November 16, 2012 · 11:31 am

Christmas Parades, Tree Lightings, & Holiday Concerts in the Triangle ~ 2012

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Christmas Tree in Raleigh’s City Plaza

I know it is still November, but Christmas events like the Raleigh Christmas Parade and the North Hills Tree lighting are set to kick off this Saturday (Nov. 17th). With that in mind I thought now would be a good time to share a comprehensive list of events scheduled in the Triangle this holiday season. If I missed anything please leave me a comment and I will add it to the list. Thanks!

Parades
Raleigh Christmas Parade – November 17th 9:40am

Apex Christmas Parade – December 1st

Garner Christmas Parade – December 1st

Hillsborough Holiday Parade – December 1st

Fuquay-Varina Christmas Parade – December 2nd 3:00pm

Cary Christmas Parade – December 8th 2:00pm

Chapel Hill / Carrboro Holiday Parade – December 8th 10am-12pm

Wake Forest Christmas Parade – December 8th 1:00pm

Holly Springs Christmas Parade – December 8th 11:00am

Clayton Christmas Parade – December 8th 2:00pm

Tree Lightings
North Hills Tree Lighting – November 17th 4:00 – 9:00pm

Chapel Hill Community Tree Lighting – Novermber 25th 7:00pm

Seaboard Station Tree Lighting – November 29th

Clayton’s Live Village and Tree Lighting – November 29th 6-8:30pm

Hillsborough Lighting of the Town Tree Ceremony – November 30th 6:30pm

WRAL Tower Lighting – November 30th

Garner’s “Light up on Main” – November 30th 6-8:00pm

Lafayette Village Tree Lighting – December 1st 5-8:00pm

Fuquay Varina Tree Lighting and Sleigh Rides – December 6th 6-8:00pm

Lighting of Wake Forest – December 7th 6-8:00pm

Raleigh City-Plaza Tree Lighting – December 1st

Cary Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony – December 1st 6:00pm

Governor’s Christmas Tree Lighting at the NC State Capitol Building – December 6th 5-7:30pm

American Tobacco Campus Lucky Strike Tower Lighting – December 7th

Holiday Concerts / Performances
Raleigh Boy Choir – Raleigh Winterfest in City Plaza – December 1st 

The Trans Siberian Orchestra “Lost Christmas Eve” – PNC Arena – Dec. 1st

Triangle Gay Men’s Chorus Christmas Concert – Nov.30th, Dec. 2nd & 9th

Raleigh Ringers Christmas Concert – Progress Energy Center – Dec. 8-9th

“A Christmas Carol” – Progress Energy Center – Dec. 6th -12th

“A Christmas Carol”  Durham Performing Arts Center – Dec. 15-16th

Nutcracker Ballet – Progress Energy Center – December 23-25th

Raleigh Boy Choir Christmas Concert – Hayes Barton Baptist Chruch -Dec. 15th 7:30m

Holiday Historic Home Tours
Wake Forest Historic Home Holiday Tour – December 1st 2-8:00pm

The Hillsborough Candlelight Home Tour – December 2nd 12-6pm

Duke Homestead Christmas by Candlelight – December 7th 7-9pm

Historic Oakwood Candlelight Tour – December 8-9th 1-7:00pm

Historic Wendell Candlelight Tour – December 15th 3-8:00pm

Governor’s Mansion Holiday Open House – December 6th -9th

Mordecai Holiday Lantern Tour in Mordecai Historic Park – December 8th 5pm

Other Holiday Events
Sleigh Rides & Cider : A Winter Night at Oak View Park – December 1st 5-7:30pm

AT&T Raleigh Winterfest Ice Skating Rink in Raleigh City Plaza (Daily) – December 1st through January 26th

Santa Train at Museum of Life & Science – (various dates see website)

Holiday Fun Fest at Durham Central Park – December 1st 1-5 pm

Triangle Christmas Tree Challenge – December 7th – January 3rd

 

