• Holly Springs Salamanders vs. Florence Flamingos | Thursday, July 25 | 6:30 p.m. | Ting Stadium, 101 Sportsman Wy., Holly Springs | $10-$12 | Join the Salamanders for their last week of the season.
• Spencer Bland Headlines Room 861 | Thursday, July 25 | 7:30-9 p.m. | Goodnights Comedy Club, 401 Woodburn Rd., Raleigh | $20-$28 | This Raleigh-based comedian will keep you laughing all night.
• Switchfoot / Blue October / Matt Nathanson — Help From My Friends Summer Tour | Thursday, July 25 | Red Hat Amphitheater, 500 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh | $40-$200+ | Rock out downtown with this triple lineup.

• Sip n’ Stroll Raleigh Public Art Tour | Friday, July 26 | 6-7 p.m. | Sidewalk Outside of Whiskey Kitchen, 201 W. Martin St., Raleigh | Free | Explore Raleigh’s public art scene on this 60 minute evening tour.
• Pride Dance Party | Friday, July 26 | 7-8 p.m. | Current Wellness, 219 S. East St., Raleigh | Free | Members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies are welcome to let loose with this mix of group choreo and freestyle.
• Mix&Sip: Bourbon and Whiskey Mixology Class | Friday, July 26 | 7-9 p.m. | On My Way Bartending Mixology Studio, 510 W. Martin St., Ste. 100, Raleigh | $65-$80 | Mix up smoky cocktails with the help of a certified mixologist.

• 3rd Annual Daddio of the Patio | Saturday, July 27 | 6-9 p.m. | The Long Leaf Hotel, 300 N. Dawson St., Raleigh | Price of purchase | Bring your best polo and cutoffs to enjoy brats, yacht rock, and dad-approved cocktails.
• NCMA Groove: The Joy of ‘80s Pop and 40th anniversary screening of “Purple Rain” | Saturday, July 27 | NC Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh | $7.50-$15 | Let’s go crazy at this event to honor Prince’s legacy.

• A north Raleigh Lowes Foods will be shutting its doors for good in the coming weeks, and the location — at 8201 Rowlock Way at Cornerstone Commons — will close by the end of August. The next closest Lowes Foods locations are on Brier Creek Parkway and Strickland Road.

• Meet entrepreneur Emily Foster and her empire of plushies. Foster’s biz AlpacaSews came about from a pandemic-era hobby of Foster’s while studying at NC State and has grown into a thriving, huggable business through TikTok. The NC native creates plushies inspired by cows, dragons, spooky cryptids, and more.

• 2,739. That’s how many tons of steel, concrete, and brick were recycled while razing the old police headquarters downtown, about 97% of waste created by the project. The former HQ will make way for the new Raleigh City Hall, which should be completed by the end of 2026.

• A new mural celebrating Asian American heritage in NC has been installed outside of Raleigh Union Station. The mural was created as part of artist Isabel Lu’s Asian Joy project to explore Asian and Southern identities and their intersection.

• Raleigh + Cary ranked together as the No. 1 place where millennials are settling down. The area is home to 428,846 people between the ages of 25 and 44, and the median income of a millennial mortgage-haver is $123,000 in the 919. (The News & Observer)

• Election Day will be here before you know it — register to vote or double-check your voter registration before the deadline on Oct. 11. Early voting for the general election begins Oct. 17, and you can find more important dates for the election online.

• Grabbing a coffee or post-work drink this week? Find a local drink deal and raise a glass to Drink Up Week sponsored by AVA Rooftop Bar, our annual celebration of our city’s buzzy beverage industry. Businesses around Raleigh are offering fun deals — see what’s poppin’.

• Thinking of upgrading your office space? Start here.*

• Ticknors Men’s Clothier recently expanded its Crabtree location, bringing in new high-end options from sportswear and suits to luxe knit jackets. Stop by + see the redesigned space.*

Quick facts about Q2:

• 15 new storefront openings
• 17 developments underway
• 1,811 residential units under construction
• $28.2 million estimated average food + beverage sales in April and May