Raleigh may not look like the morning after a Shameless block party—but it’s not exactly spotless.
With the 20K residents living within a mile of DTR’s center—and thousands more commuting in on the daily—the city’s growing core generates plenty of foot traffic. And, inevitably, plenty of waste. So what’s being done about the pileup?
To many Raleighites, trash troubles feel more visible than ever. In 2018, residents reported 66.3% satisfaction with Downtown’s cleanliness. But by 2024, that number had dropped to just 56%.
Not everyone sees a problem. One Downtown business owner says Raleigh still feels squeaky clean compared to other major cities, noting that even graffiti rarely sticks around for long. Others disagree. DTR resident Bekah Gregory says she routinely spots trash piling up at key gateways like Capital and New Bern, as well as around public transit-heavy corridors like Blount and Wilmington streets and Moore Square.
For Moore Square dweller Christian Lockamy, this reality plays out daily: He’s watched people bypass trash cans and “just kind of trash the place.” The situation grew so grimy around an abandoned business that he submitted a cleanup proposal to Downtown Raleigh Alliance.
Assistant City Manager Evan Raleigh says he’s heard the mixed reviews—especially about those high-traffic areas near the bus station—and Raleigh isn’t standing idly by. Seven days a week, Raleigh’s Downtown Clean Team is on the ground, scouring for litter, grime, graffiti and more.
Starting at 6:30am, crews sweep areas like the Capital District, Glenwood South and the Warehouse District, then circle back for a second pass halfway through the day. Their focus is primarily on public sidewalks, plazas, tree pits and trash receptacles—really anything excluding trash collection (which is up to Solid Waste Services), says Raleigh.
In 2024 alone, the Clean Team collected 5,500+ bags of litter covering ~20K miles, says Public Information Officer Julia Milstead. Still, the task isn’t just about manpower.
“You have to make sure you’re staying on top of changes in behavior, patterns and trash locations,” says Raleigh. “Our team does a great job of that.”
The city is also tweaking its TRAC bin pilot program. Instead of freestanding cans cluttering sidewalks, new 95-gallon bins will soon be tucked into artistic enclosures set back from the street. Other efforts—like the ongoing beautification efforts along Fayetteville Street—are also in the pipeline.
But Raleigh stresses keeping Downtown clean can’t fall to the local gov alone. Enter the Great Raleigh Cleanup—founded in 2020 by Preston Ross III, the volunteer-driven org formed after he determined the litter had escalated into a public nuisance. “I very quickly recognized that it was too big for me to do alone,” he recalls. “So we opened it up to volunteers, and it really took off.”
Adds Ross: “If you’re complaining, you better be doing something.” Whether that means reporting cleanliness concerns, joining a cleanup crew or simply picking up after yourself, keeping Raleigh clean takes everyone.
The secret sauce to a great city could rest in the Power of 10.
Think big. Think 10. Raleigh’s future isn’t just about streetscapes and skyscrapers—it’s about crafting places people actually want to be. And that doesn’t just happen. Enter the “Power of 10,” a simple yet transformative concept: Every city needs at least 10 destinations, and each destination needs at least 10 things to do.
Originated by the Project for Public Spaces (PPS), the framework reveals why cities like New York and Atlanta lure people in—and keep them coming back. Such is the philosophy behind Raleigh’s 2009 Comprehensive Plan, which directed 60% to 70% of new growth to eight growth centers focused along key urban and transit arteries like the Beltline and 540—think Midtown, West Raleigh and Village District—plus 15 multimodal corridors, extending the Power of 10 principle to shape a vibrant and connected city.
As former COR Chief Planning Officer and current City Council Member Mitchell Silver puts it: “If I come Downtown—as a senior couple, a single, a family—what are the options? You have restaurants—then what do you do? Places like New York… there’s so much to do, probably like a power of 100. That’s what makes those places exciting—people come back again and again. That’s the goal.”
