Father’s Day, Juneteenth and 14 more Best Bets this week
Oh, dads. What would we do without all the sage wisdom and bad jokes? Treat pops to plenty of (pandemic-safe) fun; make change with Juneteenth Celebrations; get wild at the now-reopen NC Zoo; search the city in a car scavenger hunt… and plenty of other live and from-your-living-room ops. And, wherever you are, keep at it: SpreadLove. #StayStrongNC (and on a personal note: Happy Birthday, Dad!)
Father’s Day Baseball @ Home
“Go ask your mother.” Cheers to the day dads everywhere can say that on repeat without getting in trouble. If you’re looking for ways to celebrate pops, restaurants across town have deals for you for dine-in or pickup meal packages (Sitti, The Pit, and more). Beyond, if dad is missing the great American pastime, treat him to Baseball @ Home, a cookout of Durham Bulls Athletic Park faves, serving up to 30 people with Single, Double, and Triple options from Bright Leaf Hot Dogs, hamburgers, and Chandler’s Pork BBQ, as well as extras like corn dogs, Cracker Jacks, sunflower seeds and more. And as a bonus, official dirt from the Durham Bulls Athletic Park Field, so you feel like you’re on the ballpark. Order at milb.com/durham
Juneteenth events
On June 19, 1865, the Emancipation Proclamation (issued on Jan. 1, 1863) was finally read to enslaved African Americans in Texas. Juneteenth celebrates the end of the enslavement and the ongoing fight for freedom of African Americans in the U.S.
Here are some local celebrations:
▪ June 19, the Town of Carrboro is presenting a Juneteenth program, available on Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources Department’s YouTube channel.
▪ On June 19, visit Off Grid in Colors, a Moncure homestead, via Juneteenth Farm Tours in Chatham County. Tours are free but require reservations between 5 and 7:45 p.m. facebook.com/offgridincolor/
▪ #TheBounceBackRDU is a virtual storytelling event at 7 p.m. on Facebook and YouTube, featuring eight African Americans sharing “stories about a time they fell down but didn’t stay down — and they bounced back.” Following the pre-recorded series, there will be a post-show Q&A with the storytellers. Go to https://youtu.be/fRwB45FwHNE or facebook.com/authoralexusrhone.
▪ On June 20, the Juneteenth Census Car Parade lines up at 10:30 a.m. and starts at 11 a.m. at 414 E. Main St. in Durham with free masks, census swag, ice cream, voting info, joy and more.
Intergalactic Soulstice
The Virtual Afrofuturist Arts Festival presented by Ackland Art Museum will stream June 19-21 online and free. Friday, catch Puppeteer Jeghetto Performs 5P1N0K10 (Spinokio), a Hip-Hopera (3:30 p.m.), followed by a live Q&A with the artist. Saturday, scope Quentin Talley and the Soul Providers Play Extended Set of Jazz/Funk/Soul (8 p.m.), accompanied by a live Q&A with the artists. Sunday, check out the live virtual workshop Comic Book Drawing Workshop with Marcus Kiser and Jason Woodberry of Intergalactic Soul (11 a.m.) and enjoy storytime and downloadable DIY art activities via Virtual Family & Friends Sunday: Project LHAXX (2–5 p.m.). Learn more about the full schedule of programs at events.ackland.org.
‘Frozen’ at Hubb’s Farm
“Hoo-hoo! Big summer blowout!” Elsa and friends are bringing their ice dreams to our summer scene as Hubb’s Farm in Clinton continues its drive-in movie series with “Frozen” (June 20). The series will run each Saturday through July 11. Gates will open weekly at 7:30 p.m. (movies slated for 8:30 p.m.). Make it a date night or take the squad or the fam for the can’t-miss old-school “theater” experience. Head to facebook.com/HubbsFarmNC/ for full details.
What a Zoo!
And, it’s back — the wonder of being where the wild things are! Reconnect with the animal kingdom… and hear the cry of elated parents around the state as the North Carolina Zoo reopens to the public (June 15) with updated procedures to keep you and the zoo safe. This is clutch: online timed ticketing available now, reflecting the biggest update to current procedure with the requirement of advance purchase of timed tickets for entry into the Zoo. According to the zoo: “Walk-up entry to the Zoo is not available at this time; everyone must pre-arrange their visit, including zoo members or those holding previously purchased tickets. The Zoo will initially open with a capacity of 2,000 visitors.” Take your walk on the wild side as you enter and exit through North America only (fitting) and amble the animal wonderland via an updated one-way walking experience to facilitate social distancing. Peep the full list of guidelines for visiting at nczoo.org/timed-ticketing. See you there!
