BEST OF BLUEGRASS. IBMA World of Bluegrass 2023 is in downtown Raleigh Tuesday, September 26–Saturday, September 30. IBMA Bluegrass Live! features Friday and Saturday all-day lineups at Red Hat Amphitheater, while five street stages take over five blocks from Martin Street to the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. Single day passes are $50–$70, and two-day passes are $100–$140. The five-day event includes an exhibit hall, street vendors and more. Tickets are available online.
TAKE THE TOUR. The Triangle Parade of Homes begins the weekend of Saturday, September 30–Sunday, October 1, noon–5 p.m. Visitors can look for new design trends and ideas in homes ranging from $286,000–$6,900,000. The Parade of Homes is free and self-guided. It features 175 homes, 89 builders and 124 communities in Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham, Franklin, Johnston and Harnett counties. Additional dates are Friday, October 6–Sunday, October 8 and Friday, October 13–Sunday, October 15, noon–5 p.m.
ROOF PARTY. The Patio at Unscripted Durham hosts Unscripted Presents: Intensity Rooftop Summer Sendoff on Friday, September 29 and Saturday, September 30 beginning at 5 p.m., with entertainment starting at 7 p.m. Enjoy two nights of live music, dancing, food and drink specials, patio games and more. Guests can choose from complimentary admission, general admission and VIP packages.
BRUNCH, ANYONE? Looking for a new place for a midday weekend meal? Nikos (905 West Main Street, Durham) is now hosting brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Enjoy lemon yogurt pancakes, chicken shawarma, lamb pastitsio and other special offerings from the Greek restaurant. Reservations are available online. Also, Local 22 (2200 West Main Street, Durham) has joined the brunch business. Plates include quiche Lorraine, chicken and waffles, eggs benedict and more, along with an extensive drink menu. Guests can make reservations online.
FREE KIDS EVENT. Kidzu Children’s Museum has received a 2023 North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Ribbon of Hope award that will offer STEAM opportunities and more availability at The Makery, Kidzu’s makerspace. As part of its award, Kidzu has launched Family First Fridays, offering free admission on the First Friday of each month. The museum, located in University Place Mall in Chapel Hill, offers nine indoor exhibits that inspire young children to learn through creative, purposeful play.
BOOK RELEASE. Raleigh-based child- and teen-development specialist Dr. Robyn Silverman has authored the book, “How to Talk to Kids About Anything,” and has a podcast by the same name. Silverman takes parents through a spectrum of kids’ questions, giving them strategies for conversations with age-appropriate information. She will appear at Quail Ridge Books on Tuesday, October 10 at 7 p.m. for a book talk and signing.
SLEUTH WITH GOATS. Spring Haven Farm (5306 Homer Ruffin Road, Chapel Hill) will host Murder Mystery Night With Goats on Friday, October 13, 10 a.m–6 p.m. Hang out with the farm’s friendly animal detectives to solve the mystery of who killed Farmer Andy in an outing that delivers the fun of a scavenger hunt mixed with an escape room. Enjoy Durty Bull Beer and Vic’s Italian Pizzeria on site. Feed the animals and win prizes. Tickets are available online.
ON STAGE. Taste of the Arts: Celebrating the Creativity of our Community, a fundraiser for Cary Academy Arts Department, is set for Berger Hall Theater Wednesday, October 4 at 6 p.m. The dinner theater event includes dinner, performances and a silent auction filled with Broadway-themed baskets, student art and a “wall of wine” drawing. Tickets are available online.
AMERICANA. The North Carolina Museum of History kicks off its Tar Heel Troubadours music series with The Blue Ridge Girls on Friday, October 6, 7–10 p.m. The series celebrates Americana, roots, bluegrass and traditional music performed by artists who are either from or living and working in North Carolina. Enjoy a special beer from Fullsteam Brewery, as well as wine and merchandise. Then on Saturday, October 7, take part in an historical true crime author talk and trolley tour around downtown Raleigh with authors and Oakwood Cemetery historians Bruce Miller and Robin Simonton. The tour runs from 4–6 p.m.
OUT AND ABOUT. Skate & See at the Conlon Family Skate Park, a fusion of skateboarding and artistic expression, takes place at Colon Family Skate Park (905 U.S. 401, Raleigh) on Sunday, October 1, 1–5 p.m. Watch skateboarders perform tricks while local artists create live art installations. Guests can take part in graffiti art workshops and mural painting. Local vendors will provide food and refreshments. Admission is free.
MUSEUM NEWS. The Museum of Life and Science received a $1 million grant from the state of North Carolina for its Magic Wings Butterfly House. The venue has attracted more than 500,000 visitors annually since 1999. With a 35–foot glass conservatory, guests embark on an educational journey through a lush rainforest environment surrounded by hundreds of vibrant tropical butterflies. The Magic Wings experience also includes an Insectarium, which hosts a unique collection of rare and exotic insects and invertebrates from around the world.
RESCHEDULED COMMUNITY DAY. Wake County, along with community partners, has rescheduled its Community Day from September 23 to September 30, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., at the Chavis Community Center (505 Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Raleigh). Government, nonprofit and other community groups will share information about the services they offer. Local employers actively seeking new talent will also be on–site to share job opportunities and engage with potential candidates. Families can eat, celebrate and find out about dozens of available resources. Registration is available online.
FOR A GOOD CAUSE. The 35th Annual Thad & Alice Eure Walk for Hope takes place at The Angus Barn on Sunday, October 8, 9 a.m–2 p.m. The walk is the flagship charity event for Foundation of Hope, raising money for treatments of mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, postpartum depression, schizophrenia and anorexia. After the walk, enjoy a family-friendly afternoon of food, games, music and prizes.
ON STAGE. Single tickets are on sale at Theatre Raleigh’s production of “Barbecue,” a comedy by award-winning playwright Robert O’Hara, from October 18–29. Ticket prices range from $30–$45. On-site childcare will be available for children ages 4–12 for an additional $25 during the 1 p.m. matinee on Saturday, October 28. Childcare will be provided by Seed Art Share, a local nonprofit that offers artistically rich childcare support to theater artists and patrons in the Triangle.
