This month, kick off the fall performing arts season, enjoy musical festivals and get a peek at the area’s most unique and trend-forward homes.
by Addie Ladner

Photo Credit: Eamon Queeney

Gear Up!

Raleigh’s Capital Area Greenway System offers more than 100 miles of paths for running, walking and biking. If you don’t have a bike of your own — or yours needs a tune-up — swing by the Walnut Creek Trail at North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus to visit our area’s first Bike Library. It’s owned and operated by Cameron Zamot, who sold his car when he moved here in 2022 and relies solely on his bike as transportation. “Using our easy and beautiful trails to get around has had such a positive impact on my life,” he says. In December 2023, Zamot retrofitted a shipping container to serve as a bike rental shop and full-service bike repair program. He set up at Lake Raleigh in May with plans to be open year-round. “I’ve done everything from fixing flats to hydraulic brake bleeds,” Zamot says. “The more people I can help get on their bikes, the more people benefit.” Open Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; visit thebikelibrary.com for more info.

Eat Your Way Through Croatia

Over the past several years, chef Scott Crawford and his family spent vacations exploring coastal towns in Croatia and Italy. They prioritized discovering restaurants and meeting chefs along the way, sampling seafood and homemade pastas done with bright spices and flavors. “Everything was fresh, but craveable, and light and simple,” Crawford says. One recurring delicacy was an aromatic fish stew called “brodeto.” “I had it so many times both in Croatia and Italy, though it was often spelled differently and sometimes even pronounced differently,” says Crawford. “To me, it perfectly encapsulates a town on the Adriatic.” That spirit informs his latest restaurant, Brodeto, a Croatian-inspired food concept in Raleigh Iron Works now open to the public.

See Raleigh Little Theatre’s Something Rotten!

Set in the late 1500s, this comedy starts with Nick and Nigel Bottom, brothers on an ambitious journey to write a knockout play and reach Shakespeare-level fame. When a fortune teller predicts that the future of theater will include song and dance, the duo challenge themselves to write the first-ever musical. The result is a bawdy, cringey play-within-a-play full of references to the Bard and absurd moments. Sept. 1 – 15 | Various times; From $26; 301 Pogue Street; raleighlittletheatre.org

Enjoy a Weekend of Indie Tunes at Hopscotch Music Festival

Hopscotch is our city’s homegrown indie music festival, with dozens of acts over two main stages and indoor venues over the course of three days. This year’s headliners are singer and guitarist St. Vincent, Atlanta songwriter Faye Webster and Alabama indie act Waxahatchee. The festival also includes up-and-coming North Carolina musicians like Blue Cactus, Fancy Gap, Lonnie Walker and Indigo de Souza. In addition to the ticketed music festival, keep an eye out for the often-free day parties at area bars and restaurants featuring local talent to fill the whole weekend with new-to-you tunes. Sept. 5 – 7 | Various times; From $159; downtown Raleigh; hopscotchmusicfest.com

Connect with Others at NCSU’s The Challenging Times Series

Starting this month through December, North Carolina State University’s Gregg Museum of Art + Design is hosting a series for people to express themselves in a safe space through hands-on art projects. Leading the series is Melinda Abrams, a teacher, artist and founder of NC State’s My Intent Project, which fosters health and wellness through creativity. In this month’s first session, themed Community Building, participants will create a work of art together and discuss each others’ contributions. The second session, Resilience and Resolution, will see participants working together to create a wood-block mural. Sept. 6 & 20 | 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Free but registration required; 1903 Hillsborough Street; arts.ncsu.edu

Check out Fancy Gap’s Latest Album

Charles Crossingham and Stuart McLamb, best known for The Love Language, have released a record full of polished, hook-filled songs learn more here and be sure to check them out at Hopscotch!

Enjoy an Evening of Jazz in the Square

As summer fades to fall, spread out on a blanket at this free concert series in Moore Square. On the last three Thursdays of the month, Downtown Raleigh Alliance will host local and regional jazz musicians. Sept. 12 features the Gregg Gelb Jazz Quartet, led by Gelb, who has been a jazz musician and composer in Raleigh since the 1980s. On Sept. 19 comes Thrio, a swing-loving modern jazz group made up of Andrew Berrison, Paul Creel and Donovan Cheatham. On Sept. 26 hear award-winning Durham musician Al Strong, who’s known for his skills on the trumpet. Food trucks will be on site and beer and wine will be available for purchase. Select Thursdays | 6 – 8 p.m.; Free; 201 S. Blount Street; downtownraleigh.org

