikas, a Lithuanian spiced honey liqueur, plus four other liqueurs, all flavored with herbs, spices and other botanicals.

Bull City Burger and Brewery A familyfriendly, independent craft brewery and restaurant featuring award-winning beer made from locally sourced ingredients. You can usually find the “Parrish Street

Flying Bull Beer Company Ninth Street’s first nanobrewery, outdoor beer garden and taproom was founded by partners Joel Miles and Anna Bloch in 2020 and offers 24 taps that include its own smallbatch craft beer, plus a few other North Carolina favorites. Flying Bull also sells crowlers and growlers as well as prepackaged craft beer to go, and recently announced it’s opening a second location with craft beer, cocktails and a full dining menu in the Durham Innovation District near West Village in fall 2023.

Fullsteam Brewery The frontrunner of the “plow-to-pint” movement, Fullsteam is the only North Carolina brewery to receive Good Food Awards for its beer – 10 in total since its 2010 opening – and the James Beard Foundation has recognized the brewery as a four-time semi-finalist in the Outstanding Wine, Beer and Spirits category. Fullsteam has two Durham locations, both serving food: downtown and Boxyard RTP

PHOTO BY ANNA-RHESA VERSOLA

The Glass Jug Beer Lab This craft brewery, beer garden and retail bottle shop has 24 taps that rotate through new housemade beers, guest taps and ciders, with wine also available. Get crowlers and growlers to-go, or a six- or four-pack of Glass Jug cans. Beer enthusiasts may also visit The Glass Jug’s downtown taproom, which provides beautiful views of Durham Central Park. Both locations host a weekly rotation of food trucks as well as live music, trivia and other events.

Honeygirl Meadery Offers a glimpse into the world of the honeybee with award-winning, hand-crafted meads that utilize various ingredients. Its downtown tasting room and bottle shop offers a rotating seasonal lineup of meads ranging from dry to semi-sweet to lightly sparkling. Choose a flight or a guided mead tasting.

Liberty & Plenty Distillery Named after the two robed figures in North Carolina’s state seal, this startup craft distillery housed within a circa 1938 industrial brick building in downtown produces rum, whiskeys and vodka. Owner and head distiller, Tina Williford, says Liberty & Plenty will also produce gin and flavored vodkas. The physical facility, designed by pod architecture + design, accommodates product tasting, retail displays, bottle sales, and indoor and outdoor seating.

Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle

Shop Co-owners Derrick Forrest and Kenneth Thrower opened this meadery in 2021 with a commitment to offering a large selection of North Carolina craft beers, wines, hard ciders, teas, lemonades, kombuchas and more. Moon Dog’s own meads are available along with more than 150 other brews in its bottle shop. Bring your furry friends along and visit with moon dogs Mystic and Sherlock

Mystic Farm & Distillery Stop by for a cocktail made with fresh ingredients and handcrafted spirits. Reserve a tour for an indepth look at the production of Heart of Mystic Bourbon Whiskey, Mystic Bourbon Liqueur and its Mystic 57 Navy Strength Gin.

Tobacco Wood Brewing Company

The Oxford-based, female and veteranowned brewery opened a second location in Research Triangle Park in June 2021. With 15 taps, it offers everything from a blueberry-lemonade hard cider and mixed berry gose to a coffee stout and session IPA. It also boasts a varied food menu complete with cheese curds, sandwiches, tacos and flatbreads.

Weldon Mills Distillery This Weldon, North Carolina-based distillery opened a new location downtown at 300 E. Main St. in March 2023, serving its small-batch bourbon plus craft cocktails made with the distillery’s whiskey, vodka, gin and flavored liquors. Weldon Mills is also the official spirit of the Durham Bulls, and the organizations are developing a new “Snorting Bull” bourbon that will be available in summer 2023.

Zinc House Winery & Brewery This 82-acre farm located near Falls Lake is home to a winery, vineyard, brewery and hiking trails, plus a 2,700-square-foot event space overlooking the Falls Village Golf Club The 14,000-square-foot main winery/ brewery serves 12 Bearded Bee Brewing Co. beers on tap plus an extensive list of wines from around the world available by the glass or bottle. Owners Mike Tenoever and Kimberly Tenoever hope to offer Zinc House’s own wine and beer by 2024. Stop in for weekly wine tastings on Wednesdays or book a private tasting.

ORANGE

Botanist & Barrel North of downtown Hillsborough is Orange County’s first winery and cidery. Botanist & Barrel crafts a variety of ciders, sours and dry fruit wines. Visitors can spend the day picking blueberries (June to August) and tasting cider, wine, local craft beer, prepared foods and fare from the occasional food truck, all in a scenic farm setting.

Hi-Wire Brewing The Golden Belt taproom has more than 8,000 square feet of interior space, as well as an outdoor covered patio and beer garden. There are fullsized shuffleboard courts, soccer pool tables, table tennis and more. The bar’s 24 taps feature the brewery’s year-round staples, seasonal specials, sours and oneoffs, as well as wine, local cider and guest taps. Directly outside the brewery is an outdoor stage that often showcases local performing artists.

Ponysaurus Brewing Co. Head to its two-story covered patio and spacious beer garden for a bite alongside both traditional and experimental American-, Belgian- and European-style beers, including its award-winning Biére de Garde, gose and Scottish ale. Grab some snacks for $1 per scoop, or order from a menu of pizza, garlic knots, salad and cannoli!

Starpoint Brewing The seven-barrel facility in the Rockwood Shopping Center is located in the same space as bottle shop and bar Beer Study. The brewery serves local brews for visitors to enjoy in the lounge areas, complete with arcade games and comfy leather sofas.

Craftboro Brewing Depot This bottle shop and brewery opened at the South Green development in October 2019 with 10 taps of craft beer, including “Damascus Steel Stout,” “Vitruvius IPA” and “Water Color Wheat.”

Dingo Dog Brewing Company This nanobrewery operates on PlowGirl Farm outside of Carrboro, and produces beverages using produce grown onsite in a zero-waste production facility. Its profits fund grants for no-kill animal rescue organizations in North Carolina. Its taproom in downtown Carrboro offers carryout and outdoor seating. 

Haw River Tap & Table Located next door to the legendary Cat’s Cradle concert venue, Haw River Tap & Table offers unique menu items and beer from Saxapahaw’s Haw River Farmhouse Ales in the heart of Carrboro.

NoDa Brewing Company Tapas NoDa Brewing opened its fourth location and first outside Charlotte in Chapel Hill in September 2022. The brewery has a full-service bar and also serves small plates. Sample flights, grab a pint or take cans and bottles to go.

Steel String Brewery Inspired by the agricultural bounty of the Piedmont and the funky, free-spirited vibes of Carrboro, Steel String offers eclectic brews like the “No Quarter Coffee Stout” and “Atlantic Beach Pie Gose.” Also be sure to visit its Pluck Farm, which opened in May 2021. Located on the western edge of Orange County off N.C. 54, 11 miles west of the Carrboro brewery, the farm spans 37 acres and features a pasture area home to a beer garden and flower gardens – where they also grow hops, grapes and herbs – a pond, a 13-hole disc golf course and a wooded area with walking trails.

Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery

Established in 1996, TOPO is the fiftholdest brewpub in the state and the first establishment in the South to have a fulltime, cask-conditioned ale program onsite. Its award-winning brews include the UNCthemed “Frank Graham Porter,” “Bell Tower Blueberry Wheat” and “Old Well White.”