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November 8, 2012 · 2:39 pm

Hurricane Sandy Benefit Bake Sale at Fullsteam Brewery Sunday Nov. 11th

Sweet Relief

I grew up at the Jersey Shore and most of my family still lives there. I am touched to learn that local Triangle businesses and residents are working together to help raise funds to help those at the Jersey shore impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

This Sunday, November 11th be sure to visit Fullsteam Brewery in Durham from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. for Sweet Relief: A Benefit Bake Sale for Hurricane Sandy disaster relief. This benefit is being organized Rose’s Meats & Sweet and hosted by the great folks at Fullsteam. Over a dozen local bakers, chefs, and vendors will be donating their goodies to raise relief funds.

In addition to the local vendors listed in the flyer above many well known local foodies and culinary talents will be contributing treats for sale as well up treats as well. There will be an entire assortment of sweet and savory items and of course plenty of beer. 100% of the proceeds from the sale will go to the Foodbank in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, New Jersey, which were some of the regions hardest hit by the storm.

For more information and to help spread the word, check out the benefits facebook event page and share it with your friends. Hope to see you there!

Sweet Relief: Bake Sale to benefit Hurricane Sandy Victims
When: Sunday, November 11th (12:30-4:30pm)
Where: Fullsteam Brewery – Durham, NC
Info: http://www.facebook.com/events/478474022175823/

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November 8, 2012 · 11:50 am

Luchadoras Wrestling Returns to Durham Saturday November 10th!

Lucha

On Saturday November 10th, the Durham Luchadoras, an all-female, non-profit, masked wrestling group, collide for their fourth knock-down, drag-em-out event. From noon until 3:00 pm at the Durham Armory, 10 local women will slug their way through five matches, a battle for a championship belt, and countless plot twists.

All proceeds from ¡LUCHADORAS 4! benefit the NC DREAM team and Poder Juvenil Campensino, two organizations created to empower immigrant youth. Luchadoras fight for social justice with as much ferocity as they bring to the ring, and they are proud to announce that for the first time ever, 100% of the proceeds from this event will go to the featured charities.

Spectators will be treated to some of the nastiest bouts yet, as the battle between good and evil wages in the ring. Sinister rudas will test the nobility of the heroic tecnicas. Kid Vega takes on La Vengadora de Plata, while Juicy Buns faces The Scrambler in the first-ever Luchadoras title match.

Tickets will be available at the door, and pre-sale tickets can be purchased at luchadoras.eventbrite.com. Adult tickets are $5, and children and 12 under are free. All presale ticket holders will also receive a Luchadoras sticker on the day of the event.

Designed to promote an image of strong, capable women with personalities to match, the Durham Luchadoras follow in the footsteps of the legendary Lucha Libre wrestlers of Mexico. As in Mexico, Durham’s Lucha Libre wrestlers care deeply about their community, and have invited area non-profits to set up tables at the event to do outreach and gain community exposure.

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November 2, 2012 · 10:24 am

First Friday at Oak City Cycling Project with Slingshot Coffee Co. HQ Opening Tonight!

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Oak City Cycling Project
212 East Franklin St. Raleigh, NC

This past summer I stopped by Oak City Cycling Project during a First Friday in downtown Raleigh. I was blown away by how cool this place is and intrigued by the idea of a bike shop featuring art and serving as a community meeting place. Oak City Cycling is all that and more. It is now one of my favorite places to visit on First Fridays in Raleigh. If you haven’t been by their shop yet you have another chance to check them out tonight, Friday November 2, starting around 6pm for this month’s First Friday celebration presented by the cool people at NewRaleigh.com.

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Bikes!

As described on their website, Oak City Cycling Project is “a local, independent cycling shop focused on increasing bicycle ridership through sales, service, outreach, and community.” When I was there I notice a wide range of awesome used bikes and I have heard great things about the people there and the services they offer. Though I am not currently and avid cyclist I plan to purchase a bike in 2013 and plan to hit up Oak City Cycling when I am ready to pull the trigger on a purchase.

