Raleigh Sunflower Fields
(Photo courtesy of Penny Lynn)

The Raleigh Sunflower Fields are now in bloom along the lower portion of the Neuse Greenway Trail near the Wake / Johnston County boarder.  The field is located along the trail at mile marker 25.25 where it runs along Old Baucom Road. There is no parking there but you can use the physical address of 8232 Old Baucom Road if you want to drive by the field in your car. If you want to walk to the field you can park at the Neuse Greenway parking lot located at 6090 Mial Plantation Road. Once you park you turn right on the trail and the field is a 1 mile walk away. You will pass over the Neuse River on the greenway bridge along the way.

The field is beautiful but is a quite a bit smaller than last year. If you plan to visit the field I recommend getting out there within the next week. After that they will start dying off from the summer heat.

Many don’t realize this, but these fields are actually owned by the City of Raleigh and are used to land apply treated wastewater. The plants are grown on the fields to take up the nutrients from the wastewater, which basically acts like a fertilizer for the flowers. Afterwards the city harvests the plants to convert them into biodiesel. Because it is City of Raleigh property you’ll need to enjoy the view of the field from behind the white fences that line the fields. To learn more about the Neuse Greenway and download a full map of the trail visit the Neuse Greenway website here.

Abigail Dowd Performs this Friday at Gronds Cafe in Wendell
(Photo courtesy http://www.abigaildowd.com)

This weekend my top picks include a chance to catch great music from some truly excellent musicians. In addition to music, if you are looking for some new places to explore there are a few places that have just opened to the public this past week. Downtown Garner has a new coffee shop by Full Bloom Coffee Roasters. Up in Wake Forest Juice Bar opens on Friday next to the Publix. Down in Fuquay-Varina the Mason Jar Lager Company is now open to the public and will have beer flowing all weekend long. I look forward to visiting each of these new spots this summer. In the meantime happy exploring!

Friday – July 7th

Abigail Dowd performs at Grounds Cafe in Wendell
Grounds Cafe in Wendell is located in a beautiful setting in the Wendell Falls community with a great outdoor patio to enjoy the summer weather. This Friday they will host North Carolina singer/songwriter Abigail Dowd from 6:30-9:30pm. In addition to music they will have beer, coffee, and wine  available for purchase in the cafe along with their full menu plus tacos!

Saturday – July 8th

Al Strong and Friends at Bond Park in Cary
Al Strong is well known trumpet player, composer, and instructor in the Triangle jazz scene. For this concert at Cary’s Bond Park Sertoma Amphitheatre he will be joined by Alan Thompson (saxophone), JC Martin (guitar), Sean Mason (piano), Kenny Phelps-McKeown (bass), and Jeremy ‘Bean’ Clemons (drums). This concert is FREE and open to the public! Music begins at 7pm. This is a FREE performance thanks to Pinecone. For more information visit https://pinecone.org/events/al-strong.

Sunday – July 9th

Midsummer’s Party at Vita Vite in Downtown Raleigh
Vita Vite is a fun wine bar and art Gallery in the heart of downtown Raleigh. This Sunday 2-5pm they are throwing a Midsummer’s Party where they will unveil an exclusive beer they crafted in partnership with the Neuse River Brewing Company! There will also be beach music by Lucius Wilson and ice cream and other sweet treats for for purchase from Mama Bird’s Cookies and Cream.

Kenan Stadium – Chapel Hill
(Photo courtesy Town of Chapel Hill)

Below is my annual list of places to see Fourth of July Fireworks around the Triangle this year. Please note the actual date for each event as some towns celebrate before/after the fourth of July. There is also a link next to each event listed that will take you to the event website for additional information about parking.

Fireworks in the Triangle 2017 (in alphabetical order)

Brier Creek (Raleigh) – Info
Brier Creek is holding a “Show us your Stripes” Block Party on July 4th from 7-9pm. Set up your lawn chair early at the Brier Creek Commons (Clock Tower Plaza between Brasa and Blo).There will be games, bounce houses, prizes, face painting, FREE balloons. Fireworks after dusk.

