Get ready to eat + sip your way through this festival — we’re pulling and pouring the details for you.
Photos provided by Drink.Eat.Relax. Events
Keep calm and Cary on to the Koka Booth Ampitheatre for the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival on Friday, Aug. 1 + Saturday, Aug. 2.
Let’s get into the highlights:
Tickets start at $51 — designated driver tickets will be available on site for $25
Unlimited tastings of 60+ brews and 40+ bourbons (in your own souvenir glass)
Barbecue vendors + the Shrine or Swine, featuring whole hogs
More than just eating and sipping — shop, enjoy the Cochon Carnival, listen to live music + head to the Tasting Theater for seminars
Pro tip: Check out the FAQ of the amphitheatre if you’ve never been — this venue has a clear bag policy.
Events
Events
Saturday, July 26
Dance Romance | 8 p.m. | The Pour House Music Hall | $18 | Get ready to play a “LoveGame” and dance the night away with your friends to Lady Gaga’s discography.
Monster Jam | Saturday, July 26-Sunday, July 27 | Times vary | Lenovo Center | $31+ | Your family is going to love seeing 12,000 pound trucks live in action, including Grave Digger and El Toro Loco.
Night Market | 4-9 p.m. | Midtown Park at North Hills | Free+ | Shop from over 30 local businesses and stroll under the stars while enjoying drinks + food truck bites.
Sunday, July 27
American Muscle Car-Versary | 8-11 a.m. | 1924 Capital Blvd. | Free+ | Bring the family to look at rare + vintage cars with other fanatics.
North Carolina Bubble Fest | 12-5 p.m. | Moore Square | Free+ | Pop on over to this family-friendly bubble fest with live music, vendors, and of course, bubbles upon bubbles.
Porron Pool Party IV | 1-5 p.m. | The Raleigh Wine Shop | Free+ | Beat the heat with Txakoli specials, porron pours, live music with DJ Baptiste + mini pool stations.
Thursday, July 31
Thomas Rhett | 7:30 p.m. | Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek | $41+ | This country music star is headed to Raleigh on his Better in Boots tour.
Friday, Aug. 1
First Friday Market and Movie Night | 5-9 p.m. | Moore Square | Free+, RSVP | Load up the car to shop a vendors market, play games, listen to live music + settle on the lawn for a screening of “Inside Out 2.”
The 2025 MLB trade deadline is coming up on Thursday, July 31. While Raleigh might not be in the majors (though we’re trying), attending a local Carolina Mudcats game could be your chance to see players before they get called up to the Milwaukee Brewers. (ESPN)
Environment
A European summer + good deeds. Where do we sign up? Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital city, is rewarding travelers for eco-friendly, sustainable behavior. Visitors can ride bikes + volunteer their time to earn free and discounted food, tours, excursions, and activities. There are plenty of ways to do good in Oak City, too.
Drink
Sake is growing in popularity right now in America, and the good news? You can find it locally. Next time you’re at Waraji Japanese Restaurant or Kashin, order a glass of the Japanese rice wine. (The Hustle)
Trending
❤️sending love. According to data from Emojipedia, the classic red heart is the most popular emoji in the US. If you’re looking for reasons to use that heart more, perhaps it’s time to start exploring some local date night ideas. (Quartz)
The Buy
A really good electric bikini trimmer. Its stainless steel ceramic blades provide a smooth shave free of nicks, razor burn, and ingrown hairs. Bonus: It’s waterproof + boasts up to five hours of battery life.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Oaks and Spokes is racking up good deed points within the bike community. The nonprofit is filling the gaps around town + refurbishing bike racks, like this one placed outside of Rebus Works. If you know of other areas around Raleigh that could use a rack, leave it in the comments of their post.
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