Step aside, eatertainment—sportstainment is here to play. The blend of sports and entertainment is surging in popularity, with a host of athletic activity concepts taking root in Raleigh.
And these sporty spots are ingraining themselves in the city’s existing culture and nightlife. Take Smash, a swanky new pingpong bar by LM Restaurants anticipated to open in the now-shuttered Carolina Ale House location on Glenwood South this summer. Set to showcase an “unparalleled nightlife experience,” per LM Restaurants, the club will serve up cocktails, shareable bites and entrees with a side of friendly competition—ideal for those who love a more interactive night out.
While Smash will be the city’s premiere pingpong club, several competitive socializing concepts have already dipped a toe in the Raleigh market. Hop Shots Mini Golf changed the game after bowing on Glenwood South in 2024, giving Raleighites their first taste of competition during a night out or barhop. Also testing the waters across the city—and riding the coattails of the increasingly popular pickleball wave—are popular Pin Point, the largest and first combined indoor pickleball and golf concept in the Southeast, and soon-to-bow Swing, which will deliver an “all-you-can-play destination” (think tennis, pickleball, padel and pingpong), plus plates and pours.
Pin Point CEO Garrett Leatham credits this local sporty surge to the popularity of a healthy lifestyle paired with a push to get off the screen and socialize. “It forces people to put their phone down, come out of their shell and break down barriers with sports we all love,” maintains the Raleighite.
To wit, the golf and pickleball club just broke ground on its second space in North Myrtle Beach, and despite drastically different demographics, both Raleigh and North Myrtle are anticipated to stay swinging—but for different reasons. “North Myrtle will be more entertainment-based, with more families spending a fun night with their kids,” emphasizes Leatham. “Raleigh is more a mix of entertainment- and membership-based.”
While locals love a boozy playground, many are leveraging sportstainment concepts for a sweat over swigs. Where eatertainment sees sips and snacks with a side of casual gaming, sportstainment serves a full-blown competition at any time of day with an optional bev or bite to boot.
From top: From bowling to pickleball, ATL’s Painted Pin and Painted Pickle are proof that sportstainment is more than a trend—it’s a lifestyle.
And Raleigh isn’t the first to capitalize on the trend—cities like Atlanta jumped on the bandwagon long ago, with hot spots cropping up citywide. ATL-based Painted Hospitality President & CEO Justin Amick has launched four separate sportstainment joints boasting bowling, duckpin bowling, pickleball, and a “park” with pingpong and games. Apart from ATL’s ever-increasing passion for paddle sports, Amick emphasizes the importance of sportstainment concepts—or “compeateries” as he calls them—planting roots near an abundance of large corporations.
“There are so many large gathering opportunities… like corporate team-building events and adult birthday parties centered around pickleball—it’s a huge part of making that model work financially,” he says. “It really helps fill those off-peak hours of business and those early days where your courts need to be activated in full.”
Even with multiple sportstainment concepts incoming, this activation of competition can still be glimpsed at Raleigh bars that don’t build out courts or base a whole theme on it—think the punching machine at Teets, the board games at Stella’s and the oversize Jenga tower you hear clatter to the floor at almost every bar Downtown. The bottom line: Sitting still is out, and living, playing and socializing are so in.
Summer’s calling—beach days, golden hours and lazy sun-kissed hangs. A must-have for a packed warm-weather cal is a stacked playlist—and no one writes a summertime tune like NC does. Whether you’re watching the summer sun sink behind the Raleigh skyline, Blue Ridge Mountains or Atlantic Ocean, this mellow mix from NC’s finest across all genres is a mood. Your adventure’s soundtrack awaits.
Let’s be honest: Even if you aren’t an avid reader, it’s hard to top getting lost in a book while basking in the sun on the sand—and with nothing to do and nowhere to be, it’s far easier to zoom through the chapters. If you plan your beach reads as carefully as you plan your itinerary or outfits, note our vacay recs across all genres below.
If you are dreaming of a Euro summer…
And Their Children After Them by Nicolas Mathieu Think a classic coming-of-age story but following the endeavors of teenagers in rural France spending summer in a forgotten region left behind by global progress. Get ready to feel 17 again.
Two missing women and one possible mastermind manipulator lead this suspenseful thriller through twist after turn.
If you are reading for the thrill of it…
NC Author By Way of Paris by Christopher Newman Buckle up for a wild ride via the unhinged decisions and hot temper of a Southerner transplanted to a European gang. Queue the mystique and drama!