Building on that foundation, new potential pockets now emerge as the Comprehensive Plan 2030 gears up to shape the city’s next chapter through 2050.
Placemaking in Action
As aspirational as it is practical, Raleigh’s growth framework already reflects this principle. The point isn’t just garden variety shopping, dining or strolling, notes Silver. The real magic is layering elements—rest, play, art, music, food, history, connection—so people linger, explore and return.
As such, applying the Power of 10 isn’t just theoretical. Standalone attractions like museums or parks serve as a great draw, but deliver “the power of two, maybe three, at best,” says Silver. “People come, look, maybe hit up the gift shop—and leave. The real challenge: What can you build around the museum or park?” The telltale sign—are there people there? And do they stay there?
He nods to Nash Square—lonely trees, empty walkways and angled parking that could morph into a vibrant hub where people actually want to linger. Even the strongest attractors can stumble without a complementary cast. Take Wilson’s Whirligig Park—a momentary magnet that, on its own, risks being forgettable, explains Silver. But with the upcoming Carolina sports and entertainment stadium and planned ~50-acre live-work-play mixed-use project, that fleeting draw evolves into a full, thriving ecosystem.
Looking to 2050
Given Raleigh’s demographic shift, the urgency for this approach grows sharper. The city is young: ~60% under age 40, and ~80% under 55. Yet, Silver warns, “the [older] minority is trying to drive planning decisions. We need young people to speak up.” Future growth hinges on creating these multidimensional hubs—places where people don’t just pass through but stay, engage and thrive.
Layer on a looming constraint: Raleigh is projected to run out of developable land within 20 years. Yet, the simple reality remains—people are coming. The city’s population boomeranged ~50%, adding roughly 200K residents in the last 20 years. “I called it Mayberry the Metro,” says Silver of the now more than 65 people relocating to Wake County every day. So it’s not a question of if—but how we manage it.
By honing in on our people-centered placemaking pockets—through public spaces, new mixed-use developments and urban design innovations—Raleigh can scale up its Power of 10. And in doing so—from blueprint to buzzworthy—transform a city of streets into a city of destinations.
Urban Growth Centers – 2009 Comprehensive Plan
Brier Creek
Crabtree
Downtown/Central Business District
Midtown/North Hills
New Bern/WakeMed
NE/Triangle Town Center
Village District/University area
West Raleigh
Potential Pockets for Urban Growth: 2030–2050
Capital Boulevard
City Market
City Plaza
Downtown South
Moore Square
Triangle Town Center (reimagined)
WakeMed Corridor (BRT)
Warehouse District
Emerged Naturally – Raleigh Iron Works
Raleigh Iron Works
A game changer for East Raleigh—and key connector between Downtown and Midtown—Raleigh Iron Works is a work-stay-play hub on the former Peden Steel site. Breaking ground in fall 2021, Phase One boasts 200+ apartments, buzzy retail, and ambitious public art and maker/pop-up programming, anchored by standout F&B spots from Brodeto and Little Rey to St. Pierre and Ponysaurus Brewing—and, yes, that trademark slide bringing a playful touch that’s core Raleigh.
The best of Raleigh’s 15th annual Hopscotch Music Fest
Another Hopscotch is in the books. It’s been 15 years since the music fest staked its claim as one of the most far-ranging fests in the Southeast, and it continues to hold its ground as a must-see for any indie music fan—local to Raleigh or not.
All too often festivals evolve into a mess of airport-level security, mountains of litter and sunbaked Porta Potties. But Hopscotch—after a decade and a half—has stayed humble, avoiding the drama of a large fest while still sporting a rival lineup. It consistently boasts the perfect combination of legacy sets (think Built to Spill, Superchunk and Godspeed You! Black Emperor) and fresher acts destined to be the next big thing (see: Geese, Geordie Greep and Florry). And it’s all right in our backyard.
The festival is built to be a choose-your-own-adventure with staggered acts at the main stages and club shows, but it’s not easy to see it all. Here are our fave moments you may have missed.
