by Lauren Kruchten | Mar 27, 2025 | April 2025, Buzz
THC and CBD beverages have surged in popularity—now they’re bubbling up all over Raleigh.
Gone are the days when conversations around THC, CBD and hemp—even marijuana—are murmured in a whisper. Now, at almost any Raleigh bar, bottle shop, brewery or restaurant, you’ll find a hemp-derived bev (key word: hemp, which is legal in NC). While THC and CBD drinks aren’t new, they’ve exploded in popularity over the last year-plus, with a bevy of local businesses either brewing their own or adding multiple ops to their menus.
And, no, this isn’t just a Dry January remnant. At an ever-growing clip, people are turning to these NA options as an alternative to alcohol—especially on the heels of the new Surgeon General warning echoing the 1964 smoking report: “Even light to moderate drinking can contribute to cancer risk,” linking it to at least seven types of cancer.
But cropping up even prior, young American adults are progressively drinking less, with 59% of adults under age 35 reporting they drink, per a 2024 Gallup poll, down from 72% in the 2000s—and nearly half of Americans are planning to cut back in 2025. While mocktails certainly had their own NA moment, consumers seeking to take the edge off are realizing these THC tonics serve up similar effects to, say, a glass of wine—sans the hangover.
“THC drinks are being refined and are definitely an option a lot more people are choosing,” says Hibernian Hospitality Group mastermind Niall Hanley, who recently added local delta-8 and delta-9 THC Groovewagon cans to its roster. “Such products are making a move into the booze market for all the reasons people know—easier on the body, no hangover, less damaging side effects. It’s definitely a growing sector.”
Once a stigmatized swap, these “cannabevs,” as Groovewagon co-owner Reilly Dunn calls them, are becoming more mainstream and accepted, even among high-end restaurants that before would turn their nose up to them for fear of “attracting the wrong crowd.” Think from such trailblazers as Irregardless to F&B spots like Johnson Street Yacht Club, Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard, and The Bend—even Stanbury and East End Bistrot, where GM Greta Montellano says patrons are “definitely destigmatized” and warming up to them.
That mindset shift really comes down to education and exposure, as Dunn and Groovewagon co-owner Sasha Klimczak explain. “It’s been really exciting to see it move from the perception of THC as this sketchy thing where you have to meet some dude in the parking lot of a Harris Teeter to [getting] it at the same family-friendly establishments that are selling alcohol,” shares Dunn.
Local breweries are hopping on board with their own offerings. Seeing the hype at State of Beer, Trophy Brewing released its first line, Starry Eyes, earlier this year via two canned ops and one draft, crafted with equal parts THC and CBD in fruit-forward flavors like grapefruit and strawberry lime.
“Some people aren’t drinking or changing the way they’re drinking,” says Trophy co-owner Chris Powers. “We want to be accommodating to that—we’re beverage people; we’re connoisseurs; we like to try new things. It just makes a lot of sense for us to do our own.”
Incendiary Brewing also released its Seditious hemp-infused seltzer with 10mg delta-9 in February, and both Brewery Bhavana and Element Gastropub have plans in the works to drop buzzy drinks later this year. For those still craving spirits, Whiskey Kitchen, Bowstring and Irregardless are already mixing up THC cocktails—with a THC spirit line by Groovewagon in the works to boot.
“The only way this thing is going to be as powerful as it can be is when people expect that anywhere they go is going to have an alternative that does something,” maintains Dunn. “It doesn’t need to be weird, it’s perfectly reasonable—and the audience is everybody.”
FAST FACTS
- THC drinks can contain anywhere from 1mg to 100mg+.
- THC can come up in a drug test.
- Age to buy: 18+ (however, many local establishments adhere to 21+)
- THC has a psychoactive that produces a “buzz” effect, while CBD has more calming properties.
by Heidi Reid | Jul 9, 2024 | 2024, Do, July 2024/August 2024
It’s a live music summer! Here’s who’s coming to town.
Raleigh is breaking more than heat index records this summer (!), as the demand for live music is at an all-time high. To boot, Red Hat Amphitheater has a record-breaking lineup, with 51 concerts and counting on the cal—NTM five sellouts so far (looking at you, Khruangbin and Chappell Roan). And Coastal Credit Union Music Park, The Ritz and other local venues aren’t being left behind, with a wave of big names coming to grace the City of Oaks in the coming months.
If this news is music to your ears (*wink, wink*), browse these artists from various genres making their way to Raleigh this summer—and secure your tickets ASAP. Happy concert-going!
