Ranky Tanky – Thursday, 8pm – This South Carolinian Gullah band comes to Carrboro for The ArtsCenter’s ArtSparks! series. The word “Gullah” reflects the band’s West African roots and means “a people blessed by God,” and the band name loosely translates to “get funky.” Enjoy their spirited and playful music with the whole family!
Festival de Dia de los Muertos – Friday, 6-8pm – Celebrate Day of the Dead with The Fairview Community at the Orange County Historical Museum! Make papel picado (cut paper decorations), dress up for a chance to win best costume, visit the altar for the dead and enjoy satirical poems in the calavera contest.
Cristina Pato Quartet – Friday, 8pm – Come out to Memorial Hall to see what New York Music Daily calls, “feral, virtuosic and breathtakingly fast.” The band will be performing its latest album, “Latina.” Songs are evocative of Celtic pipe tunes, Balkan dance bands and Pato’s Spanish heritage. Carolina Performing Arts presents an evening of inimitable music and fun.
Open Studio Tour – Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, noon-5pm – Check out the incredible artists of the Orange County Artist’s Guild and tour their studios! For the 23rd year, sculptors, potters, glass blowers and jewelers open their workshops to the public for demonstrations, questions and shopping! More than 87 artists showcase their craft including Gail Schaefer, Ali Givens, Elia Bizzarri and – for the first weekend only – Elaine O’Neil.
Mundo Verde/Green World – Saturday, 11am – Latin Grammy winning musician Mister G celebrates the release of his newest children’s album, Mundo Verde/Green World, at The ArtsCenter. As a bilingual teacher with his master’s degree in elementary education, Mister G knows how to make engaging content for children. Come out and see why his work has been awarded four Parents’ Choice Gold Awards!
Tiger CHill– Saturday, 2-6pm – Support Chapel Hill High School students and teachers at their sixth annual carnival! Bring your family and friends to play human foosball, take a dip in the dunk tank, enter raffles and climb to the top of the rock wall. Admission is free! Game tickets, savory snacks and desserts are available for purchase.
Salt & Smoke Festival – Saturday, 3-8pm – Celebrate fall with barbecue, bourbon-mashed sweet potatoes and a bonfire presented by the gourmet geniuses at Acme Food & Beverage Co. Enjoy the outdoors and live music at Rock Quarry Farm. Chef Kevin Callaghan’s take on the South’s signature flavors is on display for the fifth consecutive year at this popular community festival.
Fall Festival – Saturday, 3-6pm – Support hurricane relief at Christ United Methodist Church by enjoying food from Al’s Burger Shack and dessert from La Dolce Vita. Exciting activities abound with a dunk tank, crafts, inflatables and hay rides. Enter your name in the raffle to win local prizes including a “Southern Village Getaway” package from The Hyatt Place, dinner, a movie and dessert for two from Lumina, and Edible Arrangements gift certificates!
Save the Fox Casino Night – Saturday, 7-10pm – Looking to do some good and have some fun this weekend? Casino night with Superior Court Judge Carl Fox at Extraordinary Ventures is a great bet. The evening raises awareness and funds for UNC‘s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, the hospital where Carl received his cancer treatment. Expect live music from Tea Cup Gin and the opportunity to make a difference by signing up for the bone marrow donation registry!
Rodeo on Rosemary – Sunday, noon-4pm – Can’t decide what to have for lunch? Wander down East Rosemary to peruse more than a dozen of the Triangle’s favorite food trucks! Enjoy everything from lobster to waffles with special appearances by Cousins Maine Lobster, CockadoodleMoo, Belgian Waffle Crafters and Baguettaboutit. Take advantage of so many delicious options in one place! Who says you have to choose?
Disaster Relief Fund Jamboree – Sunday, 3pm – As seniors Joel Berry and Theo Pinson wrote in a letter to UNC fans: “Bonus basketball is coming to the Smith Center … and we would love for you to be part of the action. We’re hosting ECU, UNCG and UNCW in a four-team basketball jamboree.” You can’t let the national championship-winning players down – show up as the teams raise money for disaster relief efforts in North Carolina. Tickets are $20 with the proceeds going to the governors’ Disaster Relief Fund.
