HALLOWEEN PARTY FUN. As Halloween nears, frightfully fun events are picking up this week. Check out our fall fun guide for a roundup of Halloweenish things to do across the Triangle. Vampire’s Ball: A Live! Halloween Party is planned at Fenton’s Sport and Social in Cary on Friday, October 27 8–12 p.m. Order tickets here.
Head over to Skate Raleigh at the Conlon Family Skate Park on October 28, 2–6 p.m., for the Skate or Treat Halloween Jam complete with music, vendors, snacks and more. Enter a skate contest to score some extra Halloween treats.
The Optimist and Brookside Bodega will host a spooky fall fest block party on Saturday, October 28, 2–6 p.m. with food, local vendors, a costume contest and more. No tickets are necessary—just show up for the fun.
Oak City Music Collective will host The Monster Mash at Kings (14 West Martin Street, Raleigh) on Saturday, October 28 at 7 p.m. The Halloween party will feature live music from four bands along with a DJ after-party. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door.
Boxcar Bar + Arcade in Raleigh will host a Halloween party on Saturday, October 28, noon–11 p.m. Enter your four-legged friends in a costume contest with prizes awarded for the best–dressed pups. Enjoy themed cocktails, spooky scenes and DJ Sniper on the patio. Prizes will be given for best overall costume, scariest costume and best group.
Unscripted Durham will host a rooftop Halloween party and costume contest on Saturday, October 28, 1–6 p.m. Enjoy specialty cocktails like The Witches Brew (prickly pear, gin, citrus, Lillet Blanc and soda), The Trick (rye, banana, crème de cacao, sweet vermouth and lemon) and The Time Warp (tequila, Midori, lime, agave, triple sec and black salt). The event includes a costume contest at 5:30 p.m. with a prize that includes a staycation at the hotel.
CANDY BUY-BACK. Le Nu Spa (3434 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary) will hold a Halloween candy buy-back event from Wednesday, November 1–Tuesday, November 7, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Parents and kids will be given $2 for every pound of candy they contribute.
TINSEL TOWN. The holidays are right around the corner, and there’s no shortage of festive events and celebrations. From Apex to Zebulon, enjoy parades, tree lightings, concerts and more. Find all the big holiday events on the 5 West Merry Moments or Midtown Merry Moments page.
Sports & Social Cary will host Tinsel Tavern, a holiday pop–up bar from Friday, November 24–Sunday, December 24. The space will feature tinsel and twinkling lights, holiday–inspired cocktails and small bites. Cookie decorating and movie nights will be among the themed nights beginning in December. Reservations and daily hours are available online.
Guests are invited to participate in Christmas at Biltmore from Friday, November 3–Sunday, January 7, 2024. The dazzling array of twinkling lights comes alive along with dozens of hand-decorated Christmas trees. The tradition dates to 1895, when George Vanderbilt celebrated his first Christmas with family and friends in 1895 in his then–new North Carolina home, the 250–room Biltmore House.
HIGH HONORS. Gov. Roy Cooper will present the state’s highest civilian honor, the North Carolina Award, to six distinguished North Carolinians Thursday, November 9, at the North Carolina Museum of Art. The 2023 honorees are Honorable David Price for public service, Honorable G.K. Butterfield for public service, Fred A. Whitfield for public service, Marsha White Warren for literature, Patrick Dougherty for fine arts and Mandy K. Cohen, M.D., M.P.H., for science. Learn more about Dougherty in our recent feature, “Intertwining Instincts.”
FUNDRAISING. Wake County is accepting proposals from local nonprofits interested in competing for $6 million in funding to help address important unmet needs. The funding will support investments over the next two years that will enhance opportunities for partnerships between the public, nonprofit and for-profit sectors, as well as address critical countywide problems and needs in an effective and financially sustainable way.
EQUINE THERAPY. Unbridled Way Forward (4206 Bahama Road, Rougemont) will host herd meditations on Sunday, November 5 and Wednesday, December 3, 2–3:30 p.m. Guests are invited to interact with the horses, follow a guided meditation under the trees and experience a period of walking meditation in the pasture with the horses. Registration is required and space is limited to 10 people.
KEEPING KIDS SAFE. The North Carolina Department of Justice will be hosting a webinar on protecting kids against online crimes on Wednesday, November 1, 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. The event is suited for parents, caregivers and those who work with children and will cover sexploitation, trafficking and sextortion. Speakers will include North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. Registration is available online.
FINE ARTS. The Durham Symphony Orchestra premieres “A Night with Tchaikovsky: The Classics You Haven’t Heard” at Carolina Theatre in Durham on Sunday, November 5 at 7 p.m. Under the direction of William Henry Curry, the symphony will perform the world premiere of Tchaikovsky/Rapée Symphonie Elegiaque. The performance will include selections from “Swan Lake,” “The Nutcracker” and “Sleeping Beauty.”
TRANSPORTATION NEWS. GoTriangle will host job fairs (4600 Emperor Boulevard, Durham) on Wednesday, November 8, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. The Triangle’s regional transit provider has multiple openings for bus operators, paratransit operators and service attendants. Candidates must have a Commercial Driver’s License Class B with Passenger Endorsement. Commercial Driver’s Permits are also acceptable. GoTriangle also broke ground on Monday, October 23 for the Raleigh Union Station Transit Facility on South West Street in downtown Raleigh’s Warehouse District. The hub for the Triangle’s regional transit authority is slated to open in mid-2025 and will allow travelers to connect between intercity rail and local, regional and express bus services. The facility will be paired with Union West, a 23–story private development that will include multifamily residential apartments, affordable housing and retail.
CULTURAL GATHERING. More than 30 cultures will gather at the International Festival at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds Expo Center from Friday, November 3–Sunday, November 5. Enjoy food, dance, traditions and community. The festival also features a naturalization ceremony to welcome new U.S. citizens, a global fashion show and an international dance competition. Tickets are $5 in advance and $6 at the door.
NEW BUSINESS. The NOW Massage will open a downtown Cary location on Monday, October 30 at 370 South Walker Street, Suite 124. The boutique will be owned and operated by area residents Buvana Jeevakarunyam and Sara Sadhasivam. This is the third Raleigh-area location. It joins NOW Massage boutiques in Brier Creek and Midtown Raleigh.
FOR A GOOD CAUSE. The Blood Connection and Apex Farmers Market are teaming up for a blood drive and fundraising event at 1479 Beaver Creek Commons Drive on Saturday, November 4, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. A $25 charitable donation will be made to the Apex Farmers Market for each blood donation.
LACE UP. The Day of the Dead 5K takes place Saturday, October 28, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at 106 S. Wilmington Street in Raleigh. Lace up for Centro’s annual race while also experiencing art, music, dancing, drinks and more.
PLANNING AHEAD. J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival returns to Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, 2024. The weekend festival generated attendance of more than 100,000 in 2023. In addition to music, the event offers family–friendly attractions, carnival rides and immersive art installations, along with dozens of local vendors and food trucks. The 2024 lineup will be announced early next year.