WAKE

Altered State Brewing Company Enjoy a heavily fruited sour or hoppy IPA on the kid- and dog-friendly patio at this relaxed Raleigh brewery.

Aviator Brewing Company Take a tour, try samples and stay for a round of cornhole at this Fuquay-Varina brewery. Down the road at Aviator SmokeHouse, enjoy St. Louis-style smoked ribs paired with a selection of brews, or try a brick-oven pizza at Aviator Pizzeria & BeerShop, which offers wine in addition to beer. Across the street from the smokehouse and pizzeria is Aviator TapHouse, a gastropub with outdoor dining and a menu featuring steamed mussels, burgers and white cheddar cheese curds.

Bombshell Beer Company Founders Ellen Joyner, Jackie Hudspeth and Michelle Miniutti were three homebrewers who sought to reclaim women’s lead role in brewing. Try the year-round “Head Over Hops IPA,” “Everyday Drinker Light American Ale,” “Lady in Red Amber Ale” and more. A variety of specialty beers plus wines and ciders are also available. Keep an eye on its online events calendar, too, for food trucks and live music.

Bond Brothers Beer Company

The downtown Cary brewery and taproom produces a wide variety of ales, sours and lagers and also features an outdoor beer garden. Its Eastside music venue and bar hosts open mic nights, bingo, jam sessions, disc golf, putting leagues and more.

also home to a variety of local artwork for purchase and a 1910 piano available for guest musicians to enjoy.

Crank Arm Brewing Crank Arm’s concept was inspired by owner Adam Eckhardt, who combined his love for cycling and quality craft beer in downtown Raleigh. Try Crank Arm’s bestselling draft, “Unicycle Citra Pale Ale,” or bestselling can, “Road Hazard Hazy IPA.”

Edit Beer Company Husband-and-wife team Angela Johnson and Brian Johnson opened this North Raleigh brewery in early 2023. Enjoy a “Black Point Russian Imperial Stout,” “The Kernel Cream Ale” or “Out of Focus Hazy IPA” in the family-friendly space.

Fainting Goat Brewing Company

This veteran-owned brewery offers core brews, specialty and seasonal flavors and is committed to giving back to local charities that support veterans and their families. Stop in for a taste of the pomegranate witbier or a more classic sip of “What the Buck,” a 90-minute American pale ale with hints of tropical fruit flavors.

Fortnight Brewing Company With the help of fellow Englishman David Wilkinson, Stuart Arnold drew on his three decades of beer knowledge to open the Cary brewery specializing in cask-conditioned beer. Brewery tours are available upon request, and several private event spaces can be rented.

Brüeprint Brewing Company Apex’s first craft brewery has served the community since 2014. The family- and pet-friendly taprooms are open every day, featuring 14 brews at the Apex taproom and 16 in Cary, with frequent events, food trucks and specials.

Burial Beer Co. Known as “the Exhibit,” this taproom and bottle shop in Raleigh’s Transfer Co. Food Hall explores the Burial art world with artistic creations and murals on display. Try IPAs, cream ales, stouts, porters and more on the 24 taps, or take packaged beer, wine and cider home.

Compass Rose Brewery The open-concept taproom in northeast Raleigh spans 5,500 square feet, perfect for business meetings, parties, anniversaries and wedding receptions. The brewery hosts weekly trivia, live music and a rotation of food trucks. Try its award-winning “Tidal Break IPA” or the “Up & At ’Em Coffee Porter.”

Cotton House Located at Cary’s historic Pasmore House, Triangle Beer Co.’s second location offers nine of its beers along with its semi-dry apple cider and a selection of red and white wines. Cotton House hosts food trucks on weekends, with mimosas available on Sundays. The Cary space is

Funguys Brewing A kid- and dog-friendly brewery with a focus on ales and lagers, this story again begins as a homebrewing hobby turned occupation in April 2018. Follow its social media for the latest releases!

Heyday Brewing Chef Jonathan Schaffer and brewmaster Thorne Watkins serve up culinary delights and craft brews, respectively, at this Raleigh brewery and restaurant that also serves as a teaching classroom for North Wake College and Career Academy’s craft beer brewing program. Try the smash burgers alongside the house-favorite DIPA, “Bodacious.”

Little City Brewing + Provisions Co.

Founded in 2016, the Raleigh brewery focuses on drinkability and trend-forward initiatives and offers guest taps, wine, cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks alongside its “Wake Up Moose Porter” and “Citra Hazy IPA.”

Lynnwood Grill & Brewing Concern

Located in the Grove Barton Shopping Center, this brewery offers both food and award-winning brews like its classic Irish dry stout and American red ale. Try one of its year-round IPAs and golden ales or a seasonal porter or hefeweizen. 

Mordecai Beverage Co. The brewery, taproom and bottle shop in East Raleigh’s Gateway Plaza opened in 2019 and serves up wine and cider in addition to brews like the “Milner Pilsner” and “Glasscock Quattlebaum Imperial Stout.”

Neuse River Brewing Company Nestled just outside the Five Points neighborhood, this brewery offers a wide selection including Belgian ales and IPAs. It opened its Brasserie in late 2019, serving up a European-bistro inspired menu with a North Carolina twist. Stop in for housemade pasta and $5 martini nights on Wednesdays or half-price wine night on Thursdays.

Nickelpoint Brewing Co. Founded by two homebrewing brothers, this Five Points brewery and taproom offers a cozy space where guests can play foosball, Ping-Pong or cornhole and watch sports on the projector screen in the biergarten. Take advantage of the shaded patio to hang with friends.

Norse Brewing Company Located in downtown Wake Forest, this brewery features craft beers, Scandinavian food with a Southern twist, three outdoor spaces and two full bars. Lunch and dinner options are available daily, or enjoy a Sunday brunch. Guests can also rent out the space for private dining or events.

Oak City Brewing Company Longtime friends Blake Cone and Matt Keeler opened this neighborhood spot that overlooks Knightdale Station Park in 2016. Join in a Tuesday Pint Night for $1 off any 16-ounce pour or a semiweekly beer run on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Olde Raleigh Distillery Offerings include a selection of blended bourbon, available by the bottle or by the pour. Craft cocktails, such as the “Signature Olde Fashioned,” “Strawberry Bourbon Smash,” Bananas Foster,” “Simply Blushing Whiskey Sour” and more, in addition to North Carolina craft beers, a selection of white and red wines and nonalcoholic cocktails. Guests can also request a tour of the 10,000-square-foot distillery. Try its newest unique bourbon, the “Old Stogie” – infused with local Amendola Family Cigar Co.’s cigars and aged in tawny port and Armagnac barrels to create a smoky, savorable sensation.

Raleigh Brewing Company Kristie Nystedt, the first woman to own a brewery in North Carolina, now has locations in Raleigh, Cary and at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Enjoy year-round beers such as “Moravian Rhapsody,” a Czech Pilsner; “Hell Yes Ma’am,” a Belgian golden ale; “The Toll,” an imperial oatmeal stout; and more. The Raleigh location has 32 taps, indoor and outdoor seating, an event space and food trucks. The Cary location hosts weekly specials, has 50 taps and is dog friendly.