Cary – Info
Celebrate at Koka Booth Ampitheatre 3-10pm July 4 with music & fireworks. There will be kids activities, a ferris wheel, a watermelon eating contest and more. Music by the NC Symphony capped off with an incredibly spectacular fireworks display. Tarps, blankets & chairs allowed within venue gates; staking and tents are not permitted. Concert is FREE and open to the public.

Chapel Hill Kenan Stadium – Info
Fireworks at Kenan Stadium. The gates open at 7 PM July 4th. Family friendly activities including live music by RadioJacks and watermelon eating contest. Fireworks begin at 9:30pm.

Clayton – Info
The Clayton Parks & Recreation is hosting their annual July 4th Celebration on Tuesday, July 4th at the Municipal Park (325 McCullers Drive). Activities begin at 4pm with family field events, Free Ice Cream and Watermelon, a Cornhole Tournament and live music. Get sprayed down by the Clayton Fire Department (a kid favorite!).Fireworks at dusk. New this year, the live music, inflatables and rides will run another half hour after the show.

Durham – Info
Durham Bulls Baseball game on July 4th will be followed by their annual Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza. Tickets are required for the game, but gates will open for general admission at the end of the 7th inning. The dynamic fireworks show will begin immediately following the game.

Franklin County – Info
Fourth of July Celebration at Louisburg High School Tuesday July 4th. Games, inflatables, music, food, and fireworks. Free admission.

Fuquay Varina – Info
Music, kid’s games, and fireworks at Fuquay Varina’s South Park – 820 N. Main Street. Monday, Jul 3rd. Gates open at 6pm

Garner – Info
The town of Garner has their fireworks on Monday, July 3rd at the beautiful Lake Benson Park (921 Buffalo Road). The NC Symphony & Bull City Syndicate will perform. There will be a kidzone and arts and crafts as well. Gates open at 5pm with fireworks launching after dark following the NC Symphony performance.

Holly Springs – Info
Wednesday, July 5th Independence Day celebration at Jefferson L. Snugg Farm at Bass Lake Park 5-9:30pm. Musical entertainment, Food vendors, Inflatables and games, Fireworks, Face Painting and Other Games, Cornhole Tournament. The fireworks show is slated to begin at 9:15 p.m.

Knightdale – Info
This is Knightdale’s Third Annual July 4th Celebration at Knightdale Station Park. Featuring fireworks, family activities, food trucks and music from The Embers. The event will begin at 5pm and conclude with the fireworks at 9:15pm. Make sure you come hungry – this event has a great food truck lineup with over 30 local food trucks! Festival map and schedule of events.

Morrisville – Info
Kick off your Independence Day celebration with a fireworks display in Morrisville Community Park Monday, July 3rd. Bring your blankets, chairs and snacks to enjoy the spectacular show. Music and activities will begin at 6:00pm; the Fireworks display will begin at dark, approximately 9:30pm.

Mebane – Info
Family Music Festival and Fireworks on Tuesday, July 4th at the Mebane Arts & Community Center. Music with Beach & Top 40 favorites beginning at 7:00pm until 9:30pm with fireworks following at 9:40. Bring your own seating to this fun-filled family event.

Raleigh – Info
All day celebration Tuesday, July 4th noon-11pm along Fayetteville Street with two music stages, aerialists, street performers, Kings BMX Bike Stunts, Gouge Wrestling, contests, Beer Garden and more! FREE show at Red Hat Amphitheater and Fireworks at 9:30! Event map and full schedule.

Rolesville – Info
Rolesville will celebrate with a parade on Tuesday July 4th at 4:30PM followed by live music, great food, games, face painters, magicians, fireworks and more. Free admission but donations are greatly appreciated and will be accepted at the gates!

