Photo by barkhat – stock.adobe.com
PATRIOTIC FUN. The Raleigh Market and Saving Grace Animals for Adoption are hosting an old-fashioned Patriotic Pet Parade on Saturday, July 1 at 11 a.m. Prizes will be awarded for the most patriotic costume and best owner/pet twinning. A grand prize winner will take home $100. The event is free, but advanced registration is required. Here’s our roundup of Triangle events for the Fourth of July.
LEGACY ON DISPLAY. “Furniture: Crafting a North Carolina Legacy” opens at the North Carolina Musem of History on Saturday, July 1. For hundreds of years, North Carolinians have contributed to the state’s economy through furniture production. See the evolution of style from colonial to modern, learn how furniture is made and try your own hand at loading furniture.
LACE UP YOUR SKATES. Skate Raleigh hosted a ribbon cutting for the Conlon Family Skatepark June 29 at 10 a.m. The Park is located at Dortch Street between West Street and Capital Boulevard. Local officials and skaters will be on hand for the event. Developers hope the skatepark will build community and drive economic activity.
PLAY AT POE. The new MindWELL Garden Labyrinth at the Poe Center hosted a ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, June 27, 9:30–10:30 a.m. The new mental-wellness themed garden helps children make connections between nature and their mental well-being. It features a wheel-chair accessible trail that winds through a shady garden filled with native plants. Five sensory stations prompt visitors to pause and practice using their senses.
TREES PLEASE. Triangle Bonsai Society is accepting tree submissions for the TBS Expo at Duke Gardens (420 Anderson Street, Durham) on Saturday, July 1 and Sunday, July 2. Drop-off for trees is Friday, June 30, noon–4 p.m. at Duke Gardens. Contact Drew Leonhard at to indicate the type and number of trees you would like to display. The show is open to all members and skill levels. Bonsai trees are known to offer a number of health benefits, including lowering stress, purifying the air and maintaining humidity.
LIVE AT RED HAT. Platinum-selling artist Five for Fighting (John Ondrasik) will join the Barenaked Ladies on their “Last Summer on Earth” tour at Red Hat Amphitheater on Tuesday, July 4. Ondrasik is known for the hits “Superman” and “100 Years.” Barenaked Ladies hit the charts with “One Week” and “If I had $1,000,000.”
KIDZ CONCERT. The “KIDZ BOP Never Stop Live Tour” introduces Jackson, Kiya, Shila and Tyler, who will perform pop hits like “Anti-Hero,” “About That Time,” “Sunroof” and “Late Night Talking” at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek Friday, June 30 at 7 p.m. Fans can expect to hear songs from the latest KIDZ Bop album, ‘”KIDZ BOP 2023.” Purchase tickets at Live Nation.
IN GOOD SPIRITS. Olde Raleigh Distillery, a small-batch craft distillery, received multiple accolades from the 2023 International Whisky Competition for its hand-blended, unique bourbons. The Zebulon distillery’s Olde Stogie, which features straight bourbon whiskey finished in Armagnac and tawny port casks, won first place as the Best North Carolina Whiskey and second place as the Best Barrel Finish and Special Cask Whiskey.
New breweries are popping up around the Triangle, as reported recently by the News & Observer. In Raleigh, Edit Beer Co. specializes in light and crispy lagers and hoppy IPAs, while New Anthem Beer Project has built a reputation for excellent IPAs live music. Blackbird Brewery (Wake Forest), Salty Turtle Beer Company (Raleigh), Local Time Brewing (Holly Springs), Havoc Brewing Company (Pittsboro), Lonerider Spirits and Taproom (Durham) are also new on the beer scene.
FOR A GOOD CAUSE. Early bird ticket sales end this week for Designed For Joy’s Evening of Giving at CAM Raleigh (409 West Martin Street) in downtown Raleigh on Thursday, September 14. Enjoy drinks from Tito’s Handmade Vodka, beer from Trophy Brewery, live music by the band Bounce and a silent auction. The event raises funds to provide living-wage work for women emerging from trafficking, domestic violence, homelessness, substance use, prison and war.
SPANISH TREATS. Madre, a Spanish tapas restaurant, has opened in Raleigh’s Smoky Hollow development, which is located at 518 N. West Street. The Mediterranean establishment focuses on small plates designed for sharing, wine, cocktails and weekend brunch. The menu includes pan con tomate, jamon and cheese, and grilled olives.
GETTING GREENER. GoTriangle’s progress toward electrifying its fleet got a boost with a recent grant of $1.6 million through the Low- and No-Emission (Low-No) Vehicle program. GoTriangle will buy charging equipment and modernize two bus facilities to support the agency’s zero emission fleet. Adding electric bus charging stations to the Raleigh Union Station Bus Facility will allow GoTriangle to maximize the buses’ time in service.
NEW MURAL. Irregardless Café in downtown Raleigh has a new mural on the backside of the establishment. Landlord David Meeker and restaurant owner Lee Robinson commissioned Raleigh artist Dare Coulter to do the mural. She was inspired to paint a tribute to Busta Rhymes dropping his son off at college, which went viral as a tribute to black fatherhood.
$2 MOVIES. On Thursdays and Fridays until September 6, Regal Theatres are offering $2 family movies. Showings include “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Shrek Forever After,” “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie,” “Sing,” “The Paw Patrol,” “Curious George” and many more. Visit the website for a list of movies and to find your local Regal theater so you can check showtimes. Regal Theatres are located in Apex, Cary, Raleigh and Garner.
DON’T MISS A MEAL. The Summer Food Service Program will ensure that food is available to children during the months that schools are not in session. Summer meals sites are set up throughout Wake County in or near low-income communities at schools, parks, community centers, and churches. All meals through this program are free to children 18 and younger.
WE HAVE A WINNER. Eleven-year-old Shannon Fisher illustrated the winning entry in the Wake County Board of Elections sticker-design contest. The rising sixth-grader from Neuse River Middle School submitted a flying unicorn drawing. Her original entry will be featured in the 2024 elections at early voting polling places throughout Wake County.
GRANTS FOR ARTISTS. Local artists are encouraged to apply for a 2024 Artist Support Grant that funds professional and artistic development for emerging and established artists. Individual artists and small, unincorporated groups of collaborating artists who have lived in Chatham, Harnett, Johnston, Lee or Wake County for at least one year are eligible to apply for grants up to $1,500. The grants support a broad range of artistic disciplines.
