WELCOME 2023! WRAL First Night Raleigh 2023 is set for Saturday, December 31. Children’s daytime activities and performances on Morgan Street and Hargett Street run 2–6 p.m. with the annual acorn drop at 7 p.m. Evening events include the Sky Hawk Amusement Ride, Funky Ferris Wheel, People’s Parade and more. Advance tickets are $12 and available online. For more New Year’s Eve activities, check out our Talk of the Triangle roundup.
PHOTO BY MATTHEW LEWINE
Penny Lanes in Cary’s Parkside shopping center will host a New Year’s Eve party from 9:30 p.m.–12:30 a.m. December 31 allowing up to six guests per lane, rentals for up to six pairs of shoes, party favors, and a champagne toast for guests ages 21 and older at midnight. Choose from regular lanes or “spark” lanes. Purchase tickets here.
WRAL INVESTIGATION. After rolling blackouts left thousands in the dark and without heat during a bitterly cold Christmas weekend, Duke Energy faced questions from WRAL about why customers weren’t notified ahead of time about the potential for outages. The combination of widespread severe cold and high demand led Duke Energy to cut power for around half a million customers.
FESTIVE LIGHTS. The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival continues at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre through Sunday, January 8. The event includes 40 new larger-than-life displays to captivate visitors with craftsmanship and artistic beauty. Cultural performances take place each night on the main stage. Twilight gates open at 4:30 p.m.
FINE ARTS. The North Carolina Chamber Music Institute will perform at Church of the Nativity (8849 Ray Road, Raleigh) on Sunday, February 12 at 3 p.m. The event will feature classical and popular selections performed by young artists and faculty, including members of the North Carolina Symphony. Admission is free, but donations to support NCCMI programs and scholarships can be made at the door on the organization’s website.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTSPACE.
The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle presents “Mozart and His Contemporaries” at Carolina Theater of Durham on Sunday, January 15 at 3 p.m. Explore forgotten talents Marianna Martines and Antonio Casimir Cartellieri, who brushed shoulders with the musical genius. Tickets are available online.
The North Carolina Musicians Mural Trail spotlights engaging portrayals of North Carolina musicians in their hometowns through the eyes of artist Scott Nurkin (as featured in the latest issue of Midtown). The collection includes Nurkin’s portrait of Marshville-based Randy Travis, John Coltrane on the side of an opera house and Roberta Flack gazing confidently from the wall outside of Black Mountain Brewery.
During the winter season, Artspace presents new exhibitions in both Galleries 1 and 2: Jan-Ru Wan’s solo exhibition, “When We Are Still Together 當我們同在一起” and “A-Piece-A-Part” with work by Regina Jestrow and Allan Rosenbaum. Artspace is located in downtown Raleigh at 201 E. Davie Street.
FOOD RECALL. Wegman’s Food Markets announced a recall with the Food and Drug Administration, according to ABC11.com. The recall includes products containing micro greens, sweet pea leaves and cat grass over potential salmonella contamination. The products have been sold in North Carolina and several other states.
HOLIDAY FOOTBALL. College football bowl season continued this week with North Carolina schools in the spotlight. Wednesday’s lineup included Duke University getting a 30–13 win over the University of Central Florida in the Military Bowl, and the University of Oregon (No. 15) defeated UNC in the Holiday Bowl 28-27. No. 23 North Carolina State University takes on the University of Maryland in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte Friday at noon (ESPN).
TALK OF THE TRIANGLE, THE PODCAST. Midtown and Cary Living magazines’ monthly podcast introduces listeners to the fascinating people, places, events and activities from around the region. This month, join hosts Adam Cave and Melissa Wistehuff for a chat with Erica DeLong, host of “The Erica Show” on G105.
