Festivals

Arts and music

More local fun

• Conan Gray: Found Heaven On Tour | Thursday, Oct. 3 | 8 p.m. | Red Hat Amphitheater | $90+ | Up-and-comer Gray and special guest Maisie Peters will rock Raleigh.
• Jazz at the NCMA presents El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico | Thursday, Oct. 3 | 7 p.m. | NC Museum of Art | $44+ | One of the most influential salsa groups of all time will join NCMA for a night of dancing.

• Triangle Oktoberfest | Friday, Oct. 4-Saturday, Oct. 5 | 5 p.m. | Booth Amphitheatre, Cary | $25 | Raise a stein at NC’s largest Oktoberfest with traditional Bavarian food, stein hoisting, wiener dog racing + more.
• First Friday: Market and Movie Night | Friday, Oct. 4 | 5-9 p.m. | Moore Square | Free | Shop local vendors, watch “Twilight” under the stars, and explore downtown Raleigh to ring in October.
• Breath, Blankets, and Books | Friday, Oct. 4 | 6-7 p.m. | Current Wellness | Free, RSVP required | This is one cozy flow, complete with blankets, candles, and tea — plus, bring books to exchange with others.

• Poole’s will open its expanded dining room on Friday, Nov. 1 following the closure of Poole’side Pies in December 2023. The original (and iconic) Poole’s dining room will close temporarily at the end of October to receive some updates, but you’ll be back at the double horseshoe counter soon enough.

• The original Char-Grill on Hillsborough Street is up for sale again after the previous buyer withdrew from the purchase. The lot is zoned for 20 stories and is being sold as “one of the last remaining development opportunities in Glenwood South.” (Triangle Business Journal)

• INDY Week took a deep dive into the future of downtown after city council ensured Red Hat Amphitheater will stay in the heart of Raleigh. Read up on local business activity, pandemic impacts, infrastructure, and more on what’s to come for downtown.

• A number of NC State student-athletes have pledged NIL earnings toward helping Hurricane Helene victims, totaling $4,635 through One Pack NIL. The funds will go toward Samaritan’s Purse, a nonprofit based in Boone. (The News & Observer)

• The City of Raleigh has invested an addition $2.26 million toward affordable housing, including the Idlewild cottage court development and renovating a 119-room hotel on Brentwood Road called Studios at 2800. The 18 cottages will remain affordable for at least 99 years with 14 to purchase and four to rent.

• This contest is anything but trashy. Artists are encouraged to submit to the Classy CART Creations initiative to create beautiful trash cans for use during festivals and other events in downtown Raleigh. Applications are due next Friday, Oct. 11.

• Chef Scott Crawford has sold his Clayton outpost to another local chef recognized by the James Beard Foundation. Chef Oscar Diaz, the chef behind Jose and Sons and Little Bull in Durham, will take over the Crawford Cookshop space and introduce a new concept for Johnston County.

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• The American Red Cross is in Asheville providing medical care — consider donating blood that will be immediately sent to our WNC neighbors.
• The Asheville Human Society is accepting donations to take care of an influx of pets lost during the storm. Many have been transported to other shelters, but some still remain in WNC and need care.
• Asheville’s Blue Ridge Public Radio has a complete list of vetted donation and volunteer opportunities on their website.
• MANNA FoodBank is on the ground in Asheville collecting and distributing food to locals and is accepting monetary donations.
• Operation Airdrop is collecting donations from across the state of NC to deliver to WNC — you can drop donations for the mission at Catering Works, Burial Beer Co., East Bower Cider Co, the future Trophy Brewing in Five Points, and more local spots — here’s a full list.