Earl Sweatshirt Did Not Care Earl Sweatshirt had his priorities in order: He strutted on stage, performed some of his recent releases live for the first time, then brought out the happy-go-lucky Charlotte rapper MAVI. And his background visuals reflected this nonchalant mood—a dog with sunglasses on a surfboard was the sole image of the set. “This is my mood board,” he said of the image. “I wanna feel like that.”
Fust or Bust What’s Hopscotch without a local folk mainstay? Durham-based Fust took a well-deserved main slot on the City Plaza stage Friday and didn’t disappoint with a laid-back set layered with easy-on-the-ears violin. NTM the slow set was a subtle start to a day full of loud alt tunes.
North Carolina! Underwater! Between 3D Country and Cameron Winter’s solo work, NYC-based Geese has built a big fan base, and the crowd was buzzing at their City Plaza set on Friday. New singles “Taxes” and “Trinidad” riled the crowd up even more, and unheard tastes of their new album (“Au Pays du Cocaine” was otherworldly) left unmatched anticipation for the upcoming release—and hopefully a return to Raleigh soon.
MMJ Are Gods Live My Morning Jacket has always held a top spot as one of the greatest live rock bands, and on Friday night they proved they are sound in that sentiment. City Plaza’s production upped the ante for the group—the colorful strobe lights were the finishing touch to their jam sesh.
City Plaza Artists Loved Shish Kabob Forget the Red Hat shimmerwall—artists loved City Plaza’s Shish Kabob sign. The simple name was peak entertainment: Earl Sweatshirt thanked (?) the restaurant for being there, and Geese’s Cameron Winter swore “lightning would strike him down” if the whole crowd didn’t receive Shish Kabob gift cards. What’s a festival without a running bit?
Crumb, Caught in the Rain Crumb’s music is destined for the dark, and the rain that crashed their Saturday night set at Moore Square added a grounding element to their groggy but calm dreamscape. Dry feet—and equipment—may have made for an easier set, but there was something liberating about live psych-rock in the rain, and the crowd wasn’t mad about getting a little wet.
Club Shows Are Unmatched Not only is all of Downtown involved—from churches to restaurants—but the music practically never ends, with club sets starting around noon and playing until the early hours of morning. These shows boasted an array of NC artists and beyond—some coming from as far as Cali—and ranged from mosh-worthy to cry-worthy, in the best way (hemlock at Pour House was very much the latter). Hopping club shows was easily worth the late nights.
RM chats up Tom Blankenship of MMJ ahead of their Hopscotch Set.
My Morning Jacket has been preaching worn-in rock ’n’ roll for over two decades. Rising from Louisville, Kentucky, in the late ’90s, their music managed to stay rooted in a slight Southern twang while still dipping into the sights and sounds of the rising rock scene. The group seemed to understand what was so compelling about both Drive-By Truckers and Green Day, and were able to stretch themselves to both ends of the spectrum.
Alongside their ten albums, MMJ established themselves as the rock institution to see live. And the proof is evident in various live albums, a 2004 Bonnaroo performance so iconic it’s still celebrated, and even a cameo from muppet and drumming icon Animal. So, Raleigh was rightfully buzzing when Hopscotch dropped its highly anticipated lineup and the MMJ name shone front and center as Friday’s headliner.
It won’t be the five-piece’s first time in Raleigh: According to bassist Tom Blankenship’s list of live shows—which he has kept since they began touring in ’99, ~1,100 shows ago—they’ve graced the city three times. “Traveling can feel like work, but actually playing songs and hanging out with the guys never loses its charm,” he muses.
Hopscotch lands just a month out from the 20th anniversary of Z, a record which Blankenship described as a turning point for MMJ—as coming and going band members lent to a change in sound. “From the opening track, it was definitely a departure from what we had done musically,” he affirms. “At the time, I don’t think we really thought of it as taking a risk, but we were just excited to be working on new music.”