R&D Brewing The brewer that produces the official beer of the Carolina Hurricanes and Wake Forest University got its start in 2017. Its Seven Saturdays Taproom opened on Capital Boulevard in 2022, offering R&D’s core line of brews plus small-batch selections, rotating food trucks and a weekly run club.

Sneaky Penguin Brewing Company An avid homebrewer for more than 15 years, founder and head brewer Chris Nadeau’s “Lemondrop Gose” and other mainstays accompany the Tiny Penguin series of smallbatch brews that feature experimental, creative styles and flavors.

Standard Beer and Food This family-friendly neighborhood space in Person Street Plaza is known for its curated beer and food pairings. The menu includes tacos, “handhelds,” salads and more. Pair with the “Dartboard Cold IPA” (a collab with Lynnwood Grill & Brewing Concern), its “Standard Light American Light Lager” or any of its wines or cider.

Southern Peak Brewery This traditional neighborhood brewery and taproom in Apex serves handcrafted German-style ales, lagers and IPAs out of its award-winning seven-barrel brewhouse. Its mission is to celebrate craft beer as a central part of a community, and the brewers continually experiment with new recipes.

Triangle Beer Co. The family-owned Cary brewery that also operates Cotton House features 15 locally sourced craft beers, including “Tyson’s Brown Ale,” “Key Lime Seltzer,” “Park St. IPA” and more. Enjoy your choice of brew alongside live music from a variety of visiting artists and a bite to eat from rotating food trucks.

Trophy Brewing Co. What began as a private club has since expanded to a full brewing company. Visit Trophy Brewing & Pizza on West Morgan Street for specialty pizzas, salads, appetizer plates and limited desserts, with full bar access. Just on the hunt for a great beer? Head to Trophy Brewing & Taproom for a variety of drafts, wines and ciders plus take-home brews and a daily rotation of local food trucks. Trophy also operates State of Beer, a downtown Raleigh beer and sandwich shop, plus Young Hearts Distilling

Vicious Fishes Brewery A homebrewing hobby among two friends grew into this expansive Apex taproom, with two other locations statewide and a Cary location forthcoming in 2023. The brewery offers a variety of beers on tap, and guests can also enjoy a latte, cappuccino or drip coffee from the on-site Piranha Joe Coffee shop. Take in biergarten views and grab a bite to eat from one of multiple food trucks available daily. Children and dogs are welcome.

White Street Brewing Company

Dino Radosta opened White Street in 2012 and now serves up a well-known Kölsch, its “Hoptastic Juicy IPA,” “Merideum Belgian Tripel,” “Hoptimist West Coast IPA” and “Tangled Oaks Amber Ale.”

Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing Offers unique craft beers made with locally sourced grain, cocktails, wine, chef-driven bar food, patio views of the Raleigh skyline and a cozy taproom.

Young Hearts Distilling Downtown Raleigh’s first restaurant and distillery opened in 2021 under the umbrella of Trophy Brewing Co. Young Hearts offers a wide variety of cocktails; white, red, sparkling, rosé and orange wines; draft beers; and spirits by the bottle complemented by menu items featuring local ingredients. Dinner is served Wednesday through Sunday, with lunch options available on Friday and Saturday and brunch on Sunday.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OLDE RALEIGH DISTILLERY

CHATHAM

Vino!! Wine Shop This family-owned wine shop features a selection of wines from all over the globe as well as beer and cigars. The downtown Pittsboro storefront hosts popular wine tastings and curated dinners with wine pairings in-shop and at local restaurants – reserve your spot early!

DURHAM

Hope Valley Wine & Beverage A community-driven neighborhood wine, beer and mixology store.

LouElla Wine, Beer & Beverage A bottle shop, bar and event space offering curated wine, craft beer and other fortified selections from family-operated producers.

Melanated Wine Owner Lashonda

Fort-Modest opened Durham’s first Blackowned winery in October 2021. It offers seven premium varietals: a white sangria, a red blend, a white blend, a riesling, a blackberry wine, and a sweet red and sweet white option, as well as events held in its tasting room.

Navigator Beverage Co. Wine bar and bottle shop serving up beer on tap, wine, cider and nonalcoholic beverages.

Sticks & Vines Wine and premium cigar shop with a lounge setting also serving local beers and accessories.

Wine Authorities Twenty-first century wine shop with a friendly staff focused on small, family-owned estate wineries. With locations in Durham and Raleigh, the stores offer a limited selection of fewer than 500 wines, all less than $50. The Durham shop features a Viv’s Fridge – a smart refrigerator concept by celebrity chef Vivian Howard that offers prepared, take-and-bake meals and snacks.

The Wine Cellar South Durham wine shop in Sutton Station that offers wine specials, a calendar of events, plenty of outdoor seating and more.

The Wine Feed Wine store and wine bar offering classes, special orders, deliveries and more, plus dog-friendly outdoor seating. Also located on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh.

ORANGE

Chapel Hill Wine Company Chapel Hill’s oldest independent wine retailer offers thousands of choices, including rare and allocated bottles from around the world.

WINE DOWN ➜

Glasshalfull This Carrboro restaurant, known for its seasonal American cooking featuring local ingredients with a focus on gluten-free and vegetarian dishes, houses a small market and wine shop, the Glasshalfull Mercantile, which stocks exceptional wines, prepared meals, pantry items and more.

Hillsborough Wine Company This sister store of Chapel Hill Wine Company in downtown Hillsborough features a diverse selection from all over the world.

Rocks + Acid Wine Shop This new wine shop and bar in Chapel Hill’s Southern Village is helmed by award-winning sommelier Paula de Pano and stocks 300350 labels – the majority of which are priced at $20 or less – as well as cheese, charcuterie and caviar offerings. Its wine supper club matches sellers with wine aficionados, and it features a 20-seat outdoor patio.

WAKE

Carpenter Wine Cellar This personalized wine shop and experience in Morrisville offers limited-edition and seasonal wines, craft beers and a taproom with 20 rotating tap lines.

Drink A family-owned wine shop off Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh that seeks out small production bottles to stock its intimate tasting space. Attend a private tasting class to build your knowledge and enjoy winemaker dinners hosted at various restaurants with local experts.

Falls Village Wine & Beer This Raleigh shop features an ever-changing selection of small-batch wine, plus craft beer and drafts, mead, cider and eight wines on tap.

Greenway Beer and Wine Enjoy craft beer on tap and wine by the glass, then take home your favorite bottle from either the Raleigh or Rolesville location.

Red Line Beer & Wine Find a varied wine selection alongside beer, mead, snacks, seltzers and 24 rotating taps at this bottle shop and bar open seven days a week near NC State University

Ridgewood Wine & Beer Company Located in Raleigh’s Ridgewood Shopping Center, it features more than 1,500 bottles and 400 beer options, with 12 wines offered by the glass and eight drafts on tap.

Seaboard Wine This independent wine store in Raleigh’s HighPark Village has operated in Raleigh for 25 years and offers more than 1,000 hand-selected bottles along with tastings and food pairings. 

Melanated Wine owner Lashonda Fort-Modest opened Durham's first woman- and Black-owned winery in 2021.

