🍸 Adult Crowd (21+)

• First place: Watts & Ward
• Runners Up: Whiskey Kitchen and Dram & Draught

🧸 Kid-Friendly Activities/Venues

• First place: Marbles Kids Museum
• Runners Up: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Howling Cow Dairy Education Center and Creamery

🎉 Venues for Family

• First place: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
• Runners Up: Pullen Park and North Carolina Museum of Art

🐾 Pet-Friendly Places

• First place: Sola Coffee Cafe
• Runners Up: Boxcar Bar + Arcade and West Street Dog

🥞 Brunch

• First place: Benchwarmers Bagels
• Runners Up: PRESS Coffee Crêpes Cocktails and St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar

🍽️ Outdoor Dining

• First place: Taverna Agora
• Runners Up: Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing and Hummingbird

🎵 Music/Event Venues

• First place: Red Hat Amphitheater
• Runners Up: PNC Arena and The Ritz

🍻 Brewery/Distillery

• First place: Trophy Brewing & Pizza
• Runners Up: Raleigh Beer Garden and Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing

☕ Coffee Shop

• First place: Jubala Coffee
• Runners Up: Sola Coffee Cafe and Morning Times

⛳ Golf Course

• First place: Lonnie Poole Golf Course
• Runners Up: Topgolf and North Ridge Country Club

🏠 Apartment Complex

• First place: 400H Apartments
• Runners Up: The Dillon Downtown Apartments and Vine North Hills

🏋️ Fitness Center/Gym

• First place: A.E. Finley YMCA
• Runners Up: Life Time and O2 Fitness Raleigh - Seaboard Station

🍲 Restaurant

• First place: Stanbury
• Runners Up: Figulina and Angus Barn

📍 Staycation Location

• First place: The Umstead Hotel and Spa
• Runners Up: The Longleaf Hotel & Lounge and JC Raulston Arboretum

• First Friday Spooky Fall Block Party | Friday, Oct. 4 | 5 p.m. | Smoky Hollow | Free | Get in the spooky spirit at this autumn block party to kick off the season.
• Raleigh Film and Art Festival | Friday, Oct. 4-Sunday, Oct. 6 | 6:30 p.m. | NC State University Centennial Campus — Engineering Building III | Free, RSVP required | Connect with local filmmakers, watch 200+ independent films, and more at NC’s largest film and art festival.
• “The Addams Family” — A New Musical | Friday, Oct. 4-Sunday, Oct. 6 | Times vary | Cary Arts Center, Cary | $10+ | Watch the musical interpretation of this spooky family classic.
• Special Event: Zarna Garg | Friday, Oct. 4-Sunday, Oct. 6 | Times vary | Goodnights Comedy Club | $29+ | Laugh along with this nationally recognized comic.

• The Market at NCMA | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 11 a.m. | NC Museum of Art | Free | Browse the galleries of local artists, explore the museum park, and shop local.
• Raleigh Foodie Fare | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 11 a.m. | Raleigh Iron Works | Free | Show up hungry to this mini food truck rodeo featuring food + art vendors, drinks, and more.

• Rooftop Jazz Brunch | Sunday, Oct. 6 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Willard Rooftop Lounge | Price of purchase | Indulge in rooftop brunch accompanied with tunes from jazz pianist Jonathan Markow.
• Sunday Football Watch Party | Sunday, Oct. 6 | Times vary | Sports & Social Cary, Cary | Price of purchase | Experience Sunday football on a 42-ft screen with lots of game day bites + camaraderie.

• Adult Nights: Magic & Monsters | Friday, Oct. 25 | 6:30-10 p.m. | NC Museum of Natural Sciences | $15+ | Beware + prepare for a fantasy-themed Halloween celebration for adults 21+ only. Look forward to food + drink, interactive science stations, music, games, and lots more. Costumes encouraged.*

• Raleigh-based produce delivery company The Produce Box is offering Feeding Families Boxes for Western NC to help supplement food insecurity due to Hurricane Helene. Boxes will be priced at $25, $50 + $100 and proceeds will go directly toward feeding WNC communities. Donate a box.

• Durham restaurants will host a benefit dinner on Sunday, Oct. 13 at The Durham Hotel to support WNC hospitality workers with proceeds going to the Southern Smoke Foundation Emergency Relief Fund. The event will feature a multi-course dinner prepared by local chefs + an auction to raise additional funds.

• NC election officials remain uncertain about Hurricane Helene’s impact on the upcoming November elections, but challenges are expected for voters in affected areas. With early voting starting soon and many residents displaced, officials are exploring options + believe there’s enough time to ensure voters are not deprived of the voting process. (Axios Raleigh)

• Raleigh will host its first NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Regional in 2028, alongside seven events awarded to the greater Raleigh area. Cary will host six events, including four College Cups and the Division II Baseball World Series.

• Bee Downtown, founded by NC State grad Leigh-Kathryn Bonner, has skyrocketed from $52,000 in its first year to $2.5 million in annual revenue. Adapting during the pandemic with virtual programs, the company now serves 150 clients, blending workplace culture with sustainability through engaging beekeeping experiences. (Triangle Business Journal)

• Burns & McDonnell, a global engineering firm, is moving to a 17,000 sqft office in Cary’s Fenton development. The new space will bring 50 new hires over the next three years. (Triangle Business Journal)

• 525. That’s how many cars got mor chikin at a local Chick-fil-A in one hour, breaking the world record of most cars served in a drive thru. From 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, the Brier Creek Parkway location beat the previous record held by the Lake Boone Chick-fil-A.

• Rates just dropped — now could be the time to tap into your home equity. Calculate your payment.*

• Raleigh is getting greener, and we don’t mean the trees. Elm Park is a new townhome community rooted in sustainable features, including energy-efficient appliances, water-efficient fixtures, and low-VOC materials. See the spaces.*

• Hiring? Our new community job board could help you find that perfect candidate. Bonus: For a limited time, you can post your listing for free. Give it a try.

• If you didn’t win our recently closed Winter Staycay + New Eats Giveaway, don’t worry. You can still experience Raleigh’s newest modern hotel and rooftop bar. Book a stay to Tempo Raleigh and experience Raleigh’s tallest rooftop dining (both opening soon).*

• Triangle Oktoberfest | Friday, Oct. 4-Saturday, Oct. 5 | Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary | $15-$20 | Enjoy live entertainment, wiener dog races, and 50+ brews on tap at this engaging weekend-long fest.
• Oktrophyfest | Saturday, Oct. 19 | Trophy Brewing & Taproom | Free to attend | Experience this Oktoberfest event with a performance by Little German Band + bites from Harmon’s Deutsche Küche German food truck.
• Oktoberfest Celebration | Saturday, Oct. 26 | Clouds Brewing Tap Room | $12-$30 | Attend this brew-filled fest and receive an Oktoberfest boot-shaped glass. Plus, dance the night away with traditional German music.