Experience Bull Durham, A New Musical at Duke’s Reynolds Theatre

Fans of the movie Bull Durham will love this adaptation of the 1980s baseball classic by Theatre Raleigh. Written by Ron Shelton, who also wrote the original film’s script, Bull Durham, A New Musical will “check all the boxes — the famous lines, scenarios and, of course, the love triangle — but with a musical theater vernacular,” says theater founder Lauren Kennedy. Expect an all-star cast, featuring Tony nominee Carmen Cusack, Broadway stars Nik Walker and John Behlmann, and Raleigh’s own Ira David Wood III. “We try to create a magical mix of local veterans and Broadway professionals,” says Kennedy. The show will be at Duke University’s Reynolds Theatre, which she hopes will reach a wide audience but feel intimate and unique. “We’re showing people what it would look like on a Broadway stage,” she says.
Sept. 10 – 22 | Various times; From $48; 125 Science Drive, Durham; theatreraleigh.com

Prep for a Fall Garden

“Now is the time to dive into cool-season garden work,” says Deanna Bigio, a horticulture extension agent at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. “We still have another two months or so of warm weather — the first frost in Wake County typically comes around Halloween— so it’s a good time to get things prepped and established.” Here are her top suggestions for the garden this month.

Experience Carolina Ballet’s Scotch Symphony & The Creatures of Prometheus

Carolina Ballet is kicking off its 2024-2025 season by debuting two works at Fletcher Opera Theater. Enjoy George Balanchine’s Scotch Symphony, a dance inspired by the verdant lure of Scotland’s highlands. “Between the music, sets and choreography, it’s hard not to get all wrapped up in a world of utter romanticism,” says Carolina Ballet artistic director Zalman Raffael. It’s paired with Ludwig van Beethoven’s The Creatures of Prometheus, a composition first performed in the early 1800s that is believed to be Beethoven’s only work created specifically for ballet. Sept. 12 – 29 | Various times; From $28; 2 E. South Street; carolinaballet.com

Take A Deep Drive into Beer Culture

If you want to wow your hops-loving friends, tuck into In the Land of Ninkasi by Tate Paulette. It’s an exploration of “the world’s first great beer culture,” in ancient Mesopotamia circa 3,000 B.C.E. “The origins of beer date thousands of years earlier, but it’s the earliest we’ve been able to document beer culture in its complexity,” Paulette says.

Hear and Learn from Women Leaders at WINnovation

WALTER’s signature speaker summit is back for the 10th time! WINnovation is a celebration of women and innovation in Raleigh and the Triangle held at The Umstead Hotel & Spa. Enjoy professional and personal development workshops, networking, cocktails and a sit-down dinner while listening to five keynote speakers share captivating stories and wisdom. This year’s lineup includes president of the NC Football Club Francie Gottsegen, CEO of Southeast Raleigh Promise Yvette Holmes, Raleigh Chief of Police Estella Patterson, visual artist Precious Lovell and North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences director Denise Young. Sept. 13 | 4 – 8:30 p.m.;From $150; 100 Woodland Pond Drive; waltermagazine.com/winnovation

Head Downtown For BugFest

Arguably the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science’s most anticipated event, BugFest is a daylong festival full of insect-themed activities for the whole family. This year’s VIPs are the Lepidopterans — the order of winged insects like butterflies and moths. Go behind the scenes of the museum’s viral Ant Lab (a popular channel on YouTube) to learn how they produce their wild entomology videos. Race cockroaches, get close to butterflies and visit a number of booths designed to entertain and educate. If you’re hungry, check out the Café Insecta, where local food trucks prepare dishes to celebrate entomophagy — the eating of bugs. Sept. 14 | 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Free; 11 W. Jones Street; naturalsciences.org 

Celebrate Crabtree Creek Trail’s Extension

“Our greenways are a signature amenity that differentiates Raleigh from other places,” says Beverley Clark, chair of the city’s parks recreation and greenway advisory board and founder of the Friends of Raleigh Greenways (FRoG). On Sept. 14, FRoG is celebrating the completion of the final extension of the Crabtree Creek Trail, which closes the gap between Umstead Park and the Neuse River. “It has spectacular elevated switchbacks and a beautiful suspension bridge,” says Clark. Join FRoG for a 5K race or 10-mile bike ride, or watch the little ones parade across the new bridge. Meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner will host the event, which also includes a DJ and food trucks. Proceeds will go toward public art installations along the greenway. “We are eager for more citizens to understand the importance of our greenways,” says Clark. “They’re essentially Raleigh’s largest park, connecting people and places from one end of the city to the other.” Sept. 14 | 8:30 a.m.; $20 to race; free to attend festival; parking lot of Grubb Ventures, 5171 Glenwood Avenue; friendsoftheraleighgreenway.org

Run or Walk the Sola Hot Mini 5K

A remarkable event and fundraiser for the ALS community is back for the 11th year. The Sola Hot Mini 5K, hosted by the North Raleigh cafe Sola in honor of their late owner Jeanne Luther, has drawn more than 1,000 participants each year and raised more than $600,000 to date to help find a cure for the disease. The race starts and ends at the cafe and weaves in and around the nearby neighborhoods. Sept 14 | 8:30 a.m.From $40; 7705 Lead Mine Road; solahotmini5k.com