Taylor’s Wine Shop Taylor’s has supplied Wake County with wines to suit any price range or palate, from collectible and rare bottles to options less than $20, since 1980. Discover a selection of craft beer and local coffee, honey and chocolate at its shop off of Six Forks Road

Total Wine & More Peruse thousands upon thousands of wine and beer options, plus accoutrements like snacks and beverage-specific gifts. Order for in-store pickup or delivery, and check out the shop closest to you for weekly wine tastings. Pick from three Raleigh locations, one in Cary and one in Durham.

The Raleigh Wine Shop Celebrating 12 years in business, this locally owned shop in downtown Raleigh takes pride in a global wine selection at a variety of price points and friendly, welcoming service. Sign up for wine tasting classes, dinners and other special events.

Triangle Wine Company This partnership of four friends own two wine stores; one in Cary and the other in Holly Springs. The shops’ comprehensive selection offers new and old world wine, organic and nonalcoholic options and discounts on cases.

Uncorked Raleigh Small plates, cheese boards, flatbreads and desserts are served at this fine wine retailer in north Raleigh. Owner Chala Boya is a licensed sommelier who offers concierge wine cellar services.

Westgate Wine This shop carries a worldwide selection of white, red and sparkling wines alongside sake, sampler cases, snacks and mixers with competitive pricing and the convenience of e-commerce paired with friendly, knowledgeable staff. Get to know them at in-store tastings, live music events and wine dinners, and set yourself up with weekly home delivery! TW

PHOTO COURTESY OF WESTGATE WINE

➜

FAVES Family-Friendly

Create

By Sam Annetta, Jessica Stringer & Morgan Cartier Weston

Photography by John Michael Simpson

Frolic at Fenton! Cary’s new mixed-use district continues to grow and provide interesting attractions for folks of all ages to enjoy. Among the most exciting recent changes are experiential art installations that younger kids will have a ball interacting with. “Wave!” a large aluminum sculpture featuring responsive LED lights, is a collaboration between artist Ansen Seale and Digital Ambiance. Artist Taylor White is also installing miniature murals throughout Fenton’s floors. The series, called “Traces of our Time,” is a collaboration with Artsuite’s Marjorie Hodges and invites viewers to imagine a time in the future where everyday objects may be studied by archaeologists. Bring the family for the ultimate movie experience at Paragon Theaters, which has a full grill and bar menu with options to order from your zero-gravity seat, complete with individual retractable tray table and adjustable heating, and surrounded by privacy wings. After the movie, head to Honeysuckle Gelato, which offers unique sorbets and gelatos in handmade waffle cones – the kiddos are sure to love scoops of the Cap N’ Crunch and Snickers flavors! – for a sweet treat to top off the evening.

Head to the Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill to catch a family-friendly film at the Movies Under the Stars series hosted by Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture this summer. Pack a picnic and bring your chairs and blankets for the movies slated for evenings on July 20 and 27 and August 10 and 17.

lasting memories with dozens of fun-filled outings for parents and kiddos alike

RIGHT Keith Kosowski, Natasha Mittal and their kids Riya Kosowski, 5, and Arav Kosowski, 7, hang out in Fenton Square.

LEFT Arav, Keith, Riya and Natasha kick back in Paragon Theaters’ zero-gravity seats.

Xtreme Park Adventures features 16 different attractions. Play a round of paintball, airsoft, laser tag or gel blaster. Go rock climbing or zip lining. Challenge yourself on the outdoor, high-ropes course or crack the code in an escape room. Xtreme Park Adventures also offers educational activities like its Xtreme Reptiles Lab, a History and Math Outdoor Quest Adventure and a Gem Mining Earth Science Program.

Take your rambunctious youngsters to Durham’s most central playground, Mount Merrill, in Durham Central Park. Families can also enjoy creating images and phrases on the Durham Pixel Wall, and teens can hit up the nearby skate park.

There’s always something new worth checking out at the free Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill. Tour the galleries as a family or meander around all on your own. The art museum hosts monthly drawing classes for tweens and the popular Art Adventures classes for kids ages 6 to 9. (Registration fills up fast so reserve your spot early!) Discuss the works of art you saw over dinner at Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery – there are several picky-eater options on the kids menu, and parents will enjoy the jalapeño-cheddar hush puppies and a pint of local beer (try the “Bell Tower” blueberry wheat, now a year-round offering!). 

Durham Arts Council features four exhibition galleries to explore as well as classes catered to specific age ranges across a wide variety of mediums. Does your teen want to learn guitar? Sign them up for beginner lessons. Perhaps your preschool- or elementary-aged kid is interested in ballet? Register them for a creative movement class with Triangle Youth Ballet in the Rollins Dance Studio. Or get creative with your child and design a ceramic artwork together during a Caregiver/Child Clay Workshop. Other classes include drawing, calligraphy, photography, theater and more.

John Coates and Christine Coates and their son, Alex Coates, designed indoor adventure park OC Aerial with the intention to create an enjoyable experience for the whole family, not just for kids. It opened in Durham in May 2022, complete with attractions like a ropes course, indoor climbing, zip lining, bouldering, two large slides, a ninja course and a variety of other obstacles and attractions. Family memberships are available, and day passes are good for three hours of fun, along with free coffee, popcorn and frozen yogurt.

Spend an afternoon in downtown Apex! Head to Scratch Kitchen and Taproom for lunch, and let the kids run in the green space out back. Order a stack of green tomatoes to start, and try the shrimp po’boy or the truffle mac and cheese burger. The kids menu has classics like chicken tenders and cheeseburgers, or if you’ve got an adventurous eater, try the spicy ahi (tuna) poke! Take a walk around downtown after lunch – pop into Villa 19 Boutique to browse cute outfits for your littles, and then stop by The Doodling Bug or Stylish Living to get a little something for yourself. Next, wander down to the Trackside Skate Plaza where younger children can watch the older kids perform cool tricks (or bring your own older children to join in the fun!).

Visit the historic Pullen Park in Raleigh, which just happens to be the first public park in the state, the fifth-oldest operating amusement park in the U.S. (and the 16th oldest in the world!). The kiddos will adore its rides, which include a carousel, train, pedal boats and kiddie boats. It’s best to check the schedule for the rides online first to see what's operating. The playgrounds are always a sure bet, with swings, slides, seesaws, sand diggers, shady spots and a dedicated preschool playground. Once your kids have worked up an appetite, order some snacks and sandwiches from the Pullen Café before strolling along the park’s walking trails and bridges – then head back to the attractions for more fun.

Ordering a jumbo hot dog at UNC’s Boshamer Stadium under Carolina blue skies is a rite of passage. On warmer days, cool down with classic ballpark refreshments like ice cream and frozen lemonade. At least once per season, the field hosts a dog-friendly Bark at the Bosh game, and regular specials like $1 Cracker Jacks and two-for-one hot dogs make this a no-brainer for families to take kids out to the ballgame (without breaking the bank).

Sarah P. Duke Gardens is one of Durham’s most iconic gems and is a treat to visit with the family any time of the year – it’s open every single day from 8 a.m. to dusk – but especially in the vibrancy of spring and summer; the cherry blossoms in the spring are an Instagram-worthy sight! Stop into the Terrace Shop and on-site Terrace Café, which features a menu from The Picnic Basket Catering that usually includes a variety of salads, sides, sandwiches, cold beverages, coffee, snacks and Maple View Farm’s ice cream. Admission is free, and parking is $2 per hour.

Explore and learn about birds, flowers and other plants with a naturalist as your guide during monthly Family Garden Walks at Sarah P. Duke Gardens.

