Greenville, SC, ~4 hours from Raleigh

Columbia, SC, ~3.5 hours from Raleigh

Charleston, SC, ~4.5 hours from Raleigh

Asheville, NC, ~4 hours from Raleigh

Winston-Salem, NC, less than 2 hours from Raleigh

• Gingerbread Tea | Wednesday, Dec. 20-Saturday, Dec. 23 | Times vary | NC Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh | $38-$45 | Enjoy a family-friendly afternoon tea service with hot cocoa, gingerbread, and finger sandwiches.
• NC State Men’s Basketball vs. Saint Louis | Wednesday, Dec. 20 | 7 p.m. | PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh | $10-$35 | Cheer on the home team as they take on the Billikens.
• Art of the Brick: An Exhibition of LEGO® Art | Wednesday, Dec. 20-Saturday, Jan. 6 | Pleasant Valley Promenade, 6240 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh | $20-$25 | See the “12 Days of Christmas” sculpture along with more than 90 colorful exhibits before the exhibition leaves Raleigh on Jan. 7.
• Carolina Ballet Presents “The Nutcracker” | Wednesday, Dec. 20-Sunday, Dec. 24 | Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., Raleigh | $27-$115 | Be blown away by the Carolina Ballet’s reimagined production of this classical performance.

• Science Conversations | Thursday, Dec. 21-Thursday, May 2 | Times vary | NC Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 W. Jones St., Raleigh | Free | Listen to museum educators and scientists talk about a variety of topics and execute science demos.
• Goodnights Presents: Gareth Reynolds | Thursday, Dec. 21-Saturday, Dec. 23 | Times vary | Goodnights Comedy Club, 401 Woodburn Rd., Raleigh | $20-$32 | Laugh along with this American-British comedian.

• Petty Thieves: A Tribute to Tom Petty | Friday, Dec. 22 | 7 p.m. | The Pour House Music Hall, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh | $12-$15 | Rock along to Tom Petty classics like “Free Fallin’” with these heartbreakers + a White Stripes influenced opener.

• Swiss watchmakers Audemars Piguet will invest $22 million + create over 100 with its new North American service center at Raleigh Iron Works spanning 60,000 sqft. Audemars Piguet manufactures timepieces with pricetags reaching $100,000 and above and is a major rival of Rolex. (Triangle Business Journal)

• Celebrate Kwanzaa (Tuesday, Dec. 26 through Monday, Jan. 1) with two Triangle celebrations. Cary’s Kwanzaa Celebration on Friday, Dec. 29 will feature African dance, drums, storytelling, and visual arts. In Durham, celebrate with the African American Dance Ensemble’s 38th Kwanzaa fest with dancing and donations for the Urban Ministries of Durham. (The News & Observer)

• Wake County officials have declared the norovirus outbreak stemming from Sushi Nine on Western Boulevard closed. After two six-day incubation periods, no new illnesses were reported. The county received 242 complaints about the restaurant, and the restaurant has resumed business with no complaints after a CDC-guided cleaning + employee education session.

• If your family isn’t into staying up all night, try 321 Coffee’s New Year’s Eve celebration on Sunday, Dec. 31 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tickets are $15 and include an extensive hot chocolate bar, coloring pages, cookies, and plenty more festive fun to ring in 2024.

• Craft brewery Atomic Clock Brewing will join the Triangle beer scene in February 2024. Located in Durham, this taproom + restaurant will serve beer, wine, cocktails and bites. Headed by a brother-sister duo, the brewery aims to stand out in the Triangle among other breweries and taprooms.

• Break out the boogie shoes + bell bottoms and ring in the new year with groovy beats, glitz, and glam at City Club Raleigh’s New Year’s Eve Disco Party, Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. Festivities include a disco dance-off, costume contest, bottomless bubbles, and lots of funky fun.*