Hopscotch Music Festival fills the streets of Raleigh. | Photo by Garrett Poulos
Hopscotch Music Fest is coming to downtown Raleigh Thursday, Sept. 5 through Saturday, Sept. 7 — here’s what you need to know about the indie music fest.
You might recognize some of the fest’s top artists, like St. Vincent, Faye Webster, and Snail Mail, who are all rocking the City Plaza stage. If you’re excited to see them, get to the stage early and enjoy other artists before your fave starts.
There’s a couple NC-based acts joining the festival this year, including Durham’s Sluice and Asheville’s MJ Lenderman, Wednesday + Indigo de Souza — don’t miss these semi-locals’ sets. City Editor Allie here: I saw Sluice open for another artist a couple months back, and I’m obsessed.
If that’s not enough, the festival is continuing its comedy lineup with slow + chill comedian Joe Pera headlining — the shows will be at various clubs throughout RAL.
If you’re not feeling up for the whole three day festival, check out day parties that don’t require a festival ticket at some of Raleigh’s coolest venues, including a Sunday party at Ajja, jazz at the Rialto, and pop + international music at Artspace.
Heads up — the two main stages are at City Plaza and Moore Square, meaning you can expect downtown road closures + high traffic on the streets, sidewalks, and local biz.
Tickets are still on sale starting at $159 for all three days and late night sets throughout Raleigh. If you plan on attending, make sure you have an appropriate bag and download the fest’s official app to stay on top of set times + FAQs.
Spirit-Alternative tasting by Umbrella Dry Bar | Thursday, Aug. 22 | 5-10 p.m. | NoRa Café | Free | Give various zero-proof spirits a taste and expand your palate beyond typical alcohol.
“By the Way, Meet Vera Stark” | Thursday, Aug. 22-Sunday, Aug. 25 | 7:30 p.m. | Theatre In The Park | $20-$25 | This screwball-inspired comedy follows an African American maid’s rise to stardom against her white starlet boss.
Friday, Aug. 23
Band of Horses | Friday, Aug. 23 | 8 p.m. | Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts | $30-$65 | These indie rockers will jam out in RAL.
Saturday, Aug. 24
Maker’s Market | Saturday, Aug. 24 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Logan’s Garden Shop | Free | Shop from local artisans + creators at the long-standing garden center.
Drag Brunch | Saturday, Aug. 24 | 12-3 p.m. | La Buena Vida | $15 | Enjoy vibrant drag performances by four local queens.
Shipp Singles Event | Saturday, Aug. 24 | 2-4 p.m. | $30 | Neighborhood Good Time Bar | Try dating app Shipp to meet new people at this new bar.
Sunday, Aug. 25
GRL MARKET: Women’s Maker Market | Sunday, Aug. 25 | 1-5 p.m. | The Self Care Marketplace | Free | Shop local women-owned businesses at this unique market.
Local clothing rental boutique TrenLand also recently opened its doors in Makers Alley. | Images provided by North Hills
There’s so much happening in North Hills that staying up-to-date on all the events, developments + new businesses can feel like a full-time job.
Luckily, that’s what we’re here for.
Today we’re highlighting ten upcoming hotspots bringing even more retail, fitness, shopping, and dining experiences to the bustling neighborhood.
🛍️ Shop till you drop
There are near-endless shoppabilities in North Hills — and now you can add these new stores to your regular rotation. From home decor to trendy fits, find a bit of everything at:
Raleigh City Council has made a move toward keeping Red Hat Amphitheater downtown. The council approved a resolution intending to close the disputed block of South Street. Next, the council will hold a required hearing Tuesday, Sept. 17 before it can officially close the block. (The News & Observer)
Opening
Union Station Deli will open its doors at Raleigh Union Station on Thursday, Aug. 29 for travelers and Raleighites alike. Our mouths are already watering over New York-style bagels, pastrami + corned beef, and black and white cookies.
Coming Soon
Jubala Coffee will open a new downtown location — its largest yet — in the Pendo building on Hillsborough Street serving its usual menu plus cocktails for the after work crowd. Owner Andrew Cash sees this location as connecting Glenwood South, Fayetteville Street, and the Warehouse District. (The News & Observer)
Traffic
More construction has started on 440 at its Wade Avenue + Hillsborough Street intersections. As part of the highway’s widening project, those intersections will be restriped, and temporary traffic patterns will be implemented. (WRAL)
Listen
Local record shop + beer joint Hunky Dory will relocate from Seaboard Station to Raleigh Iron Works later this year, joining a plethora of local biz. The store will be near Beatniks and Urban Pothos and promises a carefully curated vinyl and brew selection.
Sports
Canes and Durham Bulls fans will unite at the Bulls’ hockey night on Friday, Sept. 13 with special edition jerseys celebrating both teams. Stormy and potentially some Canes players will head to DBAP that night, and jerseys worn by players + staff will be auctioned off to benefit the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation.
Eat
In more coming soon news, we’ve got more details about chef Scott Crawford’s new steakhouse on our Instagram page. We’re most excited about the art installation by local Thomas Sayre, the open view of the kitchen, and of course, the dry-aged beef + high-quality cooking from Crawford.
Health
Did you hear that? Most hearing aids have one processor. These bad boys have two. They process speech and noise separately, so speech gets clearer and crisper. No wonder 385,000+ customers love them.*
Eat
Looking to dine out this weekend? According to OpenTable, top-loved restaurants this month include Nomad for food and Blue Jay Bistro for ambience.*
Two-time James Beard Award semifinalist chef Preeti Waas opened the first Cheeni location in Raleigh in 2022. | Photo provided by Horseshoe at Hub RTP
Acclaimed restaurant Cheeni will open its second location in mixed-used RTP development Horseshoe at Hub RTP as its first retail tenant. Hub RTP is poised to be the research park’s downtown district.
Cheeni is headed by two-time James Beard Award semifinalist Chef Preeti Waas and serves homestyle meals combining Indian and American cuisine — expect high-quality food in an approachable, fine-dining setting.
Horseshoe at Hub RTP is made of a trio of buildings with 120,000+ sqft of office space and nearly 36,000 sqft of retail for the largest research park in the country — expect more retail tenants to be announced soon.
This announcement follows the closure of Cheeni’s first outpost in Raleigh, which shut its doors earlier this year, and Cheeni Durham’s opening in late 2023.
Fall is my absolute favorite season in Raleigh — I grew up expecting snow while trick-or-treating, so NC’s milder temps make me so happy. I know fall is really happening once football starts back up, so I was excited to read this profile of NC State’s head coach Dave Doeren ahead of next week’s game. I’m hoping the Pack makes it to the playoffs, but I’ll be happy with nine or 10 wins and a fun season.
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