Readers' Comments...

“A HUGE THANK YOU TO WAKE LIVING MAGAZINE FOR THE WONDERFUL FEATURE OF OUR STUDIO!”

— ARADIA FITNESS CARY, JAN./FEB. ISSUE

“I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE EXCELLENT ARTICLE FEATURING HYDRATE MEDICAL IN WAKE LIVING! I, AS WELL AS THE HYDRATE MEDICAL TEAM, APPRECIATE IT MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW!”

— DUSTIN METZ, SOCIAL APE MARKETING, JAN./FEB. ISSUE

“THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE OF ONE OF YOUR FEATURES IN YOUR JANUARY ISSUE.”

— DOREEN RIVERS GRAHAM, NCOYSTER365, JAN./FEB. ISSUE

“THE STORY WAS JUST LOVELY! THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THIS!”

— ERIN WESTON, WESTON FARMS, NOV./DEC. ISSUE

“WE LOVE THE ARTICLE YOU RECENTLY WROTE ABOUT OYSTER POP-UPS. WHAT A COOL CONCEPT!”

— BROOKE PARSONS, TABLETOP MEDIA GROUP

SPRING IS NEARLY HERE! But, wait, did we really even have a true winter? I didn’t see any sleet, snow, or that dreaded ice and freezing rain that shuts down the city for a day or two. I always love a good snow day, but with spring comes numerous other things I enjoy, like fresh flowers, planning my garden, and getting more outside time with my dogs.

This time of year might inspire you to plan a trip to savor the warmer weather. I am lucky to be able to spend a good amount of time in Beaufort, NC (pronounced BOW-firt), but there’s another Beaufort in South Carolina (pronounced Bew-furt), and that’s where we traveled for this issue so we could tell you all about this beautiful destination, along with the best places to eat and all the fun things to do. Or if you decide to stay in state and just head east, we’ve put together six restaurants that are off the beaten path where you can get your food fix along the way — everything from pork tenderloin biscuits and barbecue to shrimp burgers and hot dogs.

With the signs of spring beginning to peek through, you may want to add a few new pieces to your wardrobe to match the colors of the season. To this end, we headed over to the local fashion hot spot The Gatorbug, where they put together five fresh spring looks that will give you all the warm weather feels.

Spring is also a time for new beginnings. For me, that means starting a new job, meaning this will be my last issue of Wake Living. I have enjoyed nearly four years as editor, and hope you — our readers — have picked up the magazine from time to time and it’s brought you a little closer to this great community in which we live. If so, it’s been my pleasure.

Senior Editor

1

Celebrate Irish and Celtic culture in downtown at the Raleigh St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival on March 11. The parade begins at 10 a.m., followed by a daylong festival with plenty of food, drink, and live music. raleighstpats.org

2

A perennial favorite among visitors to the NC Museum of Art, Art in Bloom runs from March 15–19 displaying the stunning creativity of floral designers who interpret works of art in the museum collection with more than 30 stunning floral arrangements. ncartmuseum.org/bloom

3

Do you like golf and dogs?

Then combine the two at the Cause for Paws of NC’s Golf 4 Paws Charity Tournament. With a unique twist on traditional golf tournaments, this funfor-all-ages event will be held at Drive Shack in Raleigh on March 29 at 7 p.m. Come out for night of tee-rific fun, prizes, and a little competition for a great cause. golf4paws.com

4Get ready to put on your party sombrero and go south of the border for the Tacos ‘N Taps Festival at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre on April 1. Enjoy an all-you-care-totaste beer and tequila festival served alongside some of the Triangle’s best tacos and Mexican food, plus great music, margaritas, contests, and many surprises. cary.tacosntaps.com

Spend the morning shopping from local vendors at the Midtown Farmers’ Market, which begins Saturday, April 15, and continues every Saturday through Nov. 4. Vendors must live and produce their items within a 100-mile radius of Raleigh. 8 a.m. to noon in the Commons at North Hills. midtownfarmers.com

Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street will come alive from noon to 6 p.m. on April 16 for the NC ’Cuegrass Festival with great barbecue, local brews, and toetapping bluegrass. While this is a freeflowing event, you can also enjoy a large covered area with draft beer options, plenty of seating and shade, and a comfortable place to enjoy the festival. Extra canned beer stations will be set up throughout the event. cuegrass.com

North Carolina’s largest craft beer festival returns! Brewgaloo runs from April 21–22, and the fun begins Friday night with a sampler event from 6–10 p.m. featuring limited releases, barrelaged, and sour beers. Saturday’s street festival spans the length of Fayetteville Street and fills downtown Raleigh from 1–9 p.m. with more than 110 NC craft breweries, local food trucks, and vendors. With two stages featuring local bands all day long, this lively festival is sure to be a good time for all. shoplocalraleigh.org/brewgaloo

Wake Forest’s premier arts and crafts event, the Meet in the Street Festival, returns to downtown on May 6. Browse booths filled with handmade items, eat from nearly two dozen food vendors, and listen to live music in the streets of the historic downtown. wakeforestchamber.org/meetinthestreet

Twenty years ago, Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard were competitors on American Idol. Flash forward to April 29, and they will perform together again in at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre for Twenty | The Tour, a special night to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund as part of the 2023 Concert 4 Cancer Series. boothamphitheatre.com

Head to Fayetteville Street on May 20–21 to celebrate spring at one of the area’s most popular events, Artsplosure – The Raleigh Arts Festival. Enjoy live music, local artists, and plenty of food and fun. artsplosure.org

Duke Health

Brings Top-Ranked Cancer Care to Cary

Duke Health brings the state’s top-ranked cancer care to you and your loved ones with convenient locations in Raleigh and Cary. We’re here for you with more than 50 years of cancer care expertise –expertise in caring for your cancer.

DukeHealth.org/CancerCareRaleigh