If you find humor in sticky situations…
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut See the cat, see the cradle. This dystopian sci-fi is lightened by a touch of dark humor in an unpredictable yet classic political satire.
If you are a literature snob…
Last Summer in the City by Gianfranco Calligarich Bend to the alienation of the Eternal City of Rome with relatable but flawed protagonist Leo Gazarra (think a 30-year-old Holden Caulfield of Catcher in the Rye) with zero ambitions, only a zest for the city.
Classic rom-com banter meets survival action with swoony moments sprinkled on top in this lighthearted second-chance romance. Fair warning: If you are nervous on planes and have air travel on the horizon, save this one for later.
If you prefer to read the book before you watch the show…
Normal People by Sally Rooney Perfect prose meets romance (?) in this drama following flawed characters and the frustrating entanglement of friends, family and past relationships. Pro tip: Pack tissues.
Meet the Raleigh-based screenwriter behind the coming-of-age film debuting at The Rialto May 18.
“I would appreciate it if your dialogue and references to popular culture in the script were more in touch with my generation,” NCSU grad and writer Mariana Fabian critiqued of Amazon Prime show TheWilds in a 2021 Technician article. Now, four years later, Fabian is taking bounds toward a more accurate portrayal with her screenwriter debut in coming-of-age film GrowingPains, premiering in Raleigh at The Rialto May 18.
After LA-based director Catherine Argyrople came across the Techniciancritique, she and Fabian connected to capture the “tumultuous transitions” of maturing on film, seen through two childhood best friends whose stories are loosely based on Fabian and Argyrople’s experiences growing up queer in a Hispanic household and the aftermath of surviving cancer, respectively.
And the May 18 premiere is more than just a screening—a moderated panel of Triangle supporters of the LGBTQ+ community—including the LBGT Center of Raleigh, Wake Forest Pride, and Hope for Teens—are slated to lead a discussion on queer advocacy. See how Fabian and Argyrople flip the script on the dialogue of women and queer communities in real time ahead of the premiere and dive into our chat with the filmmakers below.
Tell us about the inspiration behind Growing Pains. Argyrople: As a childhood cancer survivor, I had never really seen representation in the media about the aftermath of surviving a traumatic illness and how it impacts your life, so I wanted to touch on the mental health aspect… I was also passionate about telling authentic stories about women, and that’s what led me to Mari. There are a lot of stories in film and TV about women that feel very inauthentic and are from male perspectives. So my mission with my production company, and as a filmmaker, is to uplift women both in front and behind the camera.
Fabian: I started thinking about female stories when I started my film degree at NC State. I took a class called Women in Film—shoutout NCSU Professor Marsha Gordon—and I really enjoyed thinking about how women are not only represented in film, but how directing, writing and editing affects that. And that goes hand in hand with what the film is trying to do. And in terms of my story and coming out in a traditional Hispanic household, facing racism and homophobia was difficult, but this was kind of the perfect outlet for that.
Tell us more about the panel. F: I’m really just passionate about queer rights and advocacy, especially queer youth, which has been under attack in NC for a long time, like with the Bathroom Bill. I don’t think queer advocacy has to be heavy all the time. There’s so much policy, but having a party instead, that’s epic—just getting the community together and helping people feel seen and heard.
What other films and shows did you draw inspo from and recommend to each other? A: Ladybird, for both of us, was a big one—it’s raw and it doesn’t really shy away maternal relationships.
F: Real Women Have Curves, which has America Ferrera in it. She wants to go to college, but she has to battle against the views of her traditional parents.
How did you tackle creative differences? F: I think one of the most rewarding parts of the process is having to handle moments of creative differences. It just started with open communication, and if I was saying something about a line, Catherine wouldn’t take it very personally. Differences are what make us great artists and who we are. catherineargyrople.com; etix.com
Ready to crack open a cold one? We sleuthed out where it’s legal to booze on the beach.
Get your toes in the water and butt in the sand—but dodge the pricey ticket and check if a cold beer is allowed in your hand. The prime coastline blesses NC beach bums with sandy destination ops aplenty, but if whether or not you can indulge in spirited decisions takes priority when taking your pick, we did the research for you. The main rule of thumb? Pass on glass, as it’s not allowed on most NC beaches. Cheers to no fines, a sun-kissed summer and a beach buzz!
