This is no average lighted event in the capital city… this, my friends, is JC Raulston Arboretum’s annual “Moonlight in the Garden” celebration. The images alone are awe-inspiring, can’t you just imagine what it’s like to take this experience in for yourself in person? Be sure to view the full lineup which details food trucks, live music performances, and more in store for ticket holders!
Bike, Run, or Walk Your Way Through WRAL’s Nights of Lights During These Special Dates
If traffic jams aren’t your, well, jam, then do yourself a favor and plan to make the most of WRAL’s Nights of Lights during Nights of Lights 5K Fun Run/Walk, hosted by Runologie, on Saturday, Nov. 19, or by gearing up for one of the two exclusive bike nights: Wednesday, Nov. 30, or Wednesday, Dec. 7.
Embrace Your Inner Night Owl at Blue Jay Point
On Saturday, Nov. 19, Wake County Parks will host “Night Owls and Candle Magic” at Blue Jay Point County Park, 6:30-9 p.m. Embrace your inner night owl 🦉 and bring a few guests along with you to enjoy the luminaria-lined trail, sip cocoa by a campfire, get crafty with some lantern-lit projects, and, wait for it… learn about our local owls!
Friday Five: Go Big or Gourd Home This Month + Pumpkin Patch Guide
Y’all… we hope you like pumpkin… because this month, we’re going all pumpkin! Pumpkin spice, pumpkin beer, pumpkin patches, you name it.
First up? Let’s get you geared up with pumpkins for your porch thanks to these local patches where you can stock up, and, of course, take all those fun ‘Gram-worthy pics. 📸
But First… Register to Win a Pumpkin Spice Cocktail Kit
I’m maybe a bit more excited than one should be about a cocktail recipe but when I stumbled upon The Cookie Rookie’s “Pumpkin Spice White Russian Cocktail”, I knew exactly what this month’s prize would be: a cocktail kit put together for you, by me, including everything you need to craft this cocktail beauty at home.
Obviously, you must be 21+ to be eligible to win, a local resident (so I can porch drop your winnings), and… get your name in the hat (by entering here) by Monday, Oct. 31, at 11:59 p.m. Good luck, cocktailians! 🎃
Get Out and Enjoy Jazz in the Square on Thursday Evening
Yes, that’s right! Raleigh Weekend is coming to you a day early this week because there are two Thursday evening happenings I didn’t want to miss sharing with you. The first—Jazz in the Square—is a free concert series featuring live jazz performances by local musicians in Moore Square on select Thursdays, 6-8 p.m.
This Downtown Raleigh event features food trucks on-site and wine and beer for sale, so grab your blankets, chairs, and picnic baskets for an evening of great music under what looks to be a perfectly cool fall evening under the night sky.
Another Thursday Winner… History and Highballs: The Ghost Guild: The Roads Less Traveled
Stay in, pour a classic cocktail, and Zoom in for “History and Highballs” with the North Carolina Museum of History! I began tuning into many of these virtual happenings during the pandemic days when we couldn’t get out and about and I’m glad they’re a Zoom tradition that has stuck around. 🥃
This week, buckle up as The Ghost Guild takes you on an otherworldly journey around North Carolina on the roads less traveled. Learn about the more obscure legends of the Old North State, just in time for Halloween!
An Oktoberfest Choose Your Own Adventure
Play your craft beer cards right and you could hit not only one, but two, Oktoberfest outings this weekend, Raleigh! 🍻
North Raleigh’s Lafayette Village hosts a German-inspired festival with fall brews, German-inspired foods, live music, shopping, and fun throughout the Village on Saturday from noon until 4 p.m.
From 5-9 p.m., the Little German Band and Dancers will perform at Raleigh Beer Garden’s biergarten out back while you enjoy their draft selection, billed as the “world’s largest” and ready to be put to the test!