A visit to downtown Raleigh’s museums is always a sure bet. Head over to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences to explore its permanent exhibitions like its Naturalist Center and “Researching Weather,” and catch its new exhibition, “Spiders: Fear to Fascination,” which allows you and your family to get closer than ever to some of the more than 48,000 known spider species through an interactive experience that includes holding virtual spiders in your hand and seeing the world through spider vision, on view from June 17 till Oct. 8. 

Richard Bowman and Carrie Bowman and their daughters Isla Bowman and Alayna Bowman spend a day at Pullen Park’s playground.

PHOTO BY ERIC WATERS

“

You can spend all day there from open to close and still find something you haven’t done the next day. ”

The Museum of Life and Science is one of North Carolina’s top-rated destinations. It’s an interactive science center, a nature park with animals, and 84 acres of open-ended experiences. We’ve got bears, dinosaurs, train rides, treehouses, NASA artifacts, and butterflies from around the world. Visit today!

433 W. Murray Ave, Durham, NC 27704

lifeandscience.org

919-220-5429

Best Museum

Best Event Space

The North Carolina Museum of History holds 14,000 years of state history, from exhibits documenting life of its earliest inhabitants; to the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame with its more than 200 items representing 363 Tar Heel sports heroes, including champion driver Richard Petty’s stock car; to its “Signs of the Times” exhibition about the history of protest in North Carolina, which will be on display until March 31, 2024.

Open-air shopping, dining and entertainment complex Waverly Place in Cary has bridges and water features that kids love to explore, plus a familyfriendly park complete with a playground perfect for both toddlers and older kids and a large green space with a stage, which often has live music. It’s right next to Gonza Tacos y Tequila, so the kids can play while you dine outside. For dessert, run into Whole Foods and get some ice cream from the counter – try the salted caramel!

Wrap up any weekend with a relaxing afternoon at a local park – we recommend Homestead Park in Chapel Hill (bring your pup to run around the dog park!), West Point on the Eno in Durham for a good hike and Marla Dorrel Park in Cary – a large, nearly completely shaded park perfect for both smaller and bigger kids, complete with a walking path around the perimeter, a water mister, and a covered shelter area with bathrooms and picnic tables.

Marbles Kids Museum invites children ages 1 to 11 to imagine, discover and learn through creative, playbased experiences among dozens of interactive exhibits. Marbles also offers Raleigh’s only certified giant screen IMAX movie experience. In late 2022, it received $1.1 million from Wake County to cover costs for a study to explore opportunities to extend Marbles’ geographic footprint; allow for improvements to the free, public outdoor courtyard, which will include climbing structures, green space and shade areas; and to design an exhibit space focused on career exploration in skilled trades professions that will maximize capacity at the museum and include a new second floor outdoor space.

Old Mill Farm in Durham reopens from its offseason in March. Kids can feed goats, watch alpacas graze, fish in the pond and mine for gemstones while adults sip local craft beer or wine in the beer garden. Old Mill also hosts Fridays at the Farm, a combination of live music, beer and wine, vintage games, outdoor family fun and food trucks. Admission is available per car, or mark your calendar to get a season pass before the events ramp up again in the spring! Other offerings include summer camps, teacher workday camps, yoga, wilderness classes, baby goat snuggles, special holiday events and more. Be sure to check out programming at its other locations, 1870 Farm in Chapel Hill and The Farm at Piper Hill in Silk Hope, too!

Just across the street, My Little Farmer offers more than 40 different farm classes with hands-on animal experiences for kids ages 1-10. Once you’ve scooped your little farmers into the car, head down the road to For Garden’s Sake for some plant shopping before heading to Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken for a late breakfast/ lunch. If you’ve still got some energy before heading home for naptime or to relax, stroll The Streets at Southpoint or catch a matinee in the comfortable recliners at AMC Dine-In Southpoint 17, where you can save 25% off ticket prices every day before 4 p.m.

When the weather is dreadful but you need to get out of the house, head to the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center. Sit back in the comfy seats to watch a planetarium show via the brand-new digital projection system or interact with new exhibits covering topics like astronomy, biology, biomedical engineering and public health. You could make a whole day here at the center, but when you need a bite, it’s a short walk to 1922 on East Franklin Street for a latte and a baked good.

If you’re closer to Durham, Morehead hosts skywatching on the rooftop of The Durham Hotel with guided constellation tours, educational activities and music from DJ Mic Check. (Future dates include June 26, July 24, Aug. 28 and Sept. 25.)

One of the first esports bars in North Carolina, Bad Machines in Durham is perfect for the gamer in your family. Kick back and watch the latest esports tournament on a flat-screen TV or play a game on one of the consoles or arcade machines in the Gamers Lounge. Want to view a live esports tournament? Bad Machines hosts and streams its own competitive matches from a stage complete with lights and fog machines. Adults can enjoy a full-service bar menu of local craft beer and game-inspired cocktails. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DURHAM

PHOTO BY KAREN SWAIN/VISITRALEIGH.COM

For a festive autumn weekend, visit the McKee Cornfield Maze in Rougemont. Have fun as a family making your way through the 12-acre corn maze. Then spend the afternoon doing all the other activities from cornhole and hayrides to visiting with farm animals and playing on the play areas. Don’t forget to pick out a pumpkin to bring home!

If you want to see a decked out neighborhood, cruise or walk around Historic Oakwood in Raleigh before Halloween. Many residents decorate their Victorian homes, setting the tone for the spooky holiday. The owner of one particular house –504 Oakwood Ave. – goes all out every year with massive props, which always draws a crowd.

Southern Village’s Village Green is a hub of activity for residents and visitors alike. The North Carolina Symphony performs its annual free concert on June 13, and there are outdoor concerts and movies on the weekend. (We recommend bringing a blanket and ordering gelato or sorbet from La Vita Dolce Espresso & Gelato Cafe beforehand! Or pack a picnic made from local produce and items from Weaver Street Market.)

Find nature and science experiences at every turn during a visit to the 84-acre Museum of Life and Science. Explore the aerospace area, the TinkerLab and much more inside the museum before heading outdoors to climb and play at the popular Hideaway Woods or Earth Moves exhibit. Walk through the Magic Wings Butterfly House and insectarium, and see animals like black bears and red wolves, explore wind tunnels, take a ride on the Ellerbe Creek Railway and dig for ancient fossils along the Dinosaur Trail. Send the little ones to a Kids Night Out, where they can play games, eat pizza, participate in science experiments and check out exhibits. Or plan your visit during one of the Durham Community Days for free admission for the whole family with proof of Durham residency. The Museum recently opened its newest and largest exhibit in years, Play to Learn, a reinvented and reimagined early childhood experience that is almost three times the size of the previous exhibit, which was one of the museum’s most popular attraction and offers babies, toddlers and preschoolers a rich, creative, engaging experience

that encourages them to explore, create and experiment alongside caregivers and other children. Remember to bring comfortable walking shoes, water and snacks (or visit the Sprout Cafe!) and stop by the Elements museum store for a toy, game or gadget, too!

