FAMILY FUN. Coral C Photography and Search in the City presents a Team Spirit Scavenger Hunt & Graduation Photo Session. The collaboration begins with a cap-and-gown family photo shoot, followed by a family-friendly, 90-minute scavenger hunt across the North Carolina State University campus with a professional photo session. The event includes stops at The Brickyard, Talley Student Union, the Free Expression Tunnel and 20 iconic Wolfpack locations.
STITCH IT UP. The North Carolina Museum of History’s Hands-On History: Sew a Stitch event is scheduled for May 6, noon–3 p.m. Watch tailor Andy Sterlen at work, make your own simple stitched creation and then go on a hunt through the galleries for historic clothes.
WINNING STUDENTS. Six teams from Wake County Public Schools are headed to the statewide NC Envirothon contest, which will test their skills at environmental problem-solving on April 28–29 at Cedarock Park in Burlington. Among those teams, two took first place at the regional competition in March: Mean Green Beans, Panther Creek, Cary; and Mustang FFA, LeRoy Martin Magnet, Raleigh. Learn more here.
CINCO DE MAYO. Driftwood Cantina (8460 Honeycutt Road, Raleigh) will host a Cinco De Mayo Fiesta on Saturday, May 6, beginning at 11 a.m. The outdoor grill will serve up birria tacos on the new covered patio, and kids can enjoy face painting. The restaurant is offering pre-orders on house made salsas, guacamole and queso along with taco kits that feed 12-15 people, a perfect option for hosting parties at home.
MAP OUT YOUR HIKE. Google and the National Park Service have partnered to help make visits to the nation’s 63 national parks safer and easier to access. New updates have launched on Google Maps (both on iOS and Android) to help park visitors navigate the parks and their trails. Google Maps will now display reviews and information about the trails that include: whether the trail is paved, dirt, a loop, or an in-out trail; the trail’s level of difficulty; “Good for” suggestions, such as hiking with dogs and wheelchair accessibility; the best time to hike it if you want to avoid crowds. Learn more here. Thanks to @RaleighWhatsUp for sharing this news.
Photo of hikers in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by Beth Shugg
DRESS FOR PRIZES. Boxcar Bar + Arcade (330 West Davie Street, Raleigh) hosts National Superhero Day on Friday, April 28. Dress as your favorite hero for a chance to win prizes including neon bar signs and more swag. Enjoy $3 Friday fireballs, themed cocktails and DJ Handsome Robb on the patio from 8–11 p.m.
BOOK READINGS. Authors Mimi Herman (“The Kudzu Queen”), Susan Reinhardt (“The Beautiful Misfits”), and Kerri Schlottman (“Tell Me One Thing”) will read from their recently released novels at Page 158 Books (415 South Brooks Street, Wake Forest) on Saturday, May 6 at 1 p.m. Guests can participate in a Q&A after the readings.
CELEBRATE BOOK STORES. Independent Book Store day is this Saturday, April 29. Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh will celebrate with a musical storytime at 11 a.m. with David Burney of the Johnny Folsom Four, for music lovers of all ages; and a storytime at 2:20 p.m. with Darren Farrell, author of “Dandelion Magic” and “Give This Book Away.” Poetry Fox is 1:30–4:30 p.m. and there will be a book trivia event at 7 p.m. RSVP for the trivia event here.
TASTY SAMPLES. Chef, entrepreneur and PBS celebrity Vivian Howard will be serving samples of her latest Viv’s Fridge fare from Wine Authorities in Durham on Saturday, April 29, 12:30 p.m.–2 p.m. Howard recently added new Mediterranean menu items to her smart refrigerator offerings. The smart refrigerators offer restaurant-quality entrees, snacks, sides and desserts in a convenient ready-to-eat or heat-and-eat format at 11 locations.
NEW HOURS. Poole’side Pies, located at 428 South McDowell Street in Raleigh, will begin Sunday lunchtime service April 30, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. In addition to current menu favorites like pickle juice caesar salad and five-cheese mushroom pizza, guests can enjoy Italian twists on brunch favorites such as focaccia French toast, fennel sausage, and grits and carbonara pizza with poached egg and bacon. Reservations are available online.
hoto courtesy of Poole’side Pies
DANCE SEASON. Tickets for the 90th season of the American Dance Festival are on sale now for events at multiple venues in Durham from Thursday, June 6–Saturday, July 22. Ticket discounts are available for groups, pick-four package offers and the children’s matinee series. The opening-night performance with Bodytraffic takes place at Duke University’s Reynolds Industries Theater on Thursday, June 8 at 7 p.m.
FOOD AWARD WINNERS. Nine companies from the Triangle recently won 2023 Good Food Awards, including Big Spoon Roasters, a first-time winner for its Pistachio Crunch Almond Butter. Other local winners are Boxcarr Handmade Cheese in Cedar Grove (Cottonbloom, Doeling cheeses), The Spicy Hermit in Durham (Sweet Onion Kimchi), Fullsteam Brewery in Durham (One Hefeweizen beer), Chocolatay Confections in Chapel Hill (Strawberry Sunflower Bonbon), Boro Beverage Co. in Chapel Hill (Pollinator Punch), Mrs. Ruth’s Jams in Apex (Blueberry Lemon Basil jam), and Videri Chocolate Factory in Raleigh (75% Guatemala Single Origin Dark Chocolate Bar, Blackberry Basil Caramel).
FOOD AWARD WINNERS. Nine companies from the Triangle recently won 2023 Good Food Awards, including Big Spoon Roasters, a first-time winner for its Pistachio Crunch Almond Butter. Other local winners are Boxcarr Handmade Cheese in Cedar Grove (Cottonbloom, Doeling cheeses), The Spicy Hermit in Durham (Sweet Onion Kimchi), Fullsteam Brewery in Durham (One Hefeweizen beer), Chocolatay Confections in Chapel Hill (Strawberry Sunflower Bonbon), Boro Beverage Co. in Chapel Hill (Pollinator Punch), Mrs. Ruth’s Jams in Apex (Blueberry Lemon Basil jam), and Videri Chocolate Factory in Raleigh (75% Guatemala Single Origin Dark Chocolate Bar, Blackberry Basil Caramel).
TOUCH-A-TRUCK. Touch-A-Truck will host a fundraiser at the North Carolina State Highway Patrol Training & Driving Facility (380 East Tryon Road, Raleigh) on Saturday, April 22, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Children of all ages can check out buses, emergency response vehicles and heavy machinery and meet the people who build, protect and serve Wake County. There will be music, food trucks, bounce houses and more. Proceeds will benefit the Junior League of Raleigh’s Community Fund.
NEW SPECIES. Two new species of crayfish have been identified in North Carolina. The Stony Fork crayfish is named after a small tributary of the Yadkin River in western North Carolina, while the Falls crayfish is found only in the Lewis Fork drainage. They are acclimated to specific environmental conditions, according to Bronwyn Williams, the research curator of the non-molluscan invertebrates at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
OUTDOOR MOVIE. Dorothea Dix Park will host a Spring Movie on the Lawn Saturday, May 6 at 6 p.m. There will be a mental health–focused family wellness fair before the show. Activities for all ages include lawn games, informational booths with resource takeaways, a photo booth, a face painter, bubbles and games with prizes.
