SPIDY SENSES. Venture into the amazing world of spiders at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ “Spiders: Fear to Fascination,” which opened June 17. Witness the superb skills of these amazing arthropods for yourself.
BE A NATURALIST. The 2023 North Carolina Moth Week takes place Saturday, July 22 through Sunday, July 30. To participate, turn on some light to attract moth species. Take photos of as many species as you can find with the iNaturalist smartphone app or use a camera. Submit your observations through the iNaturalist website or app, available for Android and Apple. All observations must be uploaded to iNaturalist by August 7.
CHANGES AT THE DMV. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has announced Department of Motor Vehicle schedule changes. Driver license offices now serve only walk-in customers from noon through close on weekdays. Appointments are now available only in the mornings and can be scheduled up to 90 days in advance. Forty offices now open an hour early, beginning at 7 a.m. The 16 busiest offices in the state will also have Saturday walk-in hours from 8 a.m.–noon through Saturday, August 26.
TOP RANKING. Raleigh–Durham is ranked No. 3 in the country and No. 1 in North Carolina by US News and World Report in its annual Best Places to Live rankings for 2023-24. The rankings came out in May. Cities were chosen based on quality of life, job market, housing affordability and cost of living. The Triangle scored highest in the quality of life category for access to museums, theaters, a thriving restaurant scene and parks and greenways, as well as college and professional sports teams. Green Bay, Wisconsin topped the list, followed by Huntsville, Alabama.
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS. Salute the red, white and blue as Independence Day celebrations and fireworks light up the Triangle. Check out our round-up of Fourth of July events, listed alphabetically by town. Before you head out, be sure to check the websites for the events to ensure they are still taking place.
NEW BOOTS. Western bootmaker Tecovas will open a Raleigh location on Friday, June 23 at the North Hills shopping center (4158 Main at North Hills Street, Suite 110). The store will carry boots, bags, apparel and accessories. Tecovas will host a grand opening event June 23–24 featuring with live music, cocktails, complimentary boot shines, and free giveaways. The first 50 folks to arrive on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday get a free Tecovas canvas tote, custom Tecovas YETI Mug and koozie. There will be live music by Wayward Blues Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., and specialty cocktails available Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Store hours are Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.–8 p.m. and Sundays, noon–6 p.m.
BEATLES TRIBUTE. If you missed seeing the Beatles perform live during the ’60s, here’s your second chance. “Abbey Road – A Tribute to the Beatles” comes to Fletcher Opera Theater at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, July 16 at 7 p.m. The show is part of a 125-city tour of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Tickets are available online.
GROOMING GOODIES. The Boardroom Styling Lounge at Fenton will host a grand opening on Monday, June 26. The events kick off at 5:46 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The men’s grooming salon will give away free benchmark haircut vouchers to the first 46 people in line at the new location and at the Raleigh location (1011 Mercantile Drive, Suite 120). The first three people in line at each location will receive a six-month executive membership to Boardroom, valid for six months of unlimited benchmark haircuts.
HEALTHY SUMMER. The Poe Center (224 Sunnybrook Avenue, Raleigh) hosts a Healthy Habits Camp for rising 1st–5th graders from Monday, June 27–Friday, June 30 and Monday, July 17–Friday, July 21. The camp runs 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. and is free for eligible families. Completing an online application is required. Daily activities include health education, games and crafts.
