Your 5-minute guide to the Top 10 things to do this week in the Triangle
Be afraid. Be very afraid. In the famous words of Beetlejuice: “It’s showtime”—with all kinds of haunts, from a socially distant stroll with the walking dead to “The Midnight Dreary,” to spook-free ops like sweet, sweet symphony (and the culmination of Fair Food Days) and everything in between.
Hey, if the broom fits, ride it. But, whatever you do, #SpreadLove.
Black Cinema at DBAP
Black cinema is back on the big screen at Durham Bulls Athletic Park as the Candid Yams Kickback Movie Experience continues on select October evenings (6–9:30 p.m.) “to use edutainment tools to facilitate impactful conversation centered around rebuilding healthy relationships and solidarity with the African American community.” On Oct. 25, the highly acclaimed historical drama “Selma,” featuring David Oyelowo as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bring your own blankets. Social distancing required. $10 per person, kids under 10 are admitted free. info@beatsnbarsfestival.com. facebook.com/BeatsnBarsFestival
NC Symphony
This life is a bittersweet symphony indeed — but the North Carolina Symphony’s Raleigh Series is just heavy on the sweet. Orchestrate your return to sweet symphony with the re-imagined 2020-21 season. Subscribers will be able to watch high-quality virtual concerts, recorded live at Meymandi Concert Hall at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, streamed virtually on the day it’s released and up to 10 days after. Can’t-miss performances include James Ehnes playing Beethoven (Oct. 24), saxophonist Branford Marsalis playing Gershwin (Nov. 7), Caroline Shaw playing Bernstein & Barber (Nov. 21), folk-classical fusion band the Kruger Brothers (Dec. 12), fan-fave Holiday Pops (Dec. 23) — to name a few — rounding out the season with the ever-popular Cirque in May. ncsymphony.org
Third StrEATery
Outside Smithfield’s Downtown dining room comes to life with expanded outdoor dining areas as Third StreEatery returns this Friday, Oct. 23 on Third Street, serenaded by the soulful sax, dynamic vocals and charismatic energy of Serenading & Saxie (aka Brandon Vaughan). Visit the event page for full details. facebook.com/DowntownSmithfield
Granville Haunt Farm Drive-Thru Haunted Trail
Welcome to the nightmare. This contact-free drive-thru haunted trail is here for the spooking. Do you dare? The details: you + your boo crew creep it real and stay in your vehicle, driving along the thrill-and-chill packed trail. They promise you a wicked ride. Open at sunset every Friday & Saturday through Halloween. The last ticket is sold at 10:30 p.m. Prices start at $10 per vehicle. Purchase tickets in advance for a completely contact-free experience, including a ticket scan through your car window. granvillehauntfarm.com
Durham Zombie Lurch
I see (un)dead people. Join the walking dead Oct. 23 (6:30-8 p.m., rain or shine) in your best bloody, slimy, rip-torn, gory garb and join hordes of infected bio-zombies for this socially distanced 14th edition of the annual Durham Zombie Lurch. This year, the decayed faces of the living dead be masks and lurching will be at detached arm’s length to shield any rotting breath from infecting others. Mustering point, 5:30 p.m. in Brightleaf Square. facebook.com/DurhamZombieLurch
Spirits of Wake Forest
Haunted history comes to life in Wake Forest for these paranormal promenades. With 100-plus years of history, the sidewalks and streets of Downtown Wake Forest have more than a few spooky stories to share for this inaugural Spirits of Wake Forest ghost walk through lessons on tragic train wrecks, murderous mamas, “borrowed” corpses and more. You may even score a ghost hug — you can’t feel it, but it’s there. Tours lasting approximately 75 minutes will take place rain or shine at 6 and 8 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday evenings in October; Sunday tours are on offer throughout the month at 6 p.m. only. Adult tickets, $15; kids 10 and under, $12. All tickets must be purchased in advance and are nonrefundable/nontransferable. Visit EventBrite to reserve your spot.
For guest safety, tours will be limited to 15 participants max and will be conducted entirely outdoors. Masks are required for all participants over the age of 5 and for all volunteers, and storytellers will make every effort to maintain at least 6 feet of distance from attendees at all times. Wakeforestdowntown.com
The Midnight Dreary Festival
“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary… suddenly came a tapping … a rapping at my chamber door … ’tis some visitor … tapping at my chamber door.” That visitor looks to be Raleigh Little Theatre, bringing it this season with four of Edgar Allan Poe’s most chilling short stories. Read and directed by local artists “The Midnight Dreary Festival: Community Interpretations of Edgar Allan Poe” will be released online one by one nightly Oct. 27-30 with “The Mask of the Red Death,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Pit and the Pendulum.” Tickets are pay-what-you-can (from $5), and a purchase provides access to all four short stories. Purchase tickets here. raleighlittletheatre.org/shows/midnight-dreary
Dr. Mask’s Family Zombie Walk & Candy Scavenger Hunt
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Lucky for you, zombies feast on brains. Mask up, don your doctor, nurse and patient costumes and stumble to Downtown Cary Park Oct. 24 (5-6 p.m.) for the free zombie walk. All victims (and zombies) must be safely masked, and zombie packs will be spaced 6 feet apart. The one-mile walking dead will culminate with the Zombie Halloween Candy Scavenger Hunt.
For elder Zombies who want to chase down the brains with a bevvie in a zombie-free zone, Cotton House Brewery is next to the park with large area outdoor seating and a food truck. Please register in advance on the Eventbrite page.
Owl-O-Ween Fly-Thru at Piedmont Wildlife Center
Hoo’s excited for Owl-O-Ween? We are. And we’re talon everyone about Fly-Thru Piedmont Wildlife Center’s free spooky Owl-O-Ween themed drive-thru (Oct. 29, 5:13-7:30 p.m.), where you’ll be greeted by owls, hawks and plenty of spooky surprises. Costumes welcome. Suggested donation $10, which goes to provide food and medical care to wildlife. piedmontwildlifecenter.org/flythru
Trunk or Treat
Sticky fingers, in my seat, one last car, Trunk or Treat! Don your best costume and roll over to Bluebirds Farm in Raleigh Oct. 24 (4–7 p.m.) for the inaugural Trunk or Treat event. All ghoulish guests will stay in their vehicles and candy will be sealed. If you do step out of your monster-mobile for a photo opp, you are asked to follow safe social distancing guidelines. All volunteers will wear masks and gloves (free; 3bluebirdsfarm.org/copy-of-trunk-or-treat).
On Oct. 31, Raleigh Parks puts a safe spin on the classic tired-feet trick-or-treat tradition with its Trunk or Treat drive-thru event at Sanderford Road Park (6–8 p.m.). Register for any program online via RecLink using the barcode listed. Prior to registering for any program, please review the Raleigh Parks Know Before You Go. Event barcode: 261577, free; raleighnc.gov.
This story was originally published October 20, 2020 at 12:04 PM.