Tag Archives: Chapel Hill

June 8, 2015 · 7:22 am

Summer Music Update

The Jason Adamo Band at Midtown Music Fest

Over the weekend I attended the Midtown Music Fest in North Hills. It was a great music event featuring three bands (The Jason Adamo Band, Four Founders, American Aquarium) and local beer from Big Boss Brewing. Best of all the event was FREE. Now that summer concert season is upon I thought now would be a good time to share my updated list of upcoming free and low cost summer music in the Triangle. Check out the event websites below for additional details. Hope you have a great summer filled with music!

Raleigh

Durham

Chapel Hill

Carrboro

Cary

Apex

Clayton

Hillsborough

Wake Forest

Saxapahaw

Pittsboro

  • First Sunday Market
    Market featuring handmade crafts and music every first Sunday March through December 12-4 pm

High Point

Chatham County

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May 13, 2015 · 8:04 am

Weekend Picks: May 14th-17th

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Once again the calendar is jam-packed with lots of fun events this weekend. Saturday is particularly full making it hard to narrow down my choices, but I do my best below with  a quick rundown of fun things to check out this weekend. If you are looking for music events throughout the summer remember to check out my recently updated post about upcoming spring and summer concert series across the Triangle.  As always, I hope you enjoy some time outside and happy exploring!

Thursday May 14th

Back Porch Concert Series American Tobacco Campus
The legendary Back Porch Music on the Lawn series returns Durham’s American Tobacco Campus May 14-September 10th with 8 free shows. This Thursday enjoy music by John Howie Jr and Rosewood Bluff. Free Picnics and chairs welcome. Music starts at 6pm. Event Details

Friday May 15th

Got to Be NC Festival (Friday-Sunday)
A free family friendly event at the NC State Fairgrounds this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with an agricultural twist. Enjoy carnival games and rides, live music, food, animal and agricultural displays, antique tractors, and more. Festival Info

Blues on the Plaza at Northgate Mall in Durham
Northgate Mall hosts their “Blues on the Plaza” music series each Friday in May.  This Friday’s musical guest is Blues Rocket. They also have at least one food truck scheduled for each event. You can view the full schedule with bands and food truck lineup here: Event Details

Saturday May 16th

Artsplosure (Friday-Sunday)
Artsplosure’s returns to downtown Raleigh this Friday, Saturday and Sunday with art, music and food. Check the event website for all the details of this great event that celebrates excellence in the performing and visual arts and brings artists and the larger community together to improve the quality of life and cultural environment. Event Details

Tour D’Coop Urban Chicken Tour
Raleigh’s city chicken owners invite you into their backyards for a first-hand look at keeping chickens in an urban environment.  This self-guided tour provides the opportunity to see over 20 coops, from tiny urban gardens to sprawling suburban lots. This is your chance to glean creative ideas from neighbors who are incorporating chickens and permaculture garden designs into their home landscapes to create an inspiring urban adventure. Event Details

Gouge Wrestling & Food Trucks at Nickelpoint Brewing – Raleigh
This fun event will feature Gouge Wrestling, Craft beer, and food from local food trucks Manna, Cockadoodlemoo, Bo’s Kitchen, Chick-n-Que. The special evening starts at 5pm at Nickelpoint Brewing in Raleigh’s Five Points area. Event Details

Durham Bulls Star Wars Theme Night
One of the most highly anticipated annual Durham Bulls promotions is the Star Wars Night at DBAP. Fans can take photos and interact with their favorite Star Wars characters while being entertained by in-game features from a galaxy far, far away. During the event, the Bulls will sport full C-3PO themed uniforms, which include jerseys, pants, socks, and hats inspired by the goldenrod protocol droid. The game-worn jerseys will be available in both in-game and online auctions, with all proceeds going to the Autism Society of North Carolina. Event Details

Classic Car Show in Downtown Cary
Classic Car Show along Academy Street in downtown Cary from 9am-2pm on Saturday. There will also be activities for kids like “touch a truck” and food from local food trucks Big Mike’s BBQ, Will & Pop’s and Dusty Donuts. Event Details

Sunday May 17th

Midtown Bluegrass at North Hills
Free Live Bluegrass music this Sunday by The Vicki Vaughn Band at North Hills new Midtown Park. Relax on the grass and enjoy music from 4-7pm. Blankets, lawn chairs and coolers are allowed. However, bringing alcoholic beverages is prohibited. Beer and food will also be available for purchase at the concert. Event Details

Wake Forest Food Truck Rodeo
This Sunday Wake Forest will host another big food truck rodeo with over 20 local trucks. The event takes places from 12-4pm at 405 S. Brook Street. There are tons of great local trucks schedule including the ever popular American Meltdown, Chirba Chirba, and the new Cousins Main Lobster. As always for even more food truck events check out The Wandering Sheppard’s Local Food Truck Blog for a full rundown of all the weekend food truck events.