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Checking out artwork inside Oak City Cycling Project

Tonight’s first Friday event at Oak City Cycling is extra special because it will not only feature great artwork by local Raleigh artists Becky Joye, but it also marks the opening of Slingshot Coffee Company’s new headquarters which is now located within part of the Oak City Cycling building. The festivities tonight also include acoustic music and three local food trucks: American Meltdown, Captain Pancho’s Tacos, and Bulkogie Korean BBQ.

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Slingshot Coffee Sampling at previous First Friday

About Slingshot Coffee
Slingshot Coffee Co. was started by Raleigh resident Jenny Bonchak earlier this year. Jenny creates hand-crafted cold brew coffee in small batches using fair trade organic coffee beans from local roaster Counter Culture Coffee in Durham. The 16 oz. bottles of cold brew are sold in two forms, a ready-to-drink version and in concentrate form. The ready-to drink bottle makes for two servings while the concentrate will create 6 individual servings. Cold brew can be consumed both as a cold beverage or combined with other ingredients to make delicious hot & cold cocktails.

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Slingshot Coffee Cold Brew

Slingshot Coffee Co. cold brew is made with beans that are in season, meaning the flavor is evolving seasonally throughout the year. I last had it during the summer and look forward to trying it again now that it is fall and it is being made with a new variety of beans. You can read more about Slingshot Coffee and where you can purchase it from local retailers on the company website and facebook page.

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Oak City Cycling Lounge Area

First Friday at Oak City Cycling – Presented by New Raleigh

When:
Friday, November 2, 2012 at 6 p.m.

Where:
Oak City Cycling Project/Slingshot Coffee Co. HQ
212 E. Franklin St.  Raleigh, North Carolina (Map)

For more information about tonight’s First Friday event at Oak City Cycling check out the facebook event page.

 

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October 26, 2012 · 4:09 am

Larry’s Beans Coffee Cupping Event In Raleigh – November 10th 1-3pm

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Photo courtesy of Larry’s Beans

Larry’s Beans is holding a coffee cupping event at their bean roasting facility in Raleigh on November 10th from 1-pm. The Comparative Cupping & Coffee workshop will be lead by Brad Brandhorst, Chief Roaster at Larry’s Beans. Brad will lead participants through an exploration of how flavor is affected by how the farmers process their coffee beans. The coffee will all be from Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union in Ethiopia. The cupping event, which will take place at the Larry’s Beans roasting facility at 1507 Gavin St., Raleigh, costs $5. Tickets are available at larrysbeans.eventbrite.com.

cupping lab

Photo courtesy of Larry’s Beans

In addition to coffee cupping the event will feature samples of Larry’s Beans Cold Brew Iced Coffee – cold-steeped over 24 hours from coffee they roast & blend specifically for this process. This is a new offering from Larry’s Beans.

Bonus! Music & Beer
Since coffee is part of life, Larry’s Beans will also provide music & some snacks topped off with local beer from Fullsteam Brewery in Durham!

Details & Registration:
Where: Larry’s Beans, 1507 Gavin Street, Raleigh, NC
When: Saturday November 10, 2012. Gates open at 1pm, Cupping Starts at 1:30

To register for the event visit LarrysBeans.eventbrite.com

washed ethiopia

Photo courtesy of Larry’s Beans

About Larry’s Beans

Larry’s Beans is happily committed to blending and roasting innovative uniquely delicious coffees — and making the world a better place. 100% of our coffee is Fair Trade, Shade Grown, and Organic, all slow-roasted to bring out every note of indigenous flavor. Their green-o-vated facilities use passive solar construction, active solar systems, radiant floors, zoned heating, composting, and rainwater harvesting to minimize our impact on this awesome planet. (You can view pictures from my tour of their facility here). Larry’s Beans offers 15 Creative Blends and 15 Single-Origin Blends, along with limited-roast favorites like Rockin’ Holiday Blend and Woodstock Blend. For more information visit http://www.larrysbeans.com/.

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