Your 5-minute guide to the Top 10 things to do in the Triangle this weekend
Happy Thanksgiving Week, y’all. In the famed words of Clark Griswold: “This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We’re gonna press on.”
Wherever this finds you in the haze of 2020, we hope you are blessed with abundant health, love (near or far) and all the food you can stuff yourself with. Even in 2020, the holidays inspire hope, light, love and cheer — and the magic of the season is palpable.
Here are 10 events also helping to spread joy — and fun. Happy Thanksgiving to each of you — however you spend it and wherever you are. We are thankful for you. Hang in there, lean into gratitude, and #SpreadLove, y’all.
DPAC’s ‘A (Virtual) Christmas With The Griswolds’
“Where do you think you’re going? Nobody’s leaving. Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. we’re all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We’re gonna press on.” It’s just not Christmas without Clark Griswold’s (cynical) holiday spirit and the Durham Performing Arts Center is here for it with “A (Virtual) Christmas with The Griswolds” on Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. Nog up and sit down for an “Evening With Chevy Chase & Beverly D’Angelo” (aka Clark and Ellen Griswold a la National Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation” fame), which promises to light up your holidays with hilarity as the comedic legends lead the audience through this live event, sharing fan-fave clips from the flick, fave memories and answer your riveting questions in a live audience Q&A. $25. Visit dpacnc.com for tickets.
Holidays in the Park Train Ride
When you’re done chugga-chugga-chew-chewing your way through the Thanksgiving holiday feast, hop aboard the illuminating Museum of Life + Science Holidays in the Park train on the Ellerbe Creek Railway, including a vivid light display that promises to get you in the holiday spirit. The holiday train will be departing the station Dec. 2–6, 9–13, 16–20 and 26–27. Tickets are now on sale. lifeandscience.org/holidays-in-the-park
Lights on the Neuse
Let there be light! And hayrides! And Santa photos! … If your holiday bucket list includes a hayride, 2020 is your time to shine. Take it to Clayton for a down-home Christmas farm experience as you take your turn on the 20-minute “open sleigh” hayride (aka a pull behind an old-time tractor) through 1 mile of holiday light extravaganza set to festive tunes and full of holiday magic. Be sure to stop in Santa’s Sweet Shoppe for some s’mores, hot chocolate and more. Then, save room for the red-clad big-bellied benefactor himself — BYO camera to grab a snap of you and the Jolly Old Elf himself (Santa! I know him!) — from a distance of course. The perennial fave experience runs Nov. 27-Dec. 24. Check website for details. lightsontheneuse.com
‘Die Hard’
There are two types of people in the world. Those who think “Die Hard” is a holiday movie and those who are wrong. I mean, is it really Christmastime until you see Hans Gruber fall from the Nakatomi Tower?? Luckily, you won’t have to find out, as Food Truck Flix airs the “festive” flick Saturday, Nov. 28 (5:30 p.m.) at the Downtown Raleigh McLaurin Lot pop-up cinema. Check site for price and further details: foodtruckflix.simpletix.com.
Trophy Trot
If your biggest fear of marrying into a family who runs on Thanksgiving Day has been realized, then 2020 may just be your year after all. This year, the popular Trophy Trot is going virtual Nov. 15-30 (can I get an “Amen!”?!). So now you can take it to the streets before OR after you stuff yourself without having to pound the pavement on Turkey Day (unless that really is your thing… you do you!). Bonus: This year’s race benefits Healing Transitions, which offers peer-based recovery oriented services to homeless and underserved individuals with alcoholism and other drug addictions.
Start/finish your 5K/10K trot any time between Nov. 15 and 30, at 1251 Goode St, Raleigh, just off Lake Wheeler Road on Dix Park. Swag equals a race medal (proof of pavement pounding!) And a Trophy Brewing Co. beer (nonalcoholic varieties also on offer), plus T-shirts at added cost. Top three overall male and female racers will win cash prizes ($100, $75 and $50, respectively), and age group winners will snag coveted Runologie gift cards. See site for full deets. fsseries.com/event/trophy-trot
Boylan Heights ArtWalk
Take a load off and let your eyes do the walking this year as the 28th annual of the Boylan Heights ArtWalk takes it virtual this year. No less significant, the beautiful ArtWalk is still an ideal way to support local artists — who arguably need your support now more than ever. Visit boylanheightsartwalk.com to take the virtual tour.
Yuletide by the Seaside
Santa Jaws is coming to town? Register stat for this can’t-miss North Carolina Museum of History holiday party — virtual style — Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. Party alongside friends like Ira David Wood’s alter egos from “A Christmas Carol” and fan-fave jazz trio Peter Lamb and the Wolves while you learn to shag and take in beach-themed surprises to fete the museum’s latest and greatest exhibit: “Beach Music: Making Waves in Carolinas.” A Zoom link will be sent to all registrants via email on the morning of the event. Registration required. Free for members of the North Carolina Museum of History Associates. $10 for nonmembers. ncmuseumofhistory.org/yuletide-by-theseaside
The Christmas Carousel
Here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane for three days at the Christmas Carousel at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. Bring the kids and your camera for your Santa sesh, and while you’re there, peruse over 200 vendors in the annual (and Covid-safe) Christmas Carousel Holiday Gift Market. Check site for tickets and hours. Buying tickets in advance is encouraged. christmascarousel.com
Virtual Open Hearth Cooking Event
Tis definitely the week to get your gobble on — and aptly timed is the Orange County Historical Museum’s Virtual Open Hearth Cooking event (Dec. 3, 7-8 p.m.), schooling you on an authentic Thanksgiving dish of yore. Having recently reopened after a year of being closed, the museum is eager to reconnect with the community. Don’t miss this cooking event, featuring a costumed historical interpreter walking us through tools and techniques of cooking in the 1690s while sharing the recipe and process for baking a popular Colonial desert, Portugal Cake. Tickets cost $25 and come with a recorded copy of the live event as well as the dessert recipe. Register through the website: orangehistorync.org/events
JT Supper Club
Once you’re over cooking your own Turkey Day feast, feast your eyes — and belly — on this unique four-course wine and cocktail-paired supper club experience, Wednesdays through Saturdays. Jack Tar & The Colonel’s Daughter in downtown Durham presents JT Supper Club with Chef Marla Thurman. She’ll whip up elegant seasonal and holiday-oriented menus weekly, created with vegetarian and vegan diners in mind. Reservations for the patio will not be taken, but the patio will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Reservations for the dining room from 5-9 p.m. (which has been outfitted with Plexiglas between booths) can be made through RESY. Meals are $55 per person.
Each week, new wine and craft cocktail pairings will be introduced at #JTSupperClub, including Jack Tar’s signature French wine, Jacques Tar. Visit www.Jacktar-Durham.com for menus and more.