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26 Things to Do in Raleigh This Week, Oct. 27–Nov. 2

26 Things to Do in Raleigh This Week, Oct. 27–Nov. 2

by | Oct 26, 2022 | Do, October 2022

10/27
Champagne & Friends

Grab your pals for a night of bubbly and Champs knowledge (history, production methods, styles and how to read the labels) at Vitis House. Cheers! vitishouse.com

10/27
Cinema in the Square

Who ya gonna call?! Get in the ghostly spirit this Halloween weekend through this free showing of Ghostbusters: Afterlife at Moore Square. downtownraleigh.org

10/27
Feeding Motherhood

Eat, drink and make a difference for moms and babies in need at this annual March of Dimes fundraising event. signaturechefs.marchofdimes.org

10/27
NC State vs. Virginia Tech

The Hokies are in for a proper pounding as they face the Wolfpack at Carter-Finley. gopack.com

10/27
Spencer Bland and Jordan Huggins Live Album Recording

Don’t worry, his last name doesn’t define his comedy. Comedian, writer and podcaster Spencer Bland and his fellow Bop or Flop podcast host headline Goodnights while recording their very first comedy album (!). goodnightscomedy.com

10/27
To Fall in Love, Drink This

If your ideal evening involves a good book and a glass of wine, this one’s for you. Head to Heights House and join Alice Feiring, author of To Fall in Love, Drink This, for a Q&A while sipping samples from wine sommelier Paula de Pano. Time to wine down! exploretock.com

10/27–28
Dark Raleigh Walking Tour

Take a walk on the dark side—if you dare. Learn about Raleigh’s macabre past during this true crime Downtown walking tour feat. tales of city statesmen, leaders and residents, all with a troubled past. eventbrite.com

10/28
Adult Nights: Nocturnal by Nature

It’s spooky season and this Adult Night at NC Museum of Natural Sciences promises to be the most frightful of them all. Sip themed cocktails while you dance among dinos, get a little facetime with creepy-crawlies, play games & much more. naturalsciences.org

10/28
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders

Cane’t wait for the Hurricanes to put the L in Islander. nhl.com

10/28
J Candeed w/ Newspaper Taxis

J Candeed’s upbeat and optimistic sound blends the elements of a variety of genres, while alt-rock band Newspaper Taxis delivers the smooth grooves. nightriderraleigh.com

10/28–2/26
Stronger Together Power of Women in Country Music

“Man! I feel like a woman!” … Experience the history of women in country music—from the early years and post-World War II to the emergence of Nashville as a country music mecca—via this traveling GRAMMY Museum exhibit at the NC Museum of History. ncmuseumofhistory.org

10/28–29
The Music of Harry Potter

Settle in for a spellbinding night of magical music via this NC Symphony concert featuring scores from the Harry Potter movies. How wand-erful! ncsymphony.org

10/28–31
Splash Car Wash Night of Nightmares

Ready for splashes, spooks and a spotless car? The second annual haunted car wash is back due to popular demand, with benefits going toward the Longleaf School of the Arts. As you get your car cleaned, try not to scream over sights from scary clowns, bloodthirsty zombies, ghostly graveyards, a haunted swamp shack and other spooks. Boo! splash-carwash.com

10/29
Brunch-Based Launch Party

What if you could wake up and smell the coffee and bourbon? Well, consider your prayers answered Olde Raleigh Distillery’s brunch-based launch party—in celebration of its Coffee Cask-Finished Bourbon and Barrel-Aged Bourbon Coffee Beans—in collaboration with Workbench Roasters and Real McCoy’s. It’s a brew-tiful thing! olderaleighdistillery.com 

10/29
Boxcar Halloween Party

Bring your spooky spirit and dress up your doggos to compete in the #BoxcarBowows costume contest, taking place throughout the day at Boxcar. When night falls, don your scariest fit get in the spirit for an evening party complete with live music, drinks and games. theboxcarbar.com

10/29
Cary’s Great Pumpkin Carve

“It’s the Great Pumpkin [carving], Charlie Brown!” Choose the perfect pumpkin to carve for this family-friendly fest featuring showings of classic Halloween specials. #SquashGoals. townofcary.org

10/29
Cloudstoberfest

Clouds Brewing’s annual traditional Oktoberfest celebration returns with live music from The Little German Band & Dancers, Cloudstoberfest beer, food trucks, traditional contests (think a stein-holding competition), and more. Prost! cloudsbrewing.com 

10/29
Day of the Dead 5K

Despite the fact that running may leave you feeling dead, don’t be a lazy bones and lace ’em up for Centro’s Day of the Dead 5K race, complete with painting, prizes and a place for people to put offerings for their loved ones. fsseries.com

