Soccer fans, assemble! This Friday, find the U.S. Women’s National Team in New Zealand facing off for its first FIFA Women’s World Cup matchup versus Vietnam. And while our leading ladies are kickin’ it across the world, we’ve rounded up local events where you can show your support and spots to screen the match stateside. Let’s make this worldwide event one for the books. #Goals!
The Rialto The show must go on! The Rialto is reopening today at 7:30pm for World Cup USA vs Vietnam at 9pm—enter for free with beer, soda and maybe popcorn for sale. @rialtoraleigh
Tap Yard Fam and furry friends alike are welcome to cheer on our fierce females on the big screen (with the sound on!) with food trucks and cold bevs, natch. And be sure to don your best team USA gear! tapyardraleigh.com
Sports and Social What’s better than watching the World Cup on not one, not two, but 65+ TVs (NTM a 42-foot LED screen)?! Partake in the party—complete with games, giveaways and good vibes—and cheer on our gals with a specialty Hat Trick cocktail in hand. sportsandsocial.com
Live Viewing Party in Moore Square Pitch can’t kill the vibe at this Downtown watch party feat. live music, food truck fare and a load of lawn games (think knockerball, human foosball, soccer challenges and more). Score! raleighnc.gov
The Avenue While it might not be a soccer pitch, roll up to the grassy oasis at The Avenue and catch the game on one of its stockpile of screens—and squeeze in a game or two of pool during halftime. Play on! avenueraleigh.com
The Bridge DTR Clear eyes, full bellies, can’t lose. Fill up on food, drinks and camaraderie at The Bridge for soccer screening—Downtown soccer pub style. thebridgedtr.com
Carolina Ale House Give our kickin’ women an “ale yeah” at the NC Courage watch party in Brier Creek feat. food, games, and an appearance from the mascot Roary (!) along with select players from the NC Courage team. carolinaalehouse.com
Hibernian Pub Channel the luck of the Irish for our all-American soccer stars via a jaunt across the pond—er, to Glenwood South—for pub fare, drinks and an all-around kickin’ time. hibernianpub.com
Earth to Raleigh… here’s a slew of ways to show our planet it rocks this Earth Day.
Our world revolves around Earth Day—and we hear going green is in this season! So for what it’s Earth, here’s where to relish in Mother Nature and show our planet some love April 22 (and every other day too!).
Lake days for the win! Grab your paddle for a foray out on the water; lace those sneaks up for a stroll; or grab a seat at one of the park’s picnic tables. … We lake that a lot!
Water you doing this Earth Day? Take a trip to this NC State gem hidden away on the university’s centennial campus for an open-air meal spot, a paddle or a jog along the greenway trail.
Calling all happy campers! Trek the trails via this respite from the hustle and bustle of Raleigh livin’. Find a plethora of hiking ops, three man-made lakes (!), picnic shelters, fishing spots and camping areas to boot.
Sprawl on the grass and gape at the skyline or join the community ahead of Earth Day April 21 to explore environmentally conscious vendors, play games, give some love to the City of Raleigh Environmental Awards and watch WALL-E.
Somebody put “Heal the World” by Micheal Jackson on blast ASAP. And check out ways to roll up your sleeves on Earth Day—and during National Volunteer Week—to clean up our city with this org… “one piece at a time.”
Make your way to Moore Square for a daylong event feat. workshops, educational chats and other Earth Day activities to keep ya grounded. … That’s pretty neat!
A Place at the Table launching its very own run/walk club
Walk—or run—toward good food, fun and meaningful connections via A Place at the Table’s newly launching Run & Walk Club (!).
“We believe that through being active, eating good nutritional food and connection, we can build a healthier and happier community together,” the philanthropic sup spot said in a recent Instagram post. “Come be a part of our family of folks that enjoy loving on others and love spreading our mission of providing community and good food regardless of means!”
The run/walking will commence and conclude at the cafe—looping around the perimeter of Nash and Moore Square—with 3- and 1-mile ops.
Exclusive first look: Stakeholders share their vision for development potential.
“I feel more optimistic about the street than I have in a while,” says Bill King—whose vantage point as Downtown Raleigh Alliance president and CEO is clearly in-the-know. “And I really do think you’re going to see Fayetteville Street start to look a bit different over the course of 2023 compared to 2022 and earlier.”
