Your 5-minute guide to the Top 10 things to do this weekend in the Triangle
If you’re reading this, we made it through the week, which these days feels like no small feat. Treat yourself to some feel-good fun with comedy or a 5K with Fido, some fab food with Triangle Restaurant Week Takeout Edition, plenty of historic and cultural ops around town—and more. And as always, wherever you are, #SpreadLove, y’all.
Triangle Restaurant Week Takeout Edition
Strap on the feed bag. It’s your fave week — revamped. Triangle Restaurant Week is back Jan. 25 to 31 with a Takeout Edition format, meaning you get all the perks of restaurant week with the bonus of more comfort (stretchy pants!) and less rules (eat with your hands — no judgment) in the comfort of your own home. Let’s be real, we allll want to put on real clothes and dine out like it’s January 2020. But for now, let’s support local and use this week as a culinary tour through the fine restos and fare that we’re lucky enough to have all around us. Check the site for participating spots. trirestaurantweek.com
NCMOH Jazz Series
Jazz hands up. In front of its upcoming virtual African American Cultural Celebration Jan. 30 to kick off Black History Month, the North Carolina Museum of History presents its Jazz Series with this live-streamed program, John V. Brown: Concert with Conversation, featuring Brown and his quintet with a varied set of tunes — each written by an artist with North Carolina ties — with composer info and a Q&A session to boot. Register at ncmuseumofhistory.org/events.
MLK Event: Celebrating the Legacy through the Arts
Join Durham Parks and Recreation Saturday, Jan. 23 (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) as it hosts a virtual program to commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Themed “MLK: Celebrating the Legacy Through the Arts,” the free event features a series of visual entertainment, discussions and more spotlighting aspects of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s life. dprplaymore.org/
Jeff Dye
“Better late than never,” indeed. First, if you haven’t seen the NBC smash-hit reality comedy adventure of the same name (“Better Late Than Never”) starring icons Henry Winkler, William Shatner, Terry Bradshaw and George Foreman (curated and narrated by Dye), you haven’t lived. So, binge that (for the first time or again), then book your tickets to see the “Last Comic Standing” finalist (third place) bend the boards at Goodnights for three nights of laughter (Jan. 21–23). We love laughing. Laughing’s our favorite. goodnightscomedy.com/events/42257
Astronomy Days
How do you organize a space party? You planet. For some out-of-this-world fun for space enthusiasts of all ages, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is back (in partnership with the Raleigh Astronomy Club and NASA Langley Research Center) with its famed Astronomy Days — virtual. Tune in across seven days of everything from kids crafts to live chats and even a moon zoom, plus unparalleled astronomical programming like SETI: The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, Carolina Skies, InSight Mission Update – Two Years on Mars, and much more. Visit the official event website for full details, including all programs and member benefits, at bit.ly/Programs_AstroDays2021 and make sure you register for the programs you’d like to virtually attend.
Free Friday at Mordecai Historic Park
Occupying the oldest house in Raleigh in its original location (nee 1785 — looking good for almost 250 years…), Mordecai Historic Park is like stepping into history. Spread across 3.2 acres in the heart of DTR, the park also includes such authentic spaces as the Andrew Johnson Birthplace (1800), Cure barn (1840) and the Ellen Mordecai Garden (1842), to name a few. Tours typically cost $7 for adults, $4 for youth and $3 for seniors (kids 6 and under, free). But save your bills and treat yourself or the fam to Free Friday Jan. 22 (10 a.m.–3 p.m., limited to five people per tour). Tours will begin on the hour and half-hour and will include Mordecai House and St. Mark’s Chapel. Wellness checks and face coverings will be required. raleighnc.gov/events/free-friday-mordecai-historic-park
Winter Programs at Pullen Park
Pullen Park isn’t just a fair-weather go-to. If you’re looking for some safe outdoor escapes, the park’s winter programming includes self-guided Winter Nature Walks (weekends in January) via guide book with fun activities, like getting schooled on scat and tracks from various park animals in the matching game (correct answers earn prizes!). Bigfoot fans will wanna track his footsteps to see if they can find him in The Yeti Hunt (also weekends in January), with bonus Yeti story time and take-home crafts. Or if you need an out during the week, check out the Snowflake Scavenger Hunt, where you gather letter clues to solve the magic word for a prize. Programs are drop-in and do not require registration. Go to raleighnc.gov/places/pullen-park for details.
Family Fun Day on the Farm
Bring the brood to Old Mill Farm in Durham Jan. 23 and 30 (weather permitting) for Family Fun Day on the Farm, a ticketed event ($15 per person ages 2 and up, and must be purchased in advance), featuring 90 minutes of farm time to spend however you choose (think campfires, picnics, pond fishing, animal petting and more). Hot chocolate, coffee and s’mores kits will be available for purchase. Tickets are limited to 30 tickets per time slot to comply with local outdoor gathering regulations. oldmillfarmdurham.com
Wine & Cheese Pairing Virtual Class
If wine and cheese are your two main food groups, satisfy your primal cravings while getting culture in this virtual class (Jan. 22, 6:30 p.m.) from the Wine Feed, where you learn how to get even more pleasure from cheese when paired with the best wine. The class includes wine and a sample cheese box. thewinefeed.com/products/wine-and-cheese-pairing-class
Mutts & Marshmallows Fun Run
Happy “tails” to you. Take walking your dog next level when the back-by-popular-demand annual Mutts & Marshmallows fun run returns to WakeMed Soccer Park Cary Saturday (8 a.m. check-in) for the eighth installment. With no separate event for dogs, lace up and run with your pup and/or the whole fam in the 1-miler, 5K or 8K for $10 per pup for some feel-good fun. The registration fee and proceeds from the Doggie Dash supports the Wake County SPCA. And, as always, all race finishers are rewarded with all-you-can-drink hot chocolate, plus a finishers mug and medal. Mutts & Marshmallows shirts and extra mugs are available for purchase separately. facebook.com/events/470337743911206