Your guide to the Top 10 things to do this week in Raleigh and the Triangle
Whether you’re looking for food, films, hip-hop history, culture or a way to start getting your holiday season on: We goat you, babe. Namely, with some winter wonderland festive fun on the farm with goats. Aww, maybe 2020 isn’t so baaaa-d after all. Stay strong, Raleigh and, as always, #SpreadLove.
Santa is Coming!
If you’re looking for some a sighting of the jolly ole elf himself, head over to Bass Pro Shops in Cary and Cabela’s in Garner now through Dec. 24 for some face time and and free pictures every day in the reimagined, contactless, safe Santa’s Wonderland. Yup, free and safe. Safety protocols include temperature screenings, face coverings and an acrylic barrier between Santa and families. Families can make reservations to see Santa and see full safety protocols online at basspro.com/santa and cabelas.com/santa.
Winter Wonderland With Goats
Goat holiday spirit? Don’t be baaa-shful. Spring Haven Farm near Chapel Hill is feting the spirit of the season with its Winter Wonderland with Goats experience. Transport yourself to a magical place as you hunt through the Christmas Tree Forest for your own prize tree or hop on the tricked out Polar Express Tractor Train with shimmering lights and sleigh bells. Then have a pig time feeding holiday snacks to Peppa Pig or Annie the Donkey, snuggling baby goat Holly, and interacting with all the beloved farm animals while you get your holiday on over sips of hot cocoa.
And before it gets to be “pasture” din-din time, head to the farm’s South Pole to create an ornament with elves to take home and deck your new tree. And, of course, don’t miss your stroll through Wonderland Barn full of handcrafted holiday scenes perfect for family photos and silly selfies for those ’Grammable memories.
Spring Haven Farms Winter Wonderland with Goats is open every Wednesday to Sunday from Nov. 18 to Christmas Day (10 a.m.–6 p.m.). Arrival times are scheduled every hour on the hour to limit the number of people on the farm, and the last scheduled time is 4 p.m. Once on the farm, you can stay as long as you like. Tickets are on sale for $13.50 each, kids under 3 are free. facebook.com/SpringHavenFarmandStables
Golden Belt Holiday Art Market
You can get some socially distanced Christmas shopping done and #supportlocal at the same time with the Holiday Art Market, Saturday, Nov. 14, noon-5 p.m. at Golden Belt Plaza. Mask up (required) and bounce over to the Bull City where Golden Belt artists will have their works on offer. Shop against the acoustic backdrop of local vocal stylings via open-mic SuperJam — back by popular demand on the Mill Stage (3–5 p.m.), hosted by Stephen Munoz. Don’t miss some suds or sweet treats to fuel your shopping shenanigans at nearby Two Roosters Ice Cream and Hi-Wire Brewing. goldenbeltarts.com
RTP Food Truck Rodeo
Your fave food on wheels is back at Frontier RTP Campus and more socially distant than ever. Belly up and then spread out this Friday, Nov. 13 as some of the Triangle’s best trucks — including Curry in a Hurry and Stavi’s Sandwiches — descend on the campus for your culinary enjoyment. Order to eat on-site at outdoor tables or for grab-and-go in advance via Street Food Finder as early as 8 a.m. on Friday. And don’t miss your glimpse of Boxyard RTP progress while you’re there. Masks required. Check the event listing for additional COVID precautions and regulations. facebook.com/FrontierRTP
‘The Keeper’
Where better to spend a chilly November Saturday than in the warm, safe historic Rialto Theatre. Keep it reel with varied viewings of “The Keeper,” the true story of Bert Trautman, or, more clearly, a RL romance tale of a young English woman and a German PoW who overcome hostility, prejudice and tragedy in the name of love. You can also catch Kate Winslet in the period Romantic Drama “Ammonite.” Showtimes vary daily. Check site: newsite.ambassadorcinemas.com/rialto-theatre
OutSouth Queer Film Festival
The OutSouth Queer Film Festival, formerly known as the North Carolina Gay + Lesbian Film Festival (NCGLFF), will be held online-only in its inaugural year. The festival, one of the largest queer film festivals in the country, will reel out 41 can’t-miss short and feature films Nov. 13 through 19.
Hosted by Carolina Theatre of Durham, this year’s highlights include documentary “Ahead of the Curve,” a look at what made “Curve” magazine ahead of its time, beyond its radical covers and figureheads like k.d. lang, Wanda Sykes and more. There’s “Cicada,” a gay romance drama following introspective bisexual Ben (Matthew Fifer) as he drifts from one casual hook-up to the next; and “Out Loud,” a documentary chronicling the ups and downs of the first season of the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles. The full slate of OutSouth film program synopses are available at carolinatheatre.org.
Individual film tickets and a limited number of All-Access Passes for OutSouth are on sale now at carolinatheatre.org. Tickets to individual film viewings are $12 plus tax and fees. All Access Passes, which enable guests to view all 11 film programs of the festival, cost $90 plus tax and fees. Purchasers will have 72 hours to watch films after buying them, and films purchased in advance of the film festival will unlock for viewing on Nov. 13.
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
If you’re looking to space out on 2020, Morehead Planetarium is officially here for it. The out-of-this-world science center reopened Nov. 7, after being closed for six months and an 18-month renovation. Visit the site to learn what you need to know before you plan your visit. Masks required, so are timed entry tickets. moreheadplanetarium.org
History at High Noon: Hip-Hop Diplomacy
Hip-hop hooray indeed on Wednesday, Nov. 18, noon–1 p.m. as the North Carolina Museum of History virtually hosts a discussion on hip-hop diplomacy with Mark Katz, UNC’s John P. Barker Distinguished Professor of Music and Director of Graduate Studies, and Junius “House” Brickhouse, Next Level founder and Urban Artistry Inc. executive director. The duo will open with a chat about music, cultural diplomacy, conflict transformation and entrepreneurship, before airing a short video on Next Level’s Myanmar residency and closing with a Q&A. Find the event at ncmuseumofhistory.org/events to register. A Zoom link will be sent before the program begins.
Durham County Pottery Tour
Seize the clay this weekend for two days (Nov. 14 and 15) with the seventh annual installment of the acclaimed Durham County Pottery Tour — this year from the comfort of your couch with some in-person options. Showcasing Durham County’s vibrant and growing pottery scene, this year’s tour features 19 of Durham’s finest studio potters, along with the community teaching studio Claymakers. Check durhamcountypotterytour.com for all the details and updates about how each potter will run their sale, and visit the website during the tour to browse a selection of work created especially for this event.
STEM Career Showcase for Students With Disabilities
Success starts with STEM. Don’t miss this opportunity as North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosts the eighth annual STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities Tuesday, Nov. 17, 1–3:30 p.m. The showcase will be moderated by Ed Summers, a blind software engineer and Director of Accessibility at SAS. The free educational event enables students in grades 6 through 12 to e-meet role models with disabilities who have thriving careers in STEM fields. This year’s showcase will be a virtual experience featuring keynote speaker Dr. Gina-Maria Pomann, statistical research scientist and the Director of the Duke Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD) Attendees will learn about how the panelists’ experiences shaped their approaches to navigating and pushing boundaries in their fields. Go to naturalsciences.org/stem to register and learn more. ASL interpretation and live captioning will be provided. Email accessibility@naturalsciences.org to request additional accommodations.
This story was originally published November 10, 2020 at 12:51 PM.