Check Out Cool Modern Architecture at Modapalooza

Spend an entire day celebrating the Triangle’s modern residential architecture. This year NC Modernist’s Modapalooza home tour will showcase eight sleek, light-filled homes in Durham, Hillsborough and Raleigh, all designed by female architects including Raleigh’s own Erin Sterling Lewis, Rebecca Necessary and Katherine Hogan. Breakfast and lunch are included and tourgoers travel on a comfortable, bathroom-equipped bus, a great opportunity to get to know other architecture fans and glean inspiration. Sept 15 | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.; $179; 800 Park Offices Drive, Research Triangle Park; ncmodernist.org

Support the Wake County’s Arts Scene at Coffee & Culture

Get to know the people and institutions behind our rich cultural arts scene at Marbles Kids Museum’s Venture Hall. Hosted by the United Arts Council, the morning includes performances by Enloe High School’s Jazz Quartet, announcements of this year’s arts grants recipients and the presentation of the first-ever United Arts Champion Award. Pineapple Sol will provide coffee and pastries. Sept. 17 | 8 – 10 a.m.; From $25; 201 E. Hargett Street; unitedarts.org

Join WALTER for an Evening with Author Valerie Bauerlein

When powerful South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murdering his son and wife, his trial drew international attention. Wall Street Journal reporter and Raleigh resident Valerie Bauerlein was there for it all — and now she’s released the definitive book on the murders, The Devil at His Elbow. Join Bauerlein and WALTER founding editor Liza Roberts over light appetizers and beverages for an intimate Q&A, book reading and signing opportunity. Sept. 18 | 5:30 p.m; From $25; Theatre in the Park, 107 Pullen Road; waltermagazine.com/savethedate

Support The Green Chair Project at Chairity

What makes a house feel like a home? For some it’s a cushy couch for family movie nights or a dining room table topped with cut flowers for weekend breakfasts. But a comfortable living space isn’t the reality for many in Wake County, and The Green Chair project continues its mission to combat that. Their annual fundraiser, Chairity, pulls talent and donations from local interior designers and home furnishing businesses into an event that’s part inspiration, part sale, by creating shoppable vignettes. Sept. 18 – 20 | Various times; From $35; 1853 Capital Boulevard; thegreenchair.org/chairity

Find Seeds at the Fall Open Garden and Seed Sale

Foodscaping pioneer and horticulturist Brie Arthur is hosting an open garden and seed sale at her home in Fuquay-Varina. Shop cool-season flowers, vegetables and cover crops, with seed available from dozens of plants including larkspur, poppies, bachelor’s button, radish, carrot and red clover. This event requires no registration and runs rain or shine, promising inspiration for the upcoming growing season. Sept. 21 | 12 – 4 p.m.; Free; 7624 & 7628 Troy Stone Drive, Fuquay-Varina; briegrows.com

Jam Out at IBMA Bluegrass LIVE!

Back for its fifth and final year, the International Bluegrass Music Association will host its annual industry conference in Raleigh. In the evenings, catch the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble, a showcase of musicians at venues throughout downtown. The conference is followed by the two-day World of Bluegrass festival downtown full of arts, culture and, of course, bluegrass! Headliners on the main stage at Red Hat Amphitheater include Sierra Ferrell and Sam Bush on Friday and Steep Canyon Rangers with Chatham County Line on Saturday; emerging artists will play sets at the stages along Fayetteville Street. In between all the sounds of the banjo, fiddle and harmonica, explore Artsplosure’s Art Market along Fayetteville Street, with wares from potters, jewelers and other makers for sale. Free for festival, from Sept. 24 – 26 | Various times $25 for Ramble; downtown Raleigh; worldofbluegrass.org

Take the Kids to Rooftop Storytime at the Willard

Glenwood South’s rooftop bar, The Willard, isn’t just for adult happy hour. This month they are hosting author Rebecca Wheeler from Durham for a special family-oriented storytime. Wheeler will read her latest books, When Mama Grows with Me and When Daddy Shows Me the Sky, and she’ll lead activities like family yoga to encourage a love of the natural world and healthy relationships. Sept. 27 | 10 a.m.; Free; 9 Glenwood Avenue; thewillardraleigh.com

Find Design Inspiration in the Triangle Parade of Homes

Have an itch to redecorate or relocate? Take advantage of this opportunity to tour custom-built and brand-new homes in Wake, Durham and Orange Counties. This year on the tour there are more than 200 homes up for viewing in an array of styles, showcasing this year’s trends in home design for inspiration. The tour is self-guided and open to the public. Sept. 28 – 29 | 12 – 5 p.m.; Free; various locations; triangleparade.com 

This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of WALTER magazine.