10/29
Fall Fest

The Optimist and Brookside Bodega are teaming up for their first Fall Fest feat. food trucks, music, trick-or-treating and games. Grab your ghouls and go! brooksidebodega.com 

10/29
Olde Raleigh Distillery Halloween Party

Hey, Hallo-queens! Olde Raleigh Distillery is hosting its first annual Halloween party this year and it’s sure to be a scream! olderaleighdistillery.com

10/29
Pumpkin Picnic Festival

Oh my gourdness! Have all the fall fun at this fam event with carnival games, inflatable slides and costume contests at Mordecai Historic Park. Can we get a boo-yah?! raleighnc.gov

10/30
Crank for a Cause

Put the pedal to the metal for a cause via Crank Arm Brewing’s 12-mile bike ride fundraiser, which includes stops at three Downtown breweries. Sounds like a wheelie good way to get a workout (and a brew) in! crankarmbrewing.co

10/31
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals

Capital Ws are—hopefully—in order for the Canes as they take on the Washington Capitals. nhl.com

11/1, ongoing
The Market at NCMA

Knock off the nice list and#ShopLocal by popping over to this Triangle Pop-Up on the first Saturday of each month for handmade gifts and goodies. Happy shopping! trianglepopup.com

11/1
Plant Lovers’ Tour

Don’t wet your plants. …  Join Tim Alderton at JC Arboretum for a sweet stroll through fall foliage to learn about “unbe-leaf-able highlights of the garden.” It’s sure to knock your stalks off! ncsu.edu

11/2
Yoga in the Park

Have any flex time in your schedule? Squeeze in a yoga sesh at Dix Park! Namaste. dixpark.org

A Celebration of Life

A Celebration of Life

by | Sep 28, 2022 | Do, September 2022

What Centro’s Day of the Dead 5K really means to event director Angela Salamanca

Photos by Michael Palko

While you might have caught a glimpse of the costumed runners scampering along Wilmington Street in years past for Centro’s annual Day of the Dead 5K, there’s more to the race than meets the eye. 

Coming up on its 10-year anniversary this October, the race means something a little different to everyone involved. For some, it’s a great way to get fresh air and exercise while supporting the Brentwood Boys & Girls Club. For others, it’s the perfect fam-friendly outing combining running, face painting, dancing—and beer for those 21+. And yet for others, like Centro owner and event director Angela Salamanca, it serves a deeper purpose. 

In 2003, Salamanca lost her younger sister Margarita to suicide. 

“When she died, I was also really young. I think she was 25 and I was 26, and she was under my care,” say Salamanca. “And at the time… there weren’t the conversations in availability and normalization around mental health and help, so it was a tough, difficult, hard time for us.”

Salamanca was overcome with grief in the beginning, but after finding out she was pregnant soon thereafter, she pushed herself to think and feel differently. 

“I just kind of turned on a switch somewhere inside of me, and said, ‘I really need to be happier; I really need to be good; this baby needs all the best of me.’ And I stopped grieving out of necessity, out of—I don’t know why—it was a thing that I felt I needed to do out of survival,” she says. 

Fast-forward to 2009 when Centro was in its second year and Salamanca first learned about the Day of the Dead, when her kitchen staff, who were mostly Central American, asked if they could set up an altar in the restaurant. Altars are a key part of the holiday, as they are used to honor and celebrate the lives of deceased friends and family. 

Day of the Dead 5K
Day of the Dead 5K altar

“I’ve been able to stop equating death with darkness or grief with darkness, and I think the altar really shifts that for you,” Salamanca reflects. “I saw it as an opportunity for healing, and because I experienced it myself, I really wanted to share that with others.”

And she has. Since 2000 (minus 2020 and 2021), Salamanca and her staff have worked to educate others about the Day of the Dead by holding the 5K during the last weekend in October each year. In addition to the race, they set up an altar in Oakwood Cemetery, where runners—or anyone in the community—can come and celebrate loved ones they’ve lost. To boot, proceeds from the event benefit the Brentwood Boy & Girls Club, and many children within the organization take part in the race. 

2022 will be the last year that Salamanca and Centro host the 5K, as they are passing the reins to the Boys & Girls Club. But they are looking to go out with a bang. Their goal is to have 1,500 people register for the race—nearly double the number of participants they’ve had in the past. 

The key thing to remember? As Salamanca says, “This race can be anything that you want.” A way to give back to the community. A way to get your heart pumping while spending time with family and friends. Or a way to honor the memory of those you love. 

Race Details

Date & Time: Saturday, Oct. 29, 10am
Entry Fee: $35 until Oct. 27; $40 after
T-shirt: Free if you register before Oct. 3
Opportunity: Sponsor a child (or more) from the Brentwood Boys & Girls Club for an additional $30
Register: fsseries.com/event/day-of-the-dead-5k/register