LIGHT IT UP! A stunning holiday tradition in the Triangle—the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival—returns for its eighth season at Koka Booth Amphitheatre November 17–January 14. Tickets for any night of this popular event, as well as VIP and twilight experiences, go on sale July 1. Tickets for specific nights and group tickets go on sale August 4 at noon. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
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.
JUST PEACHY. The Peach Cobbler Factory has opened at 8105 Fayetteville Street in Fuquay-Varina. The restaurant is home to 12 warm, delicious cobblers with ice cream, along with banana puddings, sweet cinnamon rolls, Pudd-N Shakes, Big Cobbler Cookies and more. The establishment also offers in-house sweet peachy tea and cold brew coffee.
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.
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.”
SAVE $3 PER TICKET! Enjoy this exclusive Triangle Family offer for the Koka Kids Concert Series presented by WakeMed. Grab ’em while you can! This offer expires July 1 at 12 a.m. and is valid online only.
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.
DISNEY MOVIES. Disney-Quest Film Series returns to The Carolina Theatre of Durham beginning Saturday, July 1. Disney-Quest features classic animated Disney films on select Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. and Saturday mornings at 11:30 a.m. The series will run through December. Films include “Aladdin,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Jungle Book,” “Lilo and Stitch” and more. Find more summer movies in our 2023 roundup of indoor and outdoor series.
$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.
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.
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.
FOR ICE CREAM LOVERS. The Parlour will be the first vendor at The Common Market, opening later in the summer. The ice cream shop, which will be located at 1821 Green Street in Durham, will offer six signature flavors and two seasonal ones, along with milkshakes. The Common Market will offer a curated mix of craft beer, affordable wine, coffee, local food and deli favorites.
KEEPING COOL. Online donations are being accepted for Cool for Wake, a program aimed at helping those in need stay comfortable during the summer heat. Through a partnership with the RRAR REALTOR Giving Network, the program provides fans and air conditioners to qualifying households. All funds received go directly to families in need and are tax-deductible. The program also accepts in-kind donations of new or gently used fans and air conditioners.