In the two decades since, their sound has (naturally) taken some twists and turns, but even their newest record, Is, echoes back to the scope of their early days. Produced by Brendan O’Brien,who cemented his name working with the likes of Pearl Jam and Bob Dylan, the more-focused-than-usual album gives just a taste of the group’s live sphere. “Brendan trimmed the fat off of all of them—‘Squid Ink’ was two or three times longer than the album version,” says Blankenship.
But holding up to their live show legacy, the trimmings were saved and the group plans to play all the songs in full live. For MMJ, albums come second: Most of their discography was played at shows for years before it was ever released. Read: “One Big Holiday” was played live for three years before it ever saw the light of the studio.
And like any good fest setlist, MMJ’s Hopscotch performance will cater to fans of all capacities. “We joke that it’s a greatest hits set,” quips Blankenship. “We don’t necessarily have any radio hits, but [we play] songs like ‘Wordless Chorus’ that we know resonate with folks who aren’t super familiar with us.” Rest assured, deep cuts—which Blankenship refers to as “nuggets”—are still sprinkled in for the longtime MMJers. All in all, their headlining set will certainly be worth a listen. hopscotchmusicfest.com; mymorningjacket.com
RM chats with psych-rock band Crumb ahead of Hopscotch.
Laid-back but never mundane, dreamy but more than just a backdrop—Brooklyn-based band Crumb’s music is everything all at once: nonchalant, unnerving and transient.
“Everything is an influence—probably subconsciously, definitely not consciously,” maintains lead vocalist Lila Ramani. To boot, a little bit of everything is sprinkled throughout their discography—from jazz to psych to shoegaze.
Crumb is set to bring their sparkly dreamscape to Raleigh as a headliner at Hopscotch, closing out the DTR fest on Saturday at Moore Square—one of their only two shows scheduled for the remainder of the year. “We’re focusing more on writing this fall, so no big-time touring,” says Ramani, also noting this will be the first time the band has played in Raleigh in years. Many of the group’s past local gigs were before they got their bearings in the industry—think house shows and smaller venues like Local 506.
Now, Crumb stands on various singles, one EP, three albums and millions of listeners. And their many fans aren’t ones to get a full eight hours of shut-eye: A common time to revel in the quiet, waterlogged melodies is in the dark, when the rest of the world is quiet too.
“I feel like it can be any time of day, but I definitely think a solitary kind of listening makes sense, or a laid-back environment,” emphasizes Ramani. There’s a time and a place for their haze—and “it’s definitely not for the club,” she notes.
But, when performing live, the band translates their hypnotic ballads to be more energetic and upbeat than the recordings. “Our live shows are different, or that’s at least what people have told us—that it’s much more.” Ramani told RM. More upbeat songs—like Balloon, which has a more disco-y feel—usually make the setlist.
Many of the band’s songs from early EPs and albums also make the cut, though Ramani notes the performance behind them feels different than the rendering of a more recent track. “People love them so much, and that’s amazing, but it feels the most removed from where we are now,” she says. “It’s been almost ten years.”
Haoyan of America
The four-piece’s groggy, gaze-y sound has stood its ground from album to album, and on their most recent record, Amama, Crumb appeared to lean even more into their surreal, blissed-out noise with even less vocals than previous albums. “It’s hard to tell from the outside, but I don’t think we had that in mind going into it,” Ramani muses. “Vocals are just another instrument.”
And while that instrument leans more muted on certain tracks, it’s hard to generalize the whole album, she adds. “The lyrics pop a lot more,” and certain songs still spotlight their underwater-sounding winding scripts. Despite both Crumb’s reach and palette expanding in Amama, their songwriting process has remained more or less the same. “In general, it’s been mostly the same thing, and looking forward, we might try to change it up a little more since it’s been so long,” says the vocalist.
In short, Moore Square is set to sparkle with dreamy jazz-psych paired with transient thoughts, making reveling in Crumb’s sound a no-brainer. crumbtheband.com; hopscotchmusicfest.com
