This month in Raleigh, North Carolina, turn up the heat at outdoor movies, live music, and food festivals — or stay cool indoors with silent films and art openings.
Head to the Durham Summer Wine & Food Festival
Calling all food lovers! Spend four days indulging in the Bull City’s culinary delights at the Durham Summer Wine & Food Festival. This event is a cultural celebration of the area’s diverse cuisine, vibrant music, and top-notch craft beverages. With one ticket, you’ll enjoy discounted meals at participating venues like The Honeysuckle at Lakewood, Durham Food Hall, and Bull City Burger and Brewery. Plus, you’ll have access to live entertainment throughout the festival.
“As the RDU restaurant and live-music communities begin to heal and bounce back from the pandemic, it’s the perfect time to bring people together to celebrate Independence Day weekend,” says Parag Bhandari of UG Strategies, the creative agency behind Durham Summer. “We hope this event marks the return of the Triangle’s culinary scene, music, small businesses, and independent arts.”
Event Details:
- July 1 – 4 | In-person
- Day pass starting at $50
- Various locations
- Visit: durhamsummer.com
See Elissa Farrow-Savos’s Work at Gallery C
“My women show their scars and wear them proudly—because, after all, they make a good story,” says Elissa Farrow-Savos of her mixed-media sculptures. This month, Gallery C will proudly feature the Virginia artist’s exhibit, showcasing her pensive and mysterious figures. Crafted from clay, natural elements, and found objects, these sculptures beautifully capture both strength and vulnerability.
“There are common themes, such as physical, emotional, and spiritual burdens, connections lost and found, love and anger, dignity and strength,” Farrow-Savos explains. Furthermore, her creations stand alongside rusty chains, weathered wood, decaying bones, abandoned objects, and scraps of fabric—what she aptly calls “the debris of life, lived.”
Details:
- All month | In-person
- Make an appointment or call ahead to visit
- 540 N Blount Street
- Visit: galleryc.net
Try a New Cocktail
From light and bubbly to smooth and fruity, these boozy recipes are perfect to enjoy on the patio or by the pool for an impromptu cocktail hour.
Watch Silent Films at the Gregg
Cool off indoors this summer with free silent film screenings. As part of the Tribute to Silent Films program, these screenings not only celebrate people of color and women but also honor the rich history of motion pictures. Specifically, the Black Sanderson Gallery at NC State University’s Gregg Museum will feature 18 black-and-white films. Throughout the summer, the program will highlight early 20th-century cinematic themes, such as the rise of new art forms and the beginnings of documentary film.
Moreover, the films vary in length, ranging from just a few minutes to over an hour. Unlike today’s blockbusters, which rely heavily on animation, vibrant colors, and catchy scores, these silent films demand a different kind of focus.
Details:
- All month | In-person | Free
- 1903 Hillsborough Street
- See website for showings: gregg.arts.ncsu.edu