Country
7/13
The Hoots, Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard
7/27
Sam Hunt, Coastal Credit Union Music Park
8/10
Marren Morris, The Ritz
8/17
Dan + Shay, Coastal Credit Union Music Park
Indie
7/15
Tennis Courts, The Pour House
7/19
The Connells, NCMA
7/20
Two Door Cinema Club, Red Hat Amphitheater
8/3
Cage The Elephant, Coastal Credit Union Music Park
8/13
Still Woozy, Red Hat Amphitheater
Pop
7/24
Lobby Boy, The Pour House
8/12
Joshua Bassett, Red Hat Amphitheater
8/16
Tate McRae, Red Hat Amphitheater
Rap
7/26
PARTYNEXTDOOR, The Ritz
8/7
SiR, The Ritz
Reggae
7/25
Root Shock, The Pour House
7/26
Dirty Heads and Slightly Stoopid, Coastal Credit Union Music Park
Rock
7/12
The Ultimate Doors, Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard
7/31
The Band CAMINO, The Ritz
7/31
The Doobie Brothers, Coastal Credit Union Music Park
8/9
Train and REO Speedwagon, Coastal Credit Union Music Park
8/10
AWOLNATION & Neon Trees, Red Hat Amphitheater
by Heidi Reid | Sep 19, 2023 | Do, October 2023
Tim Reynolds of Dave Matthews Band is bringing familiar tunes back to Raleigh.
A guitar is just a personal extension of the person playing it, and guitarist/producer Tim Reynolds has been offering the world this intimate glimpse for more than four decades. After releasing 20+ albums under his own moniker—and even more with international rock phenom Dave Matthews Band—Reynolds shows no signs of slowing his successful sounds down.
Last July, DMB graced Raleigh with a performance at Coastal Credit Union. Now, Reynolds is slated to play at Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard Oct. 5 with his former band, TR3, merely a month before heading back on the road with DMB. Raleigh Magazine caught up with Reynolds ahead of his upcoming Raleigh show and tour to tap him on what’s currently making a mark on his sound.
Welcome back to Raleigh! What can we expect from your Bowstring show?
We have a lot of original [music], and we are working on a bunch of new acoustic songs. A record isn’t coming out until the beginning of next year, but we still like to play that music because it’s fresh. Covers are always fun because you get to go back to your roots and have a three-piece play music by bands with six or seven instruments. It’s fun to make them work with the guitar, bass and drums.
Which artists do you usually cover?
It changes every show. We have ones we’ve played for a long time. Right now, we are learning this one by Simon and Garfunkel called ‘A Hazy Shade of Winter,’ which is cool. It’s a 12-string song. It’s fun for me to play the 12-string part and the melody. That’s the kind of thing I like to challenge myself to do. It takes a minute to make it work.
Take us back to TR3’s beginnings…
This band started in Charlottesville in the ’80s. When I moved, I moved very far away so it wasn’t easy to keep that going. When I came back to the Outer Banks 10+ years ago, I hooked up with Dan and Mick, and we started playing. Now, we’re very comfortable with each other. It’s a very good fit.
Does the constant touring ever get old?
One does get tired of traveling, although traveling is awesome when you’re not tired. The reason we’re doing this is to play music and it’s all fine because of that. It’s better to travel and play music for people all over than to just live in one town and play a couple places all the time. I also just kind of got used to that. You definitely have to get enough sleep.
You are living the best of both worlds right now. Do you prefer a sold-out stadium show or a small local venue?
They’re both really great for different reasons. The Dave Matthews Band thing is huge—with catered dinner, tour buses and all that good stuff. But I also like playing small clubs because it’s a different energy. You can really feel the audience, especially in a small room. And you can actually see everybody—it’s not a sea of faces half a mile away. The energy is really the best. Small venues just sound better—in bigger places the sound is more artificial. I’ve been doing both for the past 15 years, and each venue keeps the other fresh.
Tell us: Which guitarists influence your sound?
All of them! I’ve been through so many phases of different genres: jazz, rock—and I love them all, so it’s hard to say. One that comes to mind is Paco de Lucía, the flamenco guitarist. It’s a different kind of music, that’s why I love it so much. It’s still a mystery. There is so much complex rhythm in that music. But I love so many guitarists. Who doesn’t like Jimi Hendrix or Jimmy Page? All the genres of great guitarists inform and inspire what I do.
What’s your go-to post-show drink and/or snack?
A margarita. Boom. No smoky tequila and preferably no salt. Just strong. And usually a double because most people make them weak. As for post-show food, anything, but I’m a big fan of pizza.
If you’re singing in the shower, in the car or anywhere without an audience, what song are you singing?