From classic to modern arcade games, air hockey, pinball and more, Boxcar Bar + Arcade will keep you and your kid entertained for hours. In Durham, challenge each other to your pick of more than 70 games, then order a Neapolitan-style pizza for fuel. Take your food outside to enjoy some fresh air on their outdoor patio and gaming area. Minors are permitted with a parent before 7 p.m. daily. At the barcade’s Raleigh location, kids are allowed before 8 p.m. on weekdays and 7 p.m. on weekends.

Begin your morning with some coffee and playtime at Bumble Brews, an indoor play cafe in Cary. Order a white chocolate mocha, get some goldfish for the kiddos (they have lots of snacks available for purchase), and play the morning away ($8 for 90 minutes, more geared toward children ages 6 and younger).

The historic Carolina Theatre in downtown Durham often showcases educational programs designed for kids and families to engage with the arts. Its Family Saturday Series offers performances suitable for all ages – from live music to storytelling to puppet shows and much more – at affordable rates for kids of all ages one Saturday a month from October through May.

YMCA of the Triangle hosts several family-focused events all year long. The Families On! Challenge in May, for instance, takes the family fun run concept to the next level. The self-paced two-mile adventure course at the A.E. Finley YMCA in Raleigh contains more than 20 challenges to

PHOTO COURTESY OF MUSEUM OF LIFE AND SCIENCE

PHOTO BY BETH MANN

Carolina Tiger Rescue is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to saving and protecting wild cats in captivity and in the wild.

In addition to advocating against their exploitation, the sanctuary gives wild cats and other animals that have survived exploitive and abusive circumstances a second chance at life by providing them a safe and peaceful forever home.

The sanctuary gives visitors the opportunity to learn about and make a difference in the lives of animals in need, as well as the chance to meet tigers, lions, bobcats, servals, and more incredible species.

Get involved by visiting for a public or private tour, volunteering, becoming an adoptive parent to one of our rescued animals, donating, and more!

CarolinaTigerRescue.org � � | 919.542.4684

complete along the way – think water, paint, mud and a whole lot of fun. Kite, rocket and flying machine enthusiasts will want to mark their calendars for the Y’s Flight Day at Dorothea Dix Park in June.

Learn alongside your kids at Kidzu

Children’s Museum inside Chapel Hill’s University Place. The museum provides several unique exploration zones, including an outdoor learning garden, a farm-tofork exhibit and a maker space where kids can tinker, craft and create hands-on projects.

Visit The Nest next door – a 1,500-square-foot space from Kidzu with lots of areas specifically for newborns to 3-year-olds to explore and play with natural materials, practice early engineering skills, develop fine motor skills and build literacy skills together. Afterward, grab a slice at Alfredo’s Pizza Villa or enjoy ice cream from Maple View Farm’s kiosk, both also in the mall.

Animal lovers of all ages will enjoy a visit to the Carolina Tiger Rescue, a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary in Pittsboro with a mission to save and protect wild cats through rescue, education and advocacy. Connect with the animals and learn their rescue stories through the rescue’s children’s camps, high school programs, internships and even a “Kid for a Day” adult camp. Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge, 15 minutes up the road from the tiger rescue, also provides a sanctuary for abused, neglected or abandoned farm animals, where visitors can meet, feed and interact with the animals; volunteer; or sponsor an animal’s care.

Also in Pittsboro, Carolina Sunshine Alpaca Farm provides public, private and school tours of a working alpaca farm. Spend the day cuddling with and petting goats, and take home some farm-fresh cheeses during one of Celebrity Dairy farm’s open barn days in Siler City.

The Wonder Lab is an early childhood STEM play space and learning center that opened in Durham in November 2022 as a way to encourage children to explore STEM in a fun and meaningful way. Children from ages 6 months to 6 years old can attend a 90-minute play session featuring an interactive touchscreen with STEM explorations, 6-foot wind tunnel, wooden climbing structures, kid-friendly robots for screen-free coding play and more. Also check out age-appropriate STEM concept classes for kids ages 1 to 7.

Our Picks for U-Picks

The Triangle’s got some of the best U-pick spots around! In Chatham County, check out Chatham Oaks Farm and Phillips Farms of Chatham for strawberries (Chatham Oaks also has a veggie farm stand, while Phillips Farms also has pumpkins, hay and Christmas trees in the fall); Busy Bee Farm, Farrells Creek Farm and Wild Abandon Farm for blueberries and blackberries; and In Good Heart Farm and Howard’s Farm & Mema’s Fruit Shack for blueberries. Visitors to Mema’s Shack can also purchase a variety of produce, including peaches, corn, tomatoes and cucumbers, and satisfy their sweet tooth with homemade ice cream flavors such as vanilla, strawberry, peach, blueberry and butter pecan. The farm stand also operates as a thrift store and sells vintage home decor.

In Wake County, we adore Phillips Farms of Cary for strawberries – it also hosts a fun-filled farmers market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays! Other favorites include The Collard Patch in Wake Forest, Hunts Strawberry Farm in Raleigh, Pope’s Strawberries Farm in Knightdale and DJ’s Berry Patch in Apex for U-pick strawberries (be sure to also try DJ’s homemade ice cream and other strawberry products like preserves and dressings); Ogburn Berries and Produce in Willow Spring for its strawberries, plus other produce sold at its roadside stand including tomatoes, sweet potatoes, watermelons and sweet corn; Buckwheat Farm in Apex, for its strawberries and blueberries; Page Farms in Raleigh for strawberries, blackberries and pumpkins in the fall; Porter Farms & Nursery in both Willow Spring and Raleigh for strawberries, plus pumpkins in the fall; and Granny Pearls Farm in Zebulon for blueberries, blackberries, peaches, pears, apples and grapes.

For Orange and Durham counties, seek out Waller Family Farm in Durham, McAdams Farm in Efland and Double R Cattle Services Inc. in Hillsborough for U-pick strawberries (grab some pastured pork and grass-fed beef at Double R while you’re there!); Cedar Grove Blueberry Farm and Whitted Bowers Farm in Cedar Grove, Hawk Hill Berry Farm in Mebane and Minka Farm in Efland for blueberries; Eno River Farm in Hillsborough for strawberries, blueberries and blackberries; Herndon Hills Farm in Durham for blueberries, blackberries, and muscadine and scuppernong grapes; and Many Rivers Farm in Bahama for peaches, blackberries, apples and pears.

As a general rule, strawberry season runs from late April to the start of June; blueberries from late May to mid-July; blackberries from mid-June through the start of August; and peaches from June to September. TW

Logan Sun and Lucas Chan show off their buckets of berries at Wild Abandon Farm.

Oliver Gangi and Jiakai Cheung-Miaw play together at The Nest, Kidzu's dedicated learning space for children ages 3 and younger.

WEEKEND Curate Your

We’ve

By Jessica Stringer and Morgan Cartier Weston

Photography by John Michael Simpson

adventures

Pack up your picnic and enjoy an evening under the stars with the North Carolina Symphony for UNC Health Summerfest 2023 at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre Classical favorites include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and Overture to “Fidelio,” plus spectacular movie music from “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter” and much more.