Save the Date: May 21-25th

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Photo courtesy WRAL Balloon Festival

Memorial Day Weekend WRAL Balloon Festival ~ May 21-25th
A hot air balloon festival is coming to Raleigh, Zebulon and Wake county Memorial Day Weekend. This weekend long family friendly event includes a “Mass Ascention & Balloon Glow”, Competition Flights, and Tethered Balloon Rides. Spectating at the events is free but balloon rides will involve fees charged by the individual operators. This is the first balloon festival in the area in over 25 years and something I definitely don’t want to miss!  Event Details

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May 7, 2015 · 12:18 pm

Weekend Picks: May 8-10th

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Abbotts Creek Greenway ~ North Raleigh

Looks like another weekend of great weather is coming our way. In addition to getting outside to enjoy Raleigh’s beautiful greenway this weekend I’ve put together a quick list of other local events that caught my eye. Happy exploring!

Friday May 8th

Blues on the Plaza at Northgate Mall in Durham
Northgate Mall hosts their “Blues on the Plaza” music series each Friday in May.  This Friday’s musical guest is the Jimi King Trio. They also have at least one food truck scheduled for each event. You can view the full schedule with bands and food truck lineup here: http://www.northgatemall.com/mall-events/blues-on-the-plaza/

Art After Hours in Wake Forest
It’s the second Friday, and that means it’s time to head down to downtown Wake Forest for an evening of family entertainment, food, and to see what the local merchants have on offer. The event brings out a good crowd of folks, and the evening cooler temperatures are a nice excuse to get out and around downtown. https://www.facebook.com/aahWF/info

Saturday May 9th

Second Saturday PopUp Market at Sola Coffee in North Raleigh
Just in time for those last Mother’s Day gifts. Sola Coffee is hosting a PopUp Market on Saturday from 9am to 1pm featuring 20+ local artisans selling amazing handcrafted gifts, clothing, jewelry, ceramics, leather, T-Shirts, signs, candles, scarves and other unique finds. https://www.facebook.com/events/1658691151027722/

Belgian Waffology Food Truck at Cocoa Cinnamon in Durham
On Saturday you have two chances to catch one of my favorite food trucks in Durham. From 8:30-11:30am the Belgian Waffle truck will be parked at Cocoa Cinnamon making for a great breakfast option. If you aren’t an early riser catch the truck later in the day from 12-4pm at Bull City Ciderworks. http://belgianwaffology.com/

Sunday May 10th

Oaks & Spokes FrankenBike Block Party in Downtown Raleigh
FrankenBike is a bike parts swap held at Oak City Cycling Project from 1-5pm on Sunday May 10th. Bring all your bike parts that you’d like to sell or trade and get excited to buy, sell and swap! There will be food, music, beer and plenty of bikes, parts of bikes and bike-related fun! https://www.facebook.com/events/1559738290969827/

Six Sunday Concert Series at Joyner Park in Wake Forest
Bring the kids, friends, a picnic, and a blanket! The Six Sundays in Spring concert series is held on consecutive Sundays through the end of May. These free concerts are held at E. Carroll Joyner Park Amphitheater at 701 Harris Rd. in Wake Forest. The music will be starting at 5 pm and ending at 7 pm. This Sunday will feature music by the 18 piece Casablanca Orchestra. You can view the full music schedule here: http://wakeforestarts.org/events/six-sundays/

Strawberry Season is here!

May ushers in North Carolina strawberry season and this weekend there will be plenty of berries to pick up at local area farmers’ markets. A few of my favorite markets are the Durham and Carrboro Farmers’ Market. There are also great markets in Wake Forest and North Hills in Raleigh. If you prefer to pick your own berries check out this list of local berry patches by Carolina Parent.

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May 4, 2015 · 11:11 am

Hidden Gem: Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill


Now that spring is here I wanted to share with you about a magical place I came across hidden in Chapel Hill last year. The Honeysuckle Tea House is one of those hidden gems in the Triangle I think everyone needs to visit. It’s like no other tea house I have ever come across. The tea house is a large open air wood frame structure situated on top of four shipping containers tucked away in rural Chapel Hill. It has a great tranquil vibe and is surrounded by several acres of land with 72 raised cedar herb-beds, a green house and and a six acre berry and Camellia farm.


The primary aim of Honeysuckle Tea House is to share with the community the idea of “food as medicine” by serving certified herbal teas, locally roasted Carrboro Coffee, Tinctures, and Honeys, and other local products made on site. In addition to the healthy foods and herbal remedies the tea house hosts numerous Wellness Workshops and serves the community by hosting local musicians weekly with performances every Friday & Saturday evening, 7pm-9pm, and each Sunday afternoon, 2PM-4PM on their outdoor cedar stage (or inside the tea house if it rains). You can view the upcoming music schedule here.


The open air seating area is a relaxing place to enjoy drink or have lunch while taking in the peaceful surroundings. Food wise the menu includes wraps, garden salads and pastries (including some gluten free options). On the day I visited my wife and I shared a gluten free muffin and each had a glass of incredible jasmine herbal iced tea. It was so relaxing sitting up above the gardens and gazing out of the tea house at the blue sky as we slowly sipped away on our cool drinks. I actually felt like I was vacationing at an island oasis half a world away from the hustle and bustle of Raleigh.


