What’s going on this week? Here are 12 of our Best Bets.
There’s a lot going on this week. Here’s your cheat sheet of can’t-miss events around town.
New Kids on the Block
You’re still my ’80s baby! Spend a night in the decade that brought us your boy-band and teen-pop sensation faves with NKOTB’s massive Mixtape Tour featuring Salt N’ Pepa, Naughty By Nature, Tiffany and Debbie Gibson. Hip-Hop Hooray! PNC Arena, Raleigh. July 7, 7:30 p.m. From $20. thepncarena.com/events/detail/nkotb
World Cup Watching
Viva la USA! Kick it over to local soccer HQ The London Bridge Pub for some serious World Cup action as we slide into finals July 7. Expect a tent and massive screen for prime patio watching, plus brews and English food, natch. 110 E. Hargett St., Raleigh. Game times and dates vary. Free to enter. facebook.com/events/415199859266181/
Festival for the Eno
Take your Saturday plans mainstream (get it?) with a day at the Eno River with the fam or squad featuring plenty of entertainment, with over 70 bands across five stages, crafts, artisans and hands-on fun, plus craft beers, wines, ciders and local food trucks to keep you sated — all to raise funds and awareness for protecting and restoring our region’s natural oases. West Point on the Eno, Durham. July 6, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance ($23 at the gate) for a one-day pass. There is a one-day teen pass for $11. enofest.org
More fireworks
Holly Springs will hold its Independence Day fireworks show on July 5. Head to Jefferson L. Sugg Farm at Bass Lake Park, 2401 Grigsby Ave., from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Look for food, inflatables and rides, face painting and an apple pie contest. Fireworks are at 9:15 p.m. Park at Sugg Farm. hollyspringsnc.us/358/July-5th
Movies in the Garden
Flicks and flowers? You got it. The summer Movies in the Garden series at Raleigh Little Theatre is back with five free outdoor movies, kicking off with the famous magical nanny returning to the Banks siblings decades after her original iconic visit, in “Mary Poppins Returns.” On-site concessions, food trucks (this week: Cockadoodlemoo, Mr. Mongolian, Jay’s Italian Ice) and adult beverages (by Raleigh Brewing) available. No outside alcohol, please, but feel free to bring chairs, blankets, etc. Oh, and up the fun factor with a pre-show scavenger hunt. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, indeed. Stephenson Amphitheatre, Raleigh Rose Garden, 301 Pogue St., Raleigh. Thursdays, July 11-Aug. 8, food trucks/concessions 7 p.m., movies 8:30 p.m. Free. raleighlittletheatre.org
The story of NC Barbecue
Your Sunday dinner, Saturday tailgate and church pig pickin’ have no doubt debated the East vs. West barbecue great divide as you sipped sweet tea. Now you can up your talking points and school yourself on the history and evolution of barbecue and its place in N.C. culture via this traveling exhibition at The City of Raleigh Museum. Bonus: materials, tees and sauces from various statewide pits will be on offer. 220 Fayetteville St., Raleigh. July 5-Sept. 29. Museum admission free, donations accepted. cityofraleighmuseum.org
Comedy festival
“Forty comics. Two minutes. All new jokes.” — that’s the tagline for the latest installment of fast-moving stand-up show Fresh Bits!, presented by the PIT Chapel Hill, with a menagerie of new and established local headliners. 462 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill. July 6, 9:30 p.m. $10. thepit-chapelhill.com
A Spirited Room
This First Friday, supplement your art walk with a little alchemy via the art of cocktail-mixing as part of Vidrio’s First Friday Cocktail Roundtable Series, which sees top regional bartenders competing with one-off cocktails. This month welcomes Kingfisher’s Sean Umstead and Vidrio’s own Natalie Cox. 500 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh. Monthly on First Friday, 6-10 p.m. Free to enter, see menu for food and drink prices. facebook.com/events/2405668249446115/
Bring it! Live
Legendary coach Dianna Williams (aka Miss D) is back, taking her Dancing Dolls from screen to stage as the team behind the hit Lifetime TV series performs never-before-seen routines and formations for a can’t-miss show. Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham. July 6, 8 p.m. From $40. dpacnc.com
Ancestry of Necessity
The future is female. Celebrate local female artists with this female-centric contemporary collection on American Tobacco Campus comprised of materials significant to Durham’s historical association with textile and craft. Reed Art Gallery, 318 Blackwell St., Durham. Through Aug. 24, time. Free and open to the public. americantobaccocampus.com/
Durham Farmers Market anniversary
“Beet it” over to the Durham Farmers Market for some farm-fresh fun celebrating two decades in Durham. The party is Saturday (July 6, from 7:30 a.m.) with vendor recognition and cake from Loaf Bakery (served at 8 a.m.). 501 Foster St., Durham. facebook.com/events/698493590572110
Views from the Durham
Take your Monday out of this world with some free fam-friendly stargazing (and Saturn spotting!) from roof of The Durham hotel, hosted by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and the Innovate Your Cool Conference. The evening features guided constellation tours and celestial cocktail creations set to the tunes of DJ Mic Check. The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham. July 8, 8-11 p.m. Free. facebook.com/events/312505456107029/
This story was originally published July 4, 2019 at 1:06 PM with the headline "What’s going on this week? Here are 12 of our Best Bets.."