Fuel up for some antique shopping in Chapel Hill at Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen. The drivethru line might look long, but it goes quick, and the fluffy biscuits are worth it. Seconds up the road is Whitehall at the Villa Antiques, a treasure trove for antiques collectors, dealers and decorators for nearly 100 years. The shop’s vast inventory (we’re talking more than 7,500 square feet of showroom space) specializes in 18th and 19th century English and French country furniture, fine art, silver, porcelain, lighting and more. Further options range from baroque to mid-century modern at various price points, ensuring there’s a find waiting for every antique enthusiast. Walk next door to get your caffeine fix (or a glass of wine) at Caffe Driade, a hidden gem tucked away off East Franklin Street.

lyana Jones-Reese and Elise Chen explore the Gregg Museum of Art & Design’s “True Likeness” exhibit, which is on view through July 23, 2023.

Begin your weekend with a visit to the Gregg Museum of Art & Design at NC State University, where “True Likeness,” an exhibition of contemporary portraits from diverse makers in a variety of media including video, photography, painting, collage, installation, sculpture, printmaking and drawing, is on view in the Black/Sanderson gallery through July 23, and “This is Not: Aldwyth in Retrospect,” an exhibit that celebrates

the life and work of the one-name artist, Aldwyth, by focusing on her entire artistic output from 1953 to present, is on view in the Adams and Woodson galleries till Oct. 7. Then, head to an NC State Live show – the university’s professional performing arts series celebrated its 50th anniversary this past season, and upcoming shows include Durham-based dance company Gaspard&Dancers in its first-ever performance on campus at the Stewart Theatre on Oct. 5.

got you covered on plans for any occasion, from group activities to dates to solo

PHOTO COURTESY OF GASPARD&DANCERS

Treat yourself to a restorative massage, facial or treatment at The Umstead Hotel and Spa’s newly renovated facility, which reopened in March 2023 after a refresh of its treatment rooms, nail salon, wet therapy and relaxation areas, as well as upgrades to its outdoor pool. Relax in the outdoor meditation courtyard, sauna or whirlpool before enjoying an afternoon tea in the lobby accompanied by a live harp performance. Complete the experience with a meal and a glass of wine at Herons, The Umstead’s on-site restaurant helmed by executive chef and James Beard Award semifinalist Steven Greene, who sources ingredients from the hotel’s own One Oak Farm

Take your friends, family or partner to visit the City of Raleigh Museum, which is located in a historic former hardware store and curates temporary and permanent exhibits about Raleigh’s people, places and resources while maintaining a collection of approximately 5,000 artifacts, then head to CAM Raleigh, a nonprofit contemporary art museum, to peruse its transformative exhibitions – both are free to visit!

Speaking of the arts, every visit to FRANK Gallery brings a unique experience thanks to its rotating exhibits featuring the work of talented member artists. The contemporary fine arts gallery just opened the doors at its

new space in Carrboro, where another longtime arts hub recently made a significant move as well – The ArtsCenter, which has been open for nearly 50 years, transitioned to its new digs on Roberson Street, and

The Umstead Hotel and Spa reopend its indoor and outdoor spaces, including its outdoor pool, in March 2023 after thorough renovations.

the repurposed building now has green design features as well as purpose-built and adaptable spaces suited for modern technologies. Get your creative juices flowing with a class in anything from mixed-media collage and ceramic jewelry to continuing watercolor and wicker basketry.

Over in Durham, the Durham Performing Arts Center has a stellar lineup of Broadway shows and nationally acclaimed musicians and comedians coming this season. (Who else is looking forward to Chelsea Handler on Oct. 7 and “The Lion King” next spring?) Make a night of it with before-dinner bubbles at Annexe in downtown Durham, and then enjoy a flavorful meal upstairs at its sister bar and restaurant, Bar Virgile, or head over to nearby restaurants like COPA or straight on down to NanaSteak, which is attached to the venue. After the show, make your way to Dram & Draught or newly opened speakeasy The Waiting Room for a post-show cocktail.

Kickstart your weekend with Fridays on the Front Porch at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, which runs from April to October. Grab a cocktail or a beer, dance to the live music and pick up some eats from a food truck.

Boxyard RTP in south Durham is a playground for the senses. Indulge in smoky quesabirria tacos from Leroy’s Tacos, fluffy pizza and “plow-to-pint” beer from Fullsteam, ribs, oysters and Texas-style brisket at Lawrence Barbecue, artisanal charcuterie from Meat & Graze and unforgettable Korean barbecue at Bulkogi. After your meal, enjoy locally roasted coffee from Beyú Caffè, freshly spun cotton candy from Wonderpuff or a decadent cupcake from Buzzy Bakes. Next, explore Honeypress paper goods, pretend you’re a cat burglar at Game On Escapes & More or snap a selfie with “Rebirth,” a two-story mural by Durham artist Gabriel Eng-Goetz. The unconventional structure, built with 40 shipping containers, is also home to PopBox, a 320-square-foot pop-up shop featuring a rotating slate of small business startups. Bring your furry family members to Barkyard, the on-site dog park, or rent Top Box upstairs for your next special event.

Showstoppers Atticus Batson and César Munoz greet guests at the door before each DPAC performance.

Need to build your confidence to dance like no one’s watching at FOFP? Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Durham offers ballroom dance lessons for every student, no matter your experience level or dance goals. Whether you’re looking to perfect a wedding dance, start a new hobby, fine-tune your skills or just get a little exercise, the studio is a motivational and nonjudgmental space to learn, grow and explore the benefits of dance.

T H E

If authentic experiences served with southern hospitality are on your “to-do” list, Sanford is the place to be.

VISITSANFORNC.COM

Ambiance, drinks and historic charm intertwine at The Parlor at Heights House, located within a 1858 mansion in Raleigh. This meticulously curated establishment offers a menu of Italianinfluenced craft cocktails and an all-Italian wine selection, nodding to the Italianate style of the mansion, as well as local beers. Charcuterie plates are also available, complementing the beverages perfectly. Reservations are encouraged for parties of up to six, but groups of up to four people are welcome to walk in. Explore the various common spaces of the home, including the parlor, drawing room, dining room, library and the lower lounge, in addition to the two front terraces and fire pit on the front lawn. Order a Parlor Picnic during the spring and summer – which includes a bottle of wine and an Italian charcuterie board as well as a wicker basket, blanket, glassware, table and playing cards – to enjoy on the lawn!

Head out to see a show at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.

The North Carolina Opera performs “La Traviata” on Oct. 27 and 29, “The Barber of Seville” on Feb. 2 and 4, 2024, and

“The Girl of the Golden West” on April 21, 2024, while the North Carolina Theatre presents Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s “Mary Poppins” July 25-30 and “Sunset Boulevard” Oct. 10-15 inside Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. And stay tuned for more incredible shows from the local theater company during its 2023/2024 season, including “Elf – The Musical” Dec. 9-17, “Rent” April 20-28, 2024, “Once on This Island” June 22-30, 2024, and Lerner and Loewe’s “Camelot” Nov. 16-24, 2024.

Have an art-filled weekend in Hillsborough. First, head to the historic 1794 James Hogg house along the Eno River. James, a native of Scotland, named the two-story home Banks of the Eno, and soon it will bear an Orange County Historical Museum heritage marker. It’s now owned by husband and wife Sidney Kilgore and Laurel Kilgore, and its front rooms act as Laurel’s gallery with a focus on 19th- and 20th-century artwork, most of which comes from Scotland. Saltire Gallerie was named for the flag of Scotland (with its diagonal cross).

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PARLOR AT HEIGHTS HOUSE

Try

an

Italian-influenced

cocktail like the “Endless Vacation” (bourbon, hibiscus amaro, dry orange curacao, thyme and lemon) at The Parlor at Heights House.