A return visit to this teahouse is high on my list of things to do this week now that the weather is perfect for enjoying the outdoors. It makes for a fun afternoon trip from Raleigh if you are looking for a getaway or just want to try something new. The tea house is only open during the warmer months of the year and closes each winter for the season so don’t miss your chance to check it out this spring & summer. It is currently open daily Sun-Thur 9am-9pm and Fri & Sat 9am-10pm. For directions and more information about the teas and other products they offer visit their website http://www.honeysuckleteahouse.com/.

Honeysuckle Tea House
8871 Pickards Meadow Road
Chapel Hill, NC, 27516 (map)
website: http://www.honeysuckleteahouse.com/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/honeysuckleteahouse

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March 26, 2015 · 8:48 am

Weekend Picks: March 27-29th

Go Ape Canopy Tour in North Raleigh

Go Ape Canopy Tour in North Raleigh
(Photo courtesy Go Ape)

This weekend looks to be a little cooler, but it should be dry and sunny and there are still plenty of ways to get out and enjoy the day. I’m maintaining an updated list of upcoming spring events here for April & May. In the meantime here are a few quick picks of things to check out the weekend. Happy exploring!

Friday March 27th

Final Friday Clothing Swap at Gather in Cary
In anticipation of warmer weather and lighter layers, Gather is hosting a clothing swap. The American Meltdown food truck will be serving up food and they’ll have wine, treats and music to groove to. Bring your clothes, your friends and lets swap! See you there! 6-9pm. Admission is free with the donation of clothing or $5 at the door.
https://www.facebook.com/events/878736568815884/

Live Music at Sola Coffee w/ the Andy Hawks Trio
Live jazz music, great food, coffee, and beer. Great opportunity to listen to live music in North Raleigh. Music starts 7:30pm. No Cover. http://www.solacoffee.com/

Saturday March 28th

Go Ape Tree Canopy Tour Grand Opening in Raleigh
Grand Opening of Go Ape Tree Canopy Tour. It’s a course made up of numerous rope ladders, 42 exciting crossings along with 2 Tarzan swings and 5 zip lines.. The ribbon cutting ceremony is at 9:30. Live music from 11 -3 and the D’Burritos truck will be selling tasty food. Contests and giveaways! Blue Jay Point Park in 3200 Pleasant Union Church Road in Raleigh. https://www.facebook.com/goapebluejaypoint

Tour De Brew – Raleigh
6 breweries, 3 bike rides, live music, family-friendly activities. All for the cause of clean water in Africa! More details and registration at www.tourdebrew.org.

Lego Convention
The name says it all. Huge Lego event at the Convention Center in downtown Raleigh. Saturday and Sunday 10:30am-4pm. Ticketed event. http://www.brickuniverse.org/

Dino Egg Hunt at Museum of Life & Science in Durham
Kids can look for five different dino eggs around the museum’s outdoor campus.  Take photos with their resident dino and dig up some real fossils. The Museum’s Dinosaur Trail will be full of activity, adventure and prehistoric dinosaur excitement. Ticketed Event. http://lifeandscience.org/calendar/event-details/?id=2560

Live Music at Sola Coffee with The Harmaleighs
The Harmaleighs are a folk duo that calls Nashville, Tennessee home. They found a mutual love for folk/Americana and started creating music together. Music starts at 7:30pm. No cover.  https://www.facebook.com/TheHarmaleighs

Sunday March 29th

Cardinal Direction Beerfest
Steel String Brewery of Carrboro and Beer Study in Chapel Hill join forces to host a  Beerfest on Sunday featuring 12 North Carolina breweries showcasing their Saisons and other fine beers. Ticketed event.  https://www.facebook.com/events/330037867197154/

Wake Forest Food Truck Rodeo
This Sunday with about 15 trucks 12-4pm at The Renaissance Center located at 405 S Brooks St. in historic downtown Wake Forest. Check out The Wandering Sheppard’s Food Truck Blog for a comprehensive look at this weekend’s food truck events. https://www.facebook.com/wakeforestfoodtruckrodeo

The Onyx Club Boys at Honeysuckle Tea house in Chapel Hill
Gypsy Jazz music at the AMAZING Honeysuckle Tea House in rural Chapel Hill. This unique tea house is situated on a large plot rural plot surrounded by gardens and provides and open air environment to enjoy tea & coffee drinks and listen to music. Check out their website for pics. It really is a hidden gem. Music on Sunday is 4-6pm. https://www.honeysuckleteahouse.com/

Looking Ahead & Other News

Burger Bach in Durham Now Open
A New Zealand inspired pub featuring an extensive burger menu just opened ion Ninth Street in Durham. Check out this great preview by Bites of Bull City for more information and pictures of the restaurant.

518 West in Downtown Raleigh to close in April
The 518 West Italian Cafe in downtown Raleigh has announced they are closing the restaurant on April 5th. You can read more about their announcement over at the News & Observer.

NC Beer Month Coming in April
A month full on NC beer events. For a full schedule of activities visit http://www.ncbeermonth.com/

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