Who better to sleigh your holiday with than Santa—and Raleigh’s own Santa Claus (aka JD Thomas) is the best and most jolly in the biz (peep the beard!). This year, Southbound Santa is coming to you, no matter where that might be—your home, a neighborhood Christmas party, a business event (cut to Jillian Bell’s character in Office Christmas Party asking, “Hey, Santa, wanna party?”) or even via video message. Believers will delight in posing for photos with Old Saint Nick, receiving gifts, and enjoying his overall warm and inviting presence. So, you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout… because Santa Claus is coming to town! thesouthboundexperience.com
WEB EXCLUSIVE Jay-Z- and Will Smith-backed real estate technology company Landis launches new program in 47 cities (including Raleigh!) to help Americans reach homeownership.
If you’re looking to buy a home in Raleigh—and with a leg up—as Jay-Z would say: “Public Service Announcement.”
The iconic rapper and the equally epic Fresh Prince (aka Will Smith) have partnered together to fund social impact-driven real estate technology company Landis, which aims to help make purchasing a home more accessible, transparent and empowering. And answering Jay-Z’s own question of “Can I Live”—you can indeed.
Enter Landis’ new program House to Home, which will allow all new Landis clients who enroll from now until Nov. 12 and move into a Landis-purchased home in one of 47 cities (Raleigh, Cary and Durham included as three of them!) by Dec. 31 to receive a $500 gift card to help turn their house into their dream home—just in time for the holidays.
“Landis’ mission of helping renters transition into homeownership is through financial education of what it takes to qualify for a mortgage and coaching our clients all throughout their journey,” says Landis co-founder and co-CEO Cyril Berdugo. “The House to Home Program is a way for us to get the word out about our Homeownership Program and to give an extra incentive for our clients to be able to do something unexpected for their new homes.”
Berdugo’s father grew up in low-income housing and relied on government assistance for housing, so Landis’ mission to help aspiring homeowners to reach their dream of homeownership is very close to his heart. After he and co-founder Tom Petit met with hundreds of people in the housing industry, they realized that, while there are resources and programs out there to help buyers who are ready to get a mortgage now, there weren’t any to help those in need of a bit more time and guidance. So they created Landis to ease potential homeowners through that transition by buying them their home when they enter the program.
“Homeownership is one of the most powerful ways to build intergenerational wealth,” says Berdugo. “My dream is that Landis can help everyone not only achieve the goal of homeownership but also to create financial stability and build wealth for themselves and their families for generations to come.”
Being proponents of financial inclusion and economic empowerment, Landis’ purpose resonated with Jay-Z and Smith, and their teams, Berdugo adds. “We’re so glad to have them onboard.” … And, yeah, if nothing else their involvement in the initiative proves you def “can’t knock the hustle.”
There’s nothing bitter about this sweet treat from our fave dessert + cocktail bar in DTR. Crack into the hard layer of caramel on top to sink into an irresistible pumpkin spice filling—and each bite should be enjoyed with the side of housemade whipped cream, spiced pecans and dried cranberries.
Better than pumpkin pie? It just might be… This seasonal delicacy from Lucettegrace features a pumpkin pie cheesecake cremeux layered with crunchy pieces of pecan praline, caramel sauce, pecan praline paste and spiced creme chantilly. Oh, la, la!
Swirl and twirl your way to The Cupcake Shoppe for the most decadent cinnamon rolls you’ll ever get your hands on (sorry, mom). This seasonal flavor has been flying off the shelf, so make sure you grab one before they’re gone!
This seasonal croissant from Layered would have Charlie Brown drooling (and dropping everything to get his hands on one immediately). Layered’s signature flaky croissant gets filled with a spiced pumpkin custard and topped with whipped cream and maple bourbon pecans for a sweet treat that works for breakfast or dessert (or both?!).