Next, admire the wide range of murals in different styles on the building that houses unique custom framing shop Studio 71. Pose in front of The Bride of Frankenstein or a banana in the style of Andy Warhol or a meowing Hillsborough kitten, and then pop inside to admire Studio 71’s rotating gallery, featuring artists from across the country, or to frame a treasure of your own.

Then, stop by Orange County Arts Commission’s community art hub, Eno Mill Gallery, where on the first Friday of each month, you can admire the opening of a new artist’s featured exhibit, complete with live music, food trucks and refreshments. Or if you’re looking to flex your own creative muscles, attend one of the OCAC’s many community classes in your choice of medium, including sketching, sculpture, weaving, watercolor, poetry and more.

Afterward, visit Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales to experience more than 20 years of world-class auction services. With departments as varied as fine jewelry and information technology, Leland Little is a perfect place for seeing high-end collectible objects of all kinds.

Lastly, walk around downtown and check out more public art. There’s the River Park Arch, standing 15 feet high and fashioned out of a 250-year-old Southern red oak that fell during Hurricane Florence in 2018. The design of Raleigh-based installation artist Jonathan Brilliant was picked from 32 initial applicants and three finalists. Blink, and you’ll miss the mosaic mural on a wall of the Eno River Parking Deck next to Weaver Street. The Love Hillsborough community art project was created by the Orange County Arts Commission along with mosaic artist Carlos González García and features more than 150 mosaic pieces made by locals. Then there’s the mural honoring jazz great Billy Strayhorn on the side of Volume Records. He spent much of his childhood visiting his grandparents in Hillsborough before hopping on the jazz scene in the 1930s, joining Duke Ellington’s band.

Head to the North Carolina Museum of Art for a day positively packed with art and entertainment. The museum is free to visit, and last year reinstalled the expansive state-owned People’s Collection with a focus on connections among time, space and cultures. The refreshed perspective includes the museum’s largest-ever display of works, as well as new acquisitions from artists William Kentridge, Lucie Attinger, Marie Watt and Edmonia Lewis. Five site-specific works were also commissioned, including a new permanent installation by Argentinian artist Tomás Saraceno and year-long displays by North Carolina artists Elizabeth Alexander and

JP Jermaine Powell. Seventy-seven loans from national and international museums will be showcased alongside the permanent collection. Mark your calendar for special exhibits throughout the year. “Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design” showcases the Academy Award-winning costume designer’s 40-year career. Garments from films such as “Black Panther,” “Malcolm X” and “Selma” will be on display through Aug. 6.

“Dutch art in a Global Age: Masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston” features paintings by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Rachel Ruysch and other notable Dutch masters of the 17th century, as well as works in silver, ceramic and prints. During the summer, weekend concerts and outdoor films at the Joseph M. Bryan Jr. Theater in Museum Park include a screening of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” on Aug. 12. 

Endia Beal, “Sabrina and Katrina,” 2015; pigment print, 40-by-26 inches. Purchased with funds from the William R. Roberson Jr. and Frances M. Roberson Endowed Fund for North Carolina Art.

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART

Locally owned shops and restaurants line downtown

Pittsboro’s historic Hillsboro Street

Unique gifts and home goods can be found at New Horizons Downtown, Circle City Books & Music, Screaming for Vintage or Pittsboro Gallery of the Arts. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, enjoy a memorable meal at Virlie’s Grill, The Modern Life Deli and Drinks or Postal Fish Company. For something sweet, indulge in a heaping banana split or loaded ice cream cone from S&T’s Soda Shoppe, freshly baked doughnuts from Phoenix Bakery or handcrafted chocolates, cookies and cakes at Carolina Cravings

Visit the Hayti Heritage Center, the epicenter of Durham’s Black arts and culture that’s housed in the historic St. Joseph’s AME Church, which was originally constructed in 1891. The center preserves and advances the heritage and culture of the Hayti community and the African American experience through year-round programs and events, including the Hayti Heritage Film Festival, African dance classes, artist exhibitions, poetry slams, book club events and more. Its cozy, 400-seat performance hall is warm and welcoming, especially during the winter months.

It’s the Year of the Trail in North Carolina, and Chatham County is home to some true beauties, from the short one-third mile loop at Mary Hayes Barber Holmes Park to the nearly 6-mile Wilderness Island Trail at Jordan Lake. And don’t miss the opportunity to visit the White Pines Nature Preserve, located about 8 miles south of Pittsboro, where it can be 10 degrees cooler than downtown due to its unique microclimate made possible by the north-facing bluffs and the confluence of the Rocky and Deep rivers. Trek through its 275 acres and marvel at trees that were common to the Piedmont during the last ice age 10,000 years ago.

One of Raleigh’s fastest-growing districts, North Hills is the ultimate lifestyle destination. Start your day with an almond latte from Jubala Coffee and hit the shops. Men and women’s fashions can be found at Cameron Clothing, Liles Clothing Studio, Vermillion, Peter Millar, Gena Chandler, Monkee’s and Uniquities. Kids will enjoy visits to Learning Express toy store, Flour Power Kids Cooking Studio classes, Quail Ridge Books and Alara + Zane, which is an equal parts children’s boutique and playground that hosts regular classes in art, music and sign language. Two outdoor venues, Coastal Credit Union Midtown Park and The Commons, offer regular music performances, farmers markets and wellness classes. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, eat local at Giorgio Pizza Bar, Las Ramblas tapas bar, Rosewater Kitchen or Cucciolo Terrazza. Or, grab a casual bite at Happy & Hale, Aladdin’s Eatery or Bartaco For wine lovers, Vita Vite offers

bites and sips in an inviting art gallery venue, and Vivace boasts a robust wine list to pair with their rustic Italian menu. Shopped till you dropped? Relax with a cone from Ben & Jerry’s or a movie at the Regal Cinema theater.

Book it around Brightleaf Square’s stores and restaurants. Fuel up at Yonderlust, a new outdoor gear retail shop and cafe that sells Joe Van Gogh coffee and bakery items from Oxford’s Strong Arm Baking as well as sandwiches, smoothies and juices. Begin your Bull City shopping spree at Mode Consignment Boutique (which also has a location in Raleigh’s Village District) where you’ll find trendy and gently used designer clothing and accessories for women, offering a range of high-end and luxury brands at affordable prices. Next, step into Indio, a vibrant shop filled with eclectic home decor, artisanal gifts and bohemian-inspired accessories, then walk to Mill & Meadow stationery shop for all things paper. Take a break for lunch at Rose’s Noodles, Dumplings & Sweets, an East Asian inspired eatery and bakery serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch with artisan pastries and desserts. Afterward, head over to Scoop Local, where you can satisfy your sweet tooth with a scoop of small-batch ice cream freshly made on site using a traditional Italian French pot-style machine, or quench your thirst with a beer at The Federal or James Joyce. TW

Mode Consignment Boutique is one of many great shopping opportunities in Durham’s Brightleaf Square district.

CELEBRATE THE ARTS IN THE TRIANGLE.

The 23/24 season at Carolina Performing Arts features a wide variety of performances, including THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA with YANNICK NÉZET-SÉGUIN, Music and Artistic Director & Conductor, RIMINI PROTOKOLL: 100% THE TRIANGLE, ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER, and more.