And major players like Fayetteville Street stakeholder Thomas “Skip” Hill are working tirelessly toward that goal. “We want to invest and make this the coolest street—certainly in North Carolina, but in the Southeast and beyond,” says the Highwoods Properties senior VP. “We’re all in soup to nuts, and we want to play a role in coordination with the City of Raleigh.”
Now, propelling that vision, a slew of concepts and activations are on deck—from signed leases to master plans. Here, 10 major updates coming to Raleigh’s Main Street.
Ink Is Dry
Chido Taco This colorful mercado-style taqueria ever so subtly announced its second location on Fayetteville Street by placing two ceramic Chido Taco mugs in the window of the former Living Kitchen space. The new 3,000-square-foot restaurant, slated to open toward the end of Q1, will feature the same menu as the original Chido Taco in McNeil Pointe—and, yes, you’ll be able to take drinks to-go.
HUBB Kitchens Partnership Giving minority and female food & beverage entrepreneurs a leg up is this new training program from HUBB Kitchens, Raleigh Founded and DRA. Expected to start up this summer in a restaurant space at Duke Energy Center before moving to the former Pizza La Stella location Downtown, the concept will train future business owners on cooking skills and the business of running a restaurant, as well as provide mentorship and financing help. It’s also a win-win for those who work/live Downtown, as it’ll add a new lunch option (!). “Being able to provide that, but also make it have an equity impact, is really important to us,” says King.
Mustang House After DTR’s Plaza Cafe owners announced its closure, two Triangle-transplant business partners out of California snatched up the space to open Nepalese concept Mustang House. Look for the spot to open any day now in a lightly refreshed space.
Mobile TV Screen Clearly, Raleighites dig live sports viewing—see the throngs of people who descended on Moore Square to watch the live FIFA World Cup Final via giant mobile TV screen. Now, the city has acquired that massive mobile screen and is evaluating the logistics of live City Plaza screenings of the NCAA tournament, ACC tournament, hockey games and the like.
Economic Development RFP The City of Raleigh is funding an RFP asking national firms to submit proposals for attractions and activations that would promote economic development Downtown (think: retail strategies, position of the DT office market, and supporting minority- and women-owned businesses)—to, in essence, “make Downtown, and Raleigh, great again,” says Hill.
In the Works
Sir Walter Coffee Owner Kevin Frazier confirmed Sir Walter Coffee is very close to signing a lease for the former B.GOOD space at Charter Square—one of four towers Highwoods owns on Fayetteville Street. In the “hip Panera,” as Frazier calls it, expect a slightly bigger breakfast and lunch menu of fresh salads, sandwiches & soups—plus a separate bar and potential for a light dinner menu. If signed, Frazier hopes to open this year.
Alexander Square Parking Deck In addition to the rollup garage doors and other upgrades Highwoods is making as part of the redevelopment of the deck’s ground-floor space we intro’d last summer, the company is also planning to upfit with outdoor dining and food concepts (think sushi, sandwiches, ice cream).
Wells Fargo Building Concept Hill says the lease is very close to being signed for the former Cafe Carolina space—closed since 2017—on a great full-service restaurant from a local hospitality group known for its collection of concepts.
Light Activations Visionary Hill’s, well, vision is to “have lights on every tree all the way down Fayetteville Street,” he says. “In fact, we’d love to have it so that the lighting is tied to a sound system and the lights go dancing on and off based on the music.”
Empire Properties Concept The now-defunct CVS space at 200 Fayetteville St. looks to be a big talker in the near future as Greg Hatem and co. revamp the space with a new concept. Stay tuned.
Soccer (er, football?) fans across the world have been following the World Cup for the past month—and it all comes down to the final match this Saturday. In an effort to celebrate this once-every-four-years tournament and gather local sports lovers from all walks of life, Downtown Raleigh Alliance is hosting a Soccer Fan Fest Dec. 18 in Moore Square, which will feature a viewing of the FIFA World Cup Final and a score of other activities. Read on for everything you need to know. Meet you at the pitch!
When: Sunday, Dec. 18, 9:30am–2pm
Where: Moore Square
Additional activities: Knockerball, teqball, arts and crafts, soccer darts, a DJ, food trucks, a beer garden, and a photo op with a replica trophy
Cost: This event is free, but if you register online you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a kids-sized soccer ball.