Pumpkin Spice Latte/Pepitas Praline Doughnut from Tepuy Donuts
You haven’t lived until you’ve tried one of Tepuy Donuts’ delectable doughnut creations. Flavors rotate often, but this season we’re seeking out this pumpkin spice latte/pepitas praline doughnut that just screams fall. (Oh, and don’t miss Tepuy’s apple pie doughnut and pumpkin creme brulee doughnut too.)
It works out that it’s still 80 degrees in October here because we needed an excuse to get this pumpkin ice cream creation from Raleigh Rolls. Cool down with pumpkin puree with spices and graham crackers mixed in and topped with whipped cream and graham crackers.
WEB EXCLUSIVE Raleigh-based film makes its debut at local and national film festivals.
In the year since we first shared the story on Raleigh-based filmmakers Jon Lance Bacon and Steve Neilson’s short filmOh Crappy Day (a romantic comedy feature about love and OCD), the duo has seen a fair share of happy successes.
For one thing, Bacon and Neilson signed with Gravitas Ventures, the largest distributor of independent films in North America. What’s more, Oh Crappy Day had its first in-person festival premiere at the Raleigh Film & Art Festival on Oct. 3, also the largest art festival in the state, where they won the award for Best Feature Film.
On Tuesday, Oct. 12, the film will have its official North American release on multiple Video on Demand (VOD) platforms, including iTunes, where it’s already available for preorders. Also this month, Oh Crappy Day will screen as an Official Selection at two other festivals: the Syracuse International Film Festival (Oct. 22–24) and the Orlando Film Festival (Oct. 28–Nov. 4).
“We’re thrilled to be sharing our film with audiences throughout North America,” says Bacon. “Getting here has involved a lot of time, effort and angst, but we always had a clear-cut mission driving us forward. We wanted to make a movie both entertaining and enlightening with a positive message about mental health issues, and we’re proud to say we’ve done that.”
Despite interruptive issues—like a pandemic—the filmmakers are continuing to make strides in both the local film industry and beyond—and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish next.
WEB EXCLUSIVE Ghouls just want to have fun, and what better way to spook up some fun than getting the pants scared off you during a local haunt. Here, we round up some haunted houses, trails, mazes, walks, farms and more worth venturing to this month. You may or may not be tempted to sleep with the lights on afterward…
The iconic scare fest that is Clayton Fear Farm is back with the hayride and maze. Experience the terror of the Fear Forest Haunted Hayride—aka the longest 20 minutes of your life—on a 40-foot hay wagon from hell charting territory few dare to go and from which even fewer return… then venture to the Haunted Maze and find your way through 8 acres of extremely tall Sudangrass. Scared yet?
Come over to the darkside… and watch your nightmares come to life through a 1/4-mile haunted walking and Mayhem Hayride through the backwoods, as well as new attractions such as the Insane Asylum, JoJo’s Clown Town, the Slaughterhouse, the Bundie Hotel, the S. S. Sea Hag and RottenKorr Cemetery. We dare you to take the scare!
Prepare to be spooked! Dubbed by USA Today as one of the 2021 Top Haunted Attractions in America, Spookywoods features 13 themed sets, including Victoria’s Revenge, Werewolf Forest and Slaughter House, each of which boast scary-good set designs and horrifically amazing actors—it’s like a scary movie come to life!
Calling all children of the corn. These haunted attractions are guaranteed to “scare the yell out of you.” Hop aboard a tractor for the Haunted Hayride; make your way through a spooky corn maze; or take down some zombies with a paint gun.
Do you have what it takes to make it through Fear Carolina’s 2020 Victims Choice Awards Winner for Best Haunt in the Carolinas? Walk through cabins, houses, mine shafts, swamps, villages, haunted woods and more to find out. Scares beware!
Take a tour through Wilmington’s most haunted homes and burial grounds while hearing eerie tales and ghostly occurrences from professional storytellers and ghost hunters. You’ll never see Wilmington the same…
Hallo-scream is here. Fright night found at NC’s No. 1 Haunted Forest at Panic Point in Youngsville, comprised of four haunted attractions and 32 unique scenes—including Panic Point’s feature attraction, the Haunted Forest, where you find your way through tears of blood and a 1/2-mile of murderers, spiders and aliens via 11 scenes of mayhem; along with the Dark Trail; Killers in the Corn; and Menacing Maze.
Welcome to your nightmare. North Cackalacky’s first contact-free drive-thru haunted trail is here for the spooking. Do you dare? You and your boo crew creep it real and stay in your vehicle, driving along the thrill-and-chill packed trail for, well, a wicked ride.
More thrills, less frights, this “haunted” experience is great for the whole family, providing a whimsical look at Halloween—think a coffin fitting room, aliens, spiders, skeletons, clowns, witches and more. Plus, there’s candy for all at the end (if you survive…).
For those who fear the frights, there are plenty of other fun things to do this October that are 100% scare-free. See our round-up of other family-friendly fall happenings just outside of Raleigh below.
What could be more North Carolina than a hootenanny?! Join local blogger NC Eat & Play for a fun-filled event featuring live folk/bluegrass music, wood-fired pizzas from V Pizza and other tastings from local vendors, beer and Cheerwine, games, giveaways, and a farm-style train ride at Phillips Farms of Cary.
Fans of the annual holiday flotilla in Wrightsville will be pumped to add this local pumpkin flotilla holiday edition to their agenda. Come costumed and bring your carved pumpkin, then watch as they all set sail across Bond Lake at twilight. On-site concessions will be available to buoy up the fun factor while you watch your pumpkin creation float along the lake.
It’s like your very own Blair Witch Project by iPhone (I mean, you’ll be ’Gramming it, obv) via hike at the Eno River State Park. Don a costume and be prepared for all the spooks that lurk within the shadows.
All aboard! The Pumpkin Patch Express is back in the Bull City at Museum of Life + Science with a hay maze, nature bingo, mini golf and more—plus, your chance to pick the perfect pumpkin in the patch.
It’s baaaack! Fall fun just “goat” serious. Pick your perf pumpkin in the patch at Spring Haven Farm and then trot over to the pasture for carving with cute friendly goats. Insider tip: The goats love to nibble on the insides of the pumpkins after you scoop them out.
Give ’em pumpkin to talk about and spice things up with the fam or your boo on the farm through a giant corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayride, jump pad, barrel train, pedal karts and so much more.
Have an a-maze-ing time finding your way through the 8-acre corn maze (go during the day, or up the spook factor by going at night); then take a hayride. All tickets include a free traditional jack-o’-lantern or exotic pumpkin (blue dolls, pink dolls, ghost, warty goblins and more) that you can take home to carve.
Slide into Halloween weekend via Lazy Hound Farm’s big slide—plus enjoy food trucks, hayrides, mazes, a playground, farm animals and more. Don your best costume for the chance to win the costume contest!
Track or treat! Trade the broomstick for the Halloween Express Train and spook up some fun traversing kid-friendly scenes of flying witches, smoking cauldrons and more. Halloween costumes are highly encouraged.
Gourd morning! Millstone Creek Orchards has planted more than 12K pumpkin seeds across three different patches, offering a dozen-plus different varieties of pumpkins and gourds from which to pick. Search for your fave to take home; then enjoy the farm’s signature apple slushies, cider doughnuts, an orchard hayride and more. Fall doesn’t get any better than this!
For a more unique pumpkin-picking experience, head to the Scenic Pottery Highway each Saturday in October to shop for such home accoutrements as ceramic pumpkins, gourds, autumn leaf pottery, woodland creatures, scented candles and seasonal refreshments from various local pottery purveyors.
“Getting lost has never been this fun.” Throw on a flannel and enjoy all types of fall entertainment, including a 5-acre corn maze, hay maze, fresh fall produce, games and more.