Smithfield – Info
Smithfield’s Independence Day Celebration is Sunday, July 2 from 6:30pm until 9:00pm on South Third Street in the heart of downtown. Enjoy food trucks, games and activities, and live music from The Seaside Band. Fireworks start at 9pm.

Wake Forest – Info
Fireworks Spectacular on Monday, July 3, at Wake Forest High School, 420 W. Stadium Drive. Gates open at 5:30. Beach music by Band of Oaz at 6:30. Admission $5. Children under 6 free. Fireworks at dusk (typically between 8:30-9pm).

Zebulon – Info
The Carolina Mudcats will hold fireworks displays on Tuesday July 4th at Five County Stadium. Gates will open at 5:30pm for the 7pm games with fireworks and patriotic music to follow the games’ conclusion.

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Here are my top picks of things to check out over the next three days. Happy Exploring!

Friday – June 23rd

The Adventures of Annabelle Lyn at Sola Coffee
Sola Coffee and Cafe continues to bring great touring acts to Raleigh this Friday with The The Adventures of Annabelle Lyn, a trio of female folk artists that brings together heartbreaking original songs, tight and sweet vocal harmonies, powerful instrumental solos, and crowd-pleasing acoustic covers. Music starts at 7:30pm. No cover but tips for the musicians always appreciated!

Orquestra GarDel at Durham Central Park
On Friday Durham Central Park debuts its new free 10-week concert series with the multinational but uniquely North Carolinian, Orquesta GarDel and their high-energy Latin dance music experience. The thirteen-member lineup has a full deck of horn players, percussionists, and coro singers. Rooted in its own arrangements of songs from the great salsa, cumbia, and merengue artists, this is ultimately not a cover band. There will be Food trucks and craft beer venders as well. Music from 6-8pm.

Saturday – June 24th

Historic Hillsborough Walking Tour
Experience American history through the unique perspective of one of North Carolina’s oldest and most historically significant towns, with a guided walking tour of downtown Hillsborough. Established in 1754 as the seat of government for Orange County, Hillsborough’s colonial legacy and signs of its importance in NC and American history can be seen everywhere. The tour begins at the Hillsborough Visitors Center, located in the eighteenth century Alexander Dickson Farm House, and guides visitors to a variety of historic places. $6

Sunday – June 25th

Oak City Chamber Players at Rebus Works – Raleigh
Rebus Works is throwing another Classical Hang on Sunday from 4-7pm. Music will start at 5pm. This is always a popular event, so make sure you get here early to grab a seat! The Chamber Players, led by Dovid Friedlander, will be performing Beethoven’s Quartet Opus 59 Number 3. They  will have a food truck, local NC beer for sale at Rebus Works and the Oak City Chamber Players performing up close and personal.

Cary’s Downtown Chowdown Food Truck Rodeo
Trucks will line Academy Street from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Event will feature 25+ food trucks along with local beer and wine vendors, and live music. You can view a list of the trucks here.

I am excited to share the news that MOTOWN THE MUSICAL returns to the Durham Performing Arts Center in August for a with performances Tuesday, August 1st through Sunday, August 6th. I’m also thrilled to offer a lucky reader a chance to win two FREE tickets to enjoy the show – thanks to my friends at DPAC!

Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, this musical tells the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy’s journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and many more.

The show features more than 40 classic hits such as “My Girl” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and explores how the whole Motown family fought against the odds to create the soundtrack of change in America. Motown shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat.

Tickets start at just $30 and can be purchased by going to dpacnc.com or via the Ticket Center at DPAC either in person at 123 Vivian St. Durham, NC 27701 or by phone at 919.281.0818.

MOTOWN TICKET GIVEAWAY!
I’ve partnered with my friends at DPAC to give away two FREE tickets to a lucky Triangle Explorer reader for the opening night performance on Tuesday, August 1st.  To enter leave a comment below about a fun experience you’ve have had at DPAC or why you love Motown. I will randomly select one lucky winner on Sunday, June 25th and contact them via email with details. Good Luck!