I like so many songs it’s hard to just pick one. The one that comes to mind is a David Bowie song called ‘Sound and Vision.’ When he opens up his voice, it’s such a magical sound. It’s like a quartet—it’s just different.
*Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
by Lauren Kruchten | Aug 29, 2023 | Do, September 2023
Like all things ’90s, pinball is back, y’all.
Cue the nostalgia—pinball is making a comeback. While the first coined machine dates back to the 1930s, the arcade game hit peak popularity in the ’90s—a fact driving its current resurgence as all things of the “Edgy Decade” return to favor (see also: low-rise jeans, claw clips, thin brows and other trends). After all, you can’t beat a classic (!).
Not only are many Gen Xers and millennials harkening back to their halcyon days of youth by buying machines for their homes, pinball tournaments are taking place across the globe—and the classic games are remerging at bars, restaurants, gaming sites and beyond.
Clearly, select Raleigh establishments were ahead of the reemerging trend (we see you Boxcar), but, now, scads of local spots are shooting on the scene. Here’s where to bump those balls around town.
The Avenue
Glenwood South
Must play: Spider-Man
@theavenueraleigh
Beach Shack Bottles & Taps
North Raleigh
Must play: Black Knight: Sword of Rage
@beachshackbottlestaps
Boxcar Bar + Arcade
Warehouse District
Must play: Jurassic Park
@boxcarral
Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard
Five Points East
Must play: Lord of the Rings
@bowstringpizzabrewyard
Brookside Bodega
Oakwood Mordecai District
Must play: Oktoberfest
@brooksidebodega
The Cardinal
Smoky Hollow District
Must play: Monster Bash
@thecardinalbar
Heyday Brewing
Northeast Raleigh
Must play: Deadpool
@heydaybrewing
Industry
Glenwood South
Must play: Fish Tales
@industry.raleigh
Johnson Street Yacht Club
Glenwood South
Must play: South Park
@jsyachtclub
Person Street Bar
Seaboard & Person Street District
Must-play: Stranger Things
@personstreetbar
Roshambo Beverage Co.
Moore Square District
Must play: Beatles
@roshambobevco
Slim’s
Moore Square District
Must play: Monster Bash
@slims_tagrams
To find more pinball machines in the area: pinballmap.com/raleigh-durham
by Melissa Howsam | Mar 31, 2022 | April 2022, Do
Hate leaving those cute puppy dog eyes every time you go out? So don’t! … Get out of the doghouse and treat your four-legged bestie to a date in the city. Whether your dog digs snacks (who doesn’t?), play, or maxin’ and relaxin’, we’ve got the perf picks to get
that tail wagging.
Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard
This chill neighborhood garage bar with its large heated patio and massive brewyard has quickly become a go-to year-round fave for pup parents and their fur-children for its big pup-friendly vibes, giant lawn games, live music… bow-wow-wow yippie yo yippie yay! bowstringbrewyard.com
West Street Dog
Happy hour = happy hound at West Street Dog—aka an indoor off-leash dog park with a full bar… so a pup pourhouse, if you will. For playdates, doggy daycare and social hour at night and on weekends are also on offer. But be careful, most dogs can’t hold their licker (had to). weststreetdog.com
Raleigh Beer Garden
If Fido is a foodie—or just feelin’ a lil husky—head to Raleigh Beer Garden for its Hungry Dawgs menu, feat four-legged-friendly treats like carrots, bacon, burgers and more. Clearly, a doggone good time. theraleighbeergarden.com
Dix Park Dog Park
Suns out, paws out! Romping around unleashed in Dix Park’s dog park is a fave for a reason—especially for its size-specific play spaces… so you don’t have to worry about your Chihuahua getting run over by a Great Dane. dixpark.org
Wye Hill
You go for brunch or brews or dinner or views—your fur-ever friend goes for the ulti-mutt experience—aka that massive dog biscuit (bone appetite!), a dedicated dog bowl and, well, those primo vistas of DTR (and you, of course). wyehill.com
House of Hops
Eternal hoptimists come with four legs too, and your four-legged friend’ll be yippin’ “ale, yeah” to some liquid therapy—either inside with pals or out on the patio woofin’ it while you play cornhole or just chill. Hoppy tails to you… North Glenwood & McNeil Pointe, houseofhopsnc.com
NCMA
Rover’s gonna love rovin’ North Carolina Museum of Art’s Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park. Whether roaming the trails, propping up near the pond, sniffin’ the sculptures or basking in the sun on the Ellipse lawn, your pup’ll no doubt be yippin’ “art art!” ncartmuseum.org