kō•än and so•ca to reopen
Kō•än and so•ca restaurants will reopen on Juneteenth with an NAACP Fundraiser. Both restaurants plan to reopen on June 19, aka Juneteenth, with a nod to the Black Lives Matter movement. They plan to donate 100% of all proceeds to the NAACP and Black Lives Matter Bailfund Campaign on reopening day. The two popular restaurants have also reimagined business practices, announcing changes to pay structure (paying employees a living wage of $15 minimum per hour), as well as offering PTO to incentivize anyone feeling ill to stay home. The current restaurant standard wage is $2.13 per hour. 10% sustainable hospitality charge will be added to bills. kō•än and so•ca will be open Tue-Sat (4–9 p.m.). @koan_cary, @soca_raleigh
Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre
Outdoor movies are having (another) moment and NC’s oldest operating drive-in movie theater (one of only a half-dozen in the state) is here for it. Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre (3336 Raleigh Road, Henderson) is open seven days a week this summer. For time and ticket info, and to purchase in advance, visit raleighroaddrivein.ticketleap.com. Gates open 7 p.m.; films start at dusk. Insider tip: some nights have additional preshow entertainment (think music, laser show, etc.). This week: double-headers! Catch a laser show and “Purple Rain” and “Becky” (June 17), “Back to the Future” and “Becky” (June 18), “Airplane!” and “Monty Python & the Holy Grail” (June 19), “Jurassic Park” and “Jaws” (June 20), “Superman 78” and “Batman 89” (June 21). Check raleighroaddrivein.com/ for future show selections.
Stagville State Historic Site
Reopening post-fire recovery with free grounds tours, Durham’s Stagville State Historic Site (5828 Old Oxford Highway) is home to remnants of one of the largest plantations of the pre-Civil War South and “dedicated to teaching about the lives and work of enslaved people on the plantation.” While tours are free, donations are encouraged (and appreciated) to help in recovery efforts. Visitor masks are requested, as is social distancing and frequent handwashing. Also, beyond tours, while scheduled in-person events have not yet resumed, a free virtual event Juneteenth at Stagville (noon–5) is scheduled for June 20 as “a celebration and exploration of Emancipation at Stagville, featuring USCT reenactors and stories about freedom at Stagville.” stagville.org
Father’s Day Fun at Mason Jar Lager
Brew up some (live!) Father’s Day fun in Fuquay-Varina at The Mason Jar Lager Co. (341 E. Broad St.) for a slew of upcoming events. Sunday, take dad for a beer (fave child, check!) for Suds and Suds: Father’s Day at Mason Jar Lager Co. and treat him to some Adobo Joe Food Truck, plus on-site Amendola Family Cigars.
Library Books on the Go
As of June 15, library books are back with Books on the Go. Available Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can now enjoy no-contact pickup for library materials at the following locations: Cameron Village Regional Library, Cary Regional Library, East Regional Library, Middle Creek Community Library, North Regional Library, Northeast Regional Library, Southeast Regional Library and West Regional Library. Visit wakegov.com/libraries for more detail.
Tours on Tap
Zoom through DTR breweries with virtual weekly tours on Thursdays (5:30 p.m.) to get in-the-know on the people behind them, their beginning, growth, production and more. Then, enjoy the fruits of their labor as each Tours on Tap excursion is followed by brewer-led tastings of preselected beer(s) picked up in advance. June 18 will host Clouds Brewing (Register online here), with Trophy Brewing on tap for June 25. Check downtownraleigh.org for details.
Car Scavenger Hunt
The quest is real. Grab the kids, the dog, the squad — and channel your best Nic Cage (a la “National Treasure”). The Raleigh Car Scavenger hunt is here. Search the city via location cues from your car to enter an end-of-the-month drawing to win prizes. Roll out! searchinthecity.co/car-scavenger-hunt
Moore Square Market
Back to market we go. Moore Square Market is back as of June 17 with “moore” fresh local fare — think farm-fresh produce, meat, dairy, eggs, baked goods and artisanal goods. New this year, each weekly Market will feature six local shops and restaurants for preorder pickup options, plus items for sale. Learn more about the market’s offerings and its new health and safety guidelines at downtownraleigh.org
Sonny Kelly’s ‘The Talk’
A timely video release, this one-person show sees the difficult conversation a father must have with his son in a divided America. The Bulldog Ensemble Theater production, in association with The Department of Communication at UNC Chapel Hill (released in association with PlayMakers Repertory Company), will be available for four weeks only, June 12 to July 10. Directed by StreetSigns Artistic Director Joseph Megel, “The Talk” was written and performed by a young African American father and recent UNC Ph.D grad Sonny Kelly, borne of his frustration as he found himself struggling to explain the state of the nation to his young son. To access the video, follow the links on piedmontperformancefactory.org or bulldogdurham.org, and learn more at sonnykelly.com.
Science Is Life
Spread your science wings. Friday (June 19) take a Citizen Science Adventure with Dragonfly Pond Watch Part 2 (2-3 p.m.) via live (lively!) chat with Dr. John Abbott of Dragonfly Pond Watch and the Museum’s Chris Goforth about all things dragonfly and the value of your observations to scientists. Register to attend the live chat. Then, don’t forget that, while the museum remains closed for now, Virtual Trivia Tuesdays lives on (free!) every Tuesday through June 30 (6 p.m.) so you can still tout your trivia skills, mingle and score bragging rights—maybe even learn something. For participation instructions, visit the Facebook event page, and register for June 23 here. naturalsciences.org
Freight Train Blues Concert Series
The ever-popular (now virtual) Carrboro music series that honors Piedmont blues woman Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten and features NC artists wraps this week with Thomas Rhyant, June 19. Find the series on Facebook Live, YouTube Live and 97.9 The Hill. musicmaker.org/freight-train-blues/
This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 12:34 PM.