Plus, Taco Bamba is opening this month.
 
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89º | Scattered showers | 40% chance of rain | Sunrise 6:35 a.m. | Sunset 8:02 p.m.
 

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Kirby Derby is racing through Dix Park this weekend
A miniature truck with Oak City Farms Milk Mules painted on the side riding down a street.
This year’s Kirby Derby will be the biggest yet. | Photo by Beth Khalifa
If you see quirky holiday costumes or strange non-motorized vehicles zooming around this weekend, don’t worry; It’s just Kirby Derby.

Kirby Derby has been a Raleigh tradition since 2002 when Aly and Beth Khalifa paraded down Kirby Street in Pullen Park Terrace with friends to celebrate creativity and home-grown fun. Over the years, the event has grown bigger and sillier with a formal derby and a move to Dix Park.

The 21st annual Kirby Derby is on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 3-9 p.m. at Dix Park, and is going to be bigger than ever. This year’s derby has been moved to the Richardson Drive Loop of the park due to construction.

The 2023 theme is “Holidazed and Confused,” celebrating well-known and obscure holidays alike. Come dressed up in your best holiday attire, from an ugly holiday sweater to your red, white, and blue for Independence Day.
A canoe fashioned into a cart with a rum runner theme.

Last year’s theme was 1920s, and racers went all out.

|

Photo by Beth Khalifa

The day starts with pinecar races for kids of all ages at 3:30 p.m. This isn’t your typical Boy Scouts derby, so double check the rules before you and your festive racecar show up.

Homemade parade floats will start trooping through Dix Park at 4:30 p.m., themed to any and all holidays. Past floats include a giant shoe, a paper shark, and a rideable flamingo. If you’re interested in creating a last-minute float, register for your place online.

Finally, the soap box derby will barrel through the park at 5:30 p.m. with handmade non-motored vehicles carrying racers. This event is for the thrill-seekers, but be sure to follow all rules to ensure a fair + safe competition.

As you relish the events throughout the day, stay satiated with food + bev options from local vendors like Ponysaurus, Trophy Brewing, Los Gringos, Charlies Kabobs, Goodness Grace Us, and LocoPops.
Kane Realty Corporation - North Hills
 
Events
Thursday, Aug. 17
  • Beginner Calligraphy | Thursday, Aug. 17 | 6-7:30 p.m. | State of Beer, 401 Hillsborough St., Raleigh | $70 | Whether you’re a stationery nerd, DIY bride-to-be, or just a crafty individual — you’ll learn about modern calligraphy with a pointed dip pen and ink in this workshop.
  • Champagne Tasting | Thursday, Aug. 17 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Westgate Wine Bar, 6405 Westgate Rd., Ste. 111, Raleigh | $20-$30 | Indulge your tastebuds with some legendary bubbly varieties at a discounted rate.
  • Intro to Acrylic Paint Pouring | Thursday, Aug. 17 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Joy Worthy Co., 131 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh | $65 | Learn the beautiful art of acrylic pouring with multiple techniques and color theory to make the best poured design.
  • “Noises Off!” | Thursday, Aug. 17-Sunday, Aug. 20 | 7:30 p.m. | Theatre In The Park, 107 Pullen Rd., Raleigh | $20-$25 | This play is an audio experience with on- and off-stage intrigue.
Friday, Aug. 18
  • Live Video Call from a Dinosaur Dig Site | Friday, Aug. 18 | 12-1 p.m. | Nature Research Center, 121 W. Jones St., Raleigh | Free | This special presentation is part of a series of live video calls to the NC Museum of Natural Sciences’ team of paleontologists while they work at dig sites across New Mexico, Utah, and Montana to unearth new fossil specimens.
  • Lamar Whidbee Artist Dinner | Friday, Aug. 18 | 6-9 p.m. | CAM Raleigh, 409 W. Martin St., Raleigh | $120 | Hear about a local artist’s process, work, and meet with other art enthusiasts in the community, plus take home a signed limited-edition print.
  • “Cooking with Class"- Spring Rolls & Sake | Friday, Aug. 18 | 7-9 p.m. | Joy Worthy Co., 131 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh | $75 | Pair handmade spring rolls with sake in this cooking class.
Saturday, Aug. 19
  • Bumblebee Watch | Saturday, Aug. 19 | 10-11 a.m. | Prairie Ridge, 1671 Gold Star Dr., Raleigh | Free | Join for a program on bumblebees and learn how to identify the most common ones — plus, see how you can contribute to Citizen Science just by watching them.
  • Pentatonix - The World Tour with special guest Lauren Alaina | Saturday, Aug. 19 | 8 p.m. | Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, 3801 Rock Quarry Rd., Raleigh | $30-$130 | Watch this five-piece group perform pop covers, a cappella style.
Sunday, Aug. 20
  • Barbie Brunch & Barbie and Ken Day Party | Sunday, Aug. 20 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Michellez Elegant Event, 3537 Maitland Dr., Raleigh | $20-$55 | Let’s go day party with brunch and an all-pink dress code.
Almost Friday, plan ahead
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6AM City In-house
 
News Notes
Development
  • A three-lot property in south downtown Raleigh has been rezoned to 40 stories. The site, on Kindley Road near the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, will be home to a vertical mixed-use project with residences, retail, and potential office spaces. (Triangle Business Journal)
Ranked
  • In a report by Forbes, Raleigh is the US city with the lowest risk of being involved in a motor vehicle accident. Raleighites average over nine years between collisions and a low fatality rate compared to other cities.
Read
Edu
  • Meredith College president Jo Allen announced she is planning to retire after the 2023-24 academic year. Allen has served as the president of the women’s college for 13 years and is its first alumna president. A search for Allen’s successor will begin soon.
History
  • Did you know the Sir Walter Hotel was home to an important moment in civil rights history? “We’ve Always Been Out There” is a new free tour starting at the Capital at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. every Wednesday beginning Sept. 6. Learn about civil rights and protest landmarks in this downtown walking tour.
Coming Soon
  • A dual-branded set of Marriott hotels will be constructed in Cary near the Umstead Hotel and SAS. The Courtyard and Residence Inn hotels will have 249 rooms in total and will rise up to seven stories. (Triangle Business Journal)
Plan Ahead
  • The 2023 ABC11 Raleigh Christmas Parade will be marching through downtown Raleigh on Saturday, Nov. 18. Interested businesses, nonprofits, and other groups can now apply to participate. This Christmas parade is the largest between Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
Civic
  • City council approved funding for improvements to Studios at 2800, an extended stay hotel on Brentwood Road, in an effort to address affordable housing. The 116 studio units will be improved with $300,000 and will not be available for developer purchase.
Try This
  • City Editor Cat here. I suffer from lingering back and joint pain from my time as a collegiate athlete, so I now lean on CBD and legal THC products to help alleviate my discomfort. Enter: Trek CBD, a family-owned natural wellness store that boasts a knowledgeable staff + high-quality, multi-beneficial products. See what I went home with.*
 
Eat

🌮 New taco shop coming soon

Taco Bamba is serving up inventive Mexican street food
The outside of a building that says "Raleigh, prepare your mouth."
This new taco spot is so close we can almost taste it. | Photo by RALtoday
Northern VA taqueria Taco Bamba is coming to Raleigh at the end of the month. The first location for this street food restaurant outside of VA will be at 3518 Wade Ave., in the same shopping center as Whole Foods and the Red and White Shop.

Taco Bamba’s Raleigh menu boasts NC-themed eats like the Wolfpack Poutine taco with sweet potato fries, white barbecue sauce, and pimento cheese, and the Sir Walter Raleigh torta with Carolina-style beef franks and chili.

The restaurant also has breakfast like a bacon, egg, and cheese empanada, huevos rancheros, and a breakfast sope. Plus, there’s free coffee all day long.

The new quick-service spot opens Monday, Aug. 28 at 9 a.m. with a special offer: the first 100 taco fans in line will receive free tacos once a week for a year. This will also be the first stand-alone Taco Bamba location.
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The Wrap
 
Allie Remhof.jpg

Today’s edition by:
Allie
From the editor
On Tuesday, we shared a quiz on Raleigh history, and out of nearly 400 test-takers, 11 readers aced it. The question that tripped the most people up? The founders of Raleigh were the ones to coin the nickname “City of Oaks.” Congrats to Lesa B., Mallori M., Macey B., Becky C., Jayne F., Neils B., Bernadette C., Latoya G., Kevin R., Jen B., and Steve G. — you’re all